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WQ.104/2021
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHIEF MINISTER BY DEPUTY L.M.C. DOUBLET OF ST. SAVIOUR QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 8th MARCH 2021 ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON MONDAY 15th MARCH 2021
Question
Will the Chief Minister explain his understanding of the following terms as they apply to policy formation by the Government of Jersey –
- gender blind;
- gender neutral;
- gender sensitive; and
- gender mainstreaming?
Answer
The Government of Jersey strives for equality in all of its policy formulation, ensuring compliance with the Discrimination (Jersey) Law 2013. Gender is, of course, one of the characteristics that policy professionals consider at the earliest stages and helps to ensure that Islanders can expect to be treated with dignity and respect.
With respect to gender, consideration is made at every stage of policy development to ensure that the particular needs and interests of women and men are addressed. This includes ensuring that data are available at the decision making stage, on the likely impact of policy delivery on the different genders.
In this respect, public policy development in the Government of Jersey is most closely aligned with the concepts of gender sensitivity and gender mainstreaming.
Gender sensitive refers to the practice of taking into account the particularities and nuances related to the lives of both men and women while aiming to eliminate inequalities and promote gender equality. Gender mainstreaming involves the inclusion of gender perspectives when preparing policies. Specifically, ensuring the particular needs and interests of women and men are addressed.
By contrast, gender blindness references the lack of awareness surrounding how men and women might be affected differently by a situation due to their differing roles, needs, status or priorities. And gender neutral relates to a disassociation with an issue or policy from gender or an expectation that the policy will affect both genders equally. Neither of these two models are used routinely in policy development within the Government of Jersey.