These two questions have been swirling in my head throughout this fellowship. My host organization, Playquity (Play + Equity), is intentionally focused on building equitable solutions as a means to empower women. Equality, the state of being equal, is the end-goal and equity is the methodology of creating an equal world.
Presently, there is undeniably a difference between the opportunities and access to resources that men and women receive in India and most of the world. According to the United Nations, “Women’s health services, already poorly funded, have faced major disruptions. Violence against women remains endemic. And despite women’s leadership in responding to COVID-19, they still trail men in securing the decision-making positions they deserve.” So, how do we ensure our approach to gender equality is equitable and ensures the intended impact?
While both equity and empowerment are essential for creating a just and equal society, equity is the foundation on which empowerment can be built. We often hear the terms “equity” and “empowerment” being used interchangeably. While both of these concepts have similar goals, there are significant differences between the two. “Empowerment” refers to the idea of controlling one’s agency to make decisions confidently whereas “equity” means recognizing and acknowledging the fact that the world is not presently equal based on the differences in realities and imbalances that exist.
Stephen Menendian of the Othering & Belonging Institute writes, “Equity means that, in some circumstances, people need to be treated differently in order to provide meaningful equality of opportunity. Neither “equality” nor “equity” guarantee equality of outcomes. Equity is primarily in service of equality of opportunity, not outcomes. But achieving equality of opportunity requires both equality (formally equal treatment) and equity (situationally different treatment), depending on the circumstances.”
In simple terms, the world will not be equal until individuals are empowered through equitable solutions.
Measuring equity is crucial in ensuring that progress is being made towards creating a fair and just society. So, back to the question at hand: We recognize that gender inequalities exist, but how do we know if our equitable approaches are making progress?
Here are some of the best ways to measure equity:
Intersectional Approach: Equity is not just about individual identities but also the intersections between them. An intersectional approach recognizes the complex ways in which various identities and social factors interact and impact individuals’ experiences. For instance, gender is only one aspect of a person’s identity.
In many areas where Playquity works, socio-economics, sexuality, religion, education, caste, and health are all factors which impact a person’s day-to-day life. While I wish that Playquity was a silver-bullet that could solve gender equality, the reality is that we must work together with local initiatives, organizations, and develop partnerships in order to create lasting change. It is crucial that we address individuals as whole people with a variety of intersecting identities rather than just a woman.
Community Engagement: Working with communities and listening to their perspectives is crucial in measuring equity. Community engagement allows us to understand the needs of communities and ensures that policies and programs are responsive to their needs. Gender inequality affects everyone, not just women. Engaging the community at large is necessary to create lasting impact.
It is not enough for programming to exist in a vacuum, but we need to engage a variety of individuals within communities in order to create meaningful change. For instance, our organization invites parents to come together to discuss our program, impacts, and create community among one another. We have already seen the attendees of this event become more involved and interested in the daily programming in the community. Similarly, we have been able to witness some unanticipated cultural shifts within the communities we work for, such as girls and women wearing shorts, t-shirts, and clothes that are not traditionally worn by women; as well as observing boys’ and men’s change in attitude toward sharing the playing field with girls. These anecdotes and qualitative impacts showcase the progress being made towards a future of equality.
Monitoring Progress: Someone once told me, “if it isn’t recorded, then it doesn’t exist.” In order to accurately understand our impact, we must monitor and evaluate the progress we are making. It is essential to monitor progress regularly to ensure that policies and programs are making progress towards equity goals. This approach involves collecting data regularly and evaluating progress to identify areas that need improvement. Progress may look differently depending on the individual, which is why baseline data, monthly observations, and self-assessments should be regularly administered and evaluated throughout programming.
In the beginning, it is pertinent to create achievable milestones and goals for the individuals to be measured on. This way, all stakeholders understand what the purpose of the programming is and what we are aiming to achieve throughout the lifecycle.
Equity is the foundation on which empowerment can be built and equality can be achieved. Measuring equity is essential in creating a fair and just society.
Sources:
“Defining: Equity, Equality and Justice: Achieve Brown County.” Achieve Brown County, 5 Aug. 2021, achievebrowncounty.org/2021/05/defining-equity-equality-and-justice/.
“Equity vs. Equality: What’s the Difference?” Othering & Belonging Institute, belonging.berkeley.edu/equity-vs-equality-whats-difference.
“Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment.” United Nations, www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/gender-equality/.
