| Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) | Women, Peace, and Security (WPS) is a global policy framework recognizing that women’s meaningful participation is critical to achieving stability, peace, and security. The WPS Agenda evolved from the U.N. Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325, and nine subsequent UN resolutions. UNSCR 1325 recognized that armed conflict has a disproportionate and different impact on women and men, boys and girls and that women are uniquely positioned to contribute to the prevention and resolution of conflicts and post-conflict stability. As it relates to the military, WPS refers to the meaningful participation of women in the Armed Forces and the integration of a gender perspective in all aspects of military organizations, operations, and functions in order to increase military readiness and operational effectiveness. |
| GENAD | Gender Advisors (GENADs) are the principal advisors on the implementation of gender perspective strategies to the commander and associated staff. This is a primary role and they are formally trained. |
| GFP | Gender Focal Points (GFPs) are appointed gender-advocates within their organization who assist with the education of staff; integration of a gender perspective into planning, execution, and assessment processes; and coordinate functional gender-related reporting. This is generally an additional responsibility, and they are not necessarily formally trained as Gender Advisors. |
| Equality | The right of different groups of people to have a similar social position and receive the same treatment. |
| Equity | Situation in which everyone is treated fairly and equally. |
| Sex | Refers to the biological differences between males and females, such as the anatomy of an individual’s reproductive system and genetic differences. |
| Gender | Refers to the socio-culturally constructed roles, rights, privileges and responsibilities of men, women, boys, and girls. |
| Gender Perspective | Exposing gender differences and how being treated as a man or woman in society shapes a person’s needs, interests, and importantly to us – security. |
| Gender Analysis | An examination of the relationships and interactions between men and women, their access to and control of resources, the constraints they face relative to each other, and socio-cultural power structures. |
| Gender Balance | Efforts that ensure both men and women have equal opportunities and access to matters in the institutions of society (namely: religion, economy, education, culture, and polity). Notably, when applied to the military, gender balance does not equate to the ensuring equal numbers of men and women within units. |
| Gender Based Violence | An umbrella term for any harmful threat or act directed at an individual or group based on actual or perceived biological sex, gender identity and/or expression, sexual orientation, and/or lack of adherence to varying socially constructed norms around masculinity and femininity. It is rooted in structural gender inequalities, patriarchy, and power imbalances. GBV is typically characterized by the use or threat of physical, psychological, sexual, economic, legal, political, social, and other forms of control and/or abuse. GBV impacts individuals across the life course and has direct and indirect costs to families, communities, economies, global public health, and development. |
| Gender Integration | Refers to the strategies applied in policy/program assessment, design, implementation, and evaluation to take gender norms into account and to compensate for gender-based inequalities. For DoD: “Gender Integration” often refers to integrating women into the military. Outside of DoD: “Gender Integration” can refer to “the integration of gender perspectives,” particularly among U.S. interagency partners and civil society organizations. |
| Gender Mainstreaming | Involves the integration of a gender perspective into the preparation, design, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of policies, regulatory measures, and spending programs. This is geared towards promoting equality between women and men and combating discrimination. |