Gender equality is not a “women’s issue,” but it should concern and engage both men and women equally. Today, gender equality is considered not only a matter of human rights but also a prerequisite and indicator of human-centered Sustainable Development and Democracy.

We should not overlook that the social status of women and men is influenced by political, economic, cultural, social, religious, ideological, and environmental factors and can change over time. In this context, we often talk about a gender perspective and/or a gendered viewpoint.

This is the approach developed by Women’s Studies, which takes into account the differences due to gender, as well as the gendered power relations when examining any social, political, economic, and cultural phenomenon, policy, or process.

It focuses on gender differences and discrimination, as expressed in both the public and private spheres of life, as well as how power and authority relationships between genders are shaped. It also examines how these phenomena shape the immediate needs and long-term interests of women and men.

In the context of policies, the gender perspective serves as a strategy to ensure that the expectations and experiences of women and men become an integral part of the design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies and programs across all political, economic, and social sectors, so that women and men benefit equally and inequality is not perpetuated.