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society by providing preferential treatment and affirmative action. Such
temporary special measures aimed at accelerating de facto equality between
men and women shall not be considered discriminatory but shall in no way
entail as a consequence the maintenance of unequal or separate standards.
These measures shall be discontinued when the objectives of equality of
opportunity and treatment have been achieved.
(h) “Gender and Development (GAD)” refers to the development
perspective and process that are participatory and empowering, equitable,
sustainable, free from violence, respectful of human rights, supportive of
self-determination and actualization of human potentials. It seeks to achieve
gender equality as a fundamental value that should be reflected in development
choices; seeks to transform society’s social, economic and political structures
and questions the validity of the gender roles they ascribed to women and men;
contends that women are active agents of development and not just passive
recipients of development assistance, and stresses the need of women to
organize themselves and participate in political processes to strengthen their
legal rights.
(i) “Gender mainstreaming” refers to the strategy for making women’s
as well as men’s concerns and experiences an integral dimension of the design,
implementation, monitoring and evaluation of policies and programs in all
political, economic and societal spheres so that women and men benefit
equally and inequality is not perpetuated. It is the process of assessing the
implications for women and men of any planned action, including legislation,
policies or programs, in all areas and at all levels.
(j) “Violence against women” refers to any act of gender-based violence
that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm
or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary
deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life. It shall be
understood to encompass, but not be limited to, the following: