Moving from Formal to Substantive Equality
INTRODUCTION
From June 24 to 25, 2014, the Group of Women Parliamentarians of ParlAmericas held its 6th Gathering in Mexico City. The Group’s annual Gatherings are two-day events encouraging women and men national parliamentarians to exchange knowledge and strategies, and to make concrete commitments in favour of gender equality.
This year’s Gathering, Moving from Formal to Substantive Equality, convened 58 national legislators representing
Formal Equality
Also known as legal or de jure equality
A gender-neutral framing of policy or law that does not explicitly discriminate. It is based on “sameness,” or the equal treatment of women and men before and in the law
Substantive Equality
Also known as real or de facto equality
A framing of policy or law that leads to non-discriminatory results and effects. It recognizes differences (biological and culturally/socially-constructed) and disadvantages (historical and structural)
25 countries in the Americas. Alongside subject experts, the parliamentarian delegates discussed how to mobilize action to advance not only legislation guaranteeing formal gender equality, but political commitments towards real equality.
The Gathering was organized under the premise that parity in representation is a vital goal, but it does not guarantee women’s meaningful participation in politics or public life. Conversations centred on how to create not just more but better political spaces for women. In terms of achieving this objective, delegates agreed that we