substantive gender equality

Substantive gender equality requires that equality is interpreted according to the broad context or realities of women’s disadvantages and the impact of these circumstances in terms of eliminating disadvantage in outcome or result. It is a channel by which women can exercise and fully enjoy all human rights and freedoms on an equal footing with men.

The concept of substantive equality has special relevance in addressing disadvantage based on sex and gender. The scrutiny of gender-neutral formal laws, policies and programmes that treat women and men alike becomes necessary to evaluate whether they will accelerate the achievement of gender equality in practice and eliminate discrimination against women.