Gender norms and stereotypes
Precedents
2021 HRC resolution on human rights in the context of HIV and AIDS
“Urges States to eliminate all forms of sexual and gender-based violence, including intimate partner violence, by adopting and enforcing laws, changing gender stereotypes and negative social norms, perceptions and practices, and providing tailored services that address multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination and violence faced by women living with, at risk of or affected by HIV.” (paragraph 13)
2021 CSW Report on women and HIV/AIDS
“The unequal status of women and girls across political, social, economic and cultural domains continue to put women at greater risk of HIV infection and affects access to and uptake of HIV services. Factors that increase the risk of HIV infection, such as poverty, food insecurity, gender-based violence, stigma and discrimination, child and forced age-disparate marriage, low educational completion rates and limited access to quality unbiased information, disproportionately affect women and girls. These factors have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Social norms and controlling behaviours by men still prevent many women and adolescent girls from using contraception, refusing unwanted sex and making their own decisions about their health care.” (paragraph 6)
2016 Resolution on Women, the Girl Child and HIV and AIDS
“Recognizing that women and girls are more vulnerable to HIV infection and that they bear a disproportionate burden of the impact of the HIV and AIDS epidemic, including the care of and support for those living with and affected by HIV and AIDS, and that this negatively affects the enjoyment of their human rights, including the right to health.” (p. 34/62)
2012 Resolution on women in development
“Urges Member States, the United Nations system and non-governmental organizations to accelerate their efforts and provide adequate resources to increase the voice and full and equal participation of women in all decision-making bodies at the highest levels of government and in the governance structures of international organizations, including through eliminating gender stereotyping in appointments and promotions, to build women’s capacity as agents of change and to empower them to participate actively and effectively in the design, implementation, monitoring, evaluation and reporting of national development, poverty eradication and environmental policies, strategies and programmes.” (paragraph 5)
2011 Political Declaration of the HLM on NCDs
“Express deep concern that women bear a disproportionate share of the burden of care-giving and that, in some populations, women tend to be less physically active than men, are more likely to be obese and are taking up smoking at alarming rates.” (paragraph 15)
2011 Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS
“Remain deeply concerned that, globally, women and girls are still the most affected by the epidemic and that they bear a disproportionate share of the caregiving burden, and that the ability of women and girls to protect themselvesfrom HIV continues to be compromised by physiological factors, gender inequalities, including unequal legal, economic and social status, insufficient access to health care and services, including for sexual and reproductive health, and all forms of discrimination and violence, including sexual violence and exploitation.” (paragraph 21)
Expert precedents
2022 OHCHR Annual Report on Human Rights and HIV/AIDS
“Recommend that states Upscaling of actions to tackle unequal gender power dynamics, norms and practices, including increased investments into gender-transformative, community-led interventions, especially those shown to reduce both HIV and violence against women and girls, be prioritised” (paragraph 29(v))
2016 General Comment No.22 on the Right to Sexual and Reproductive Health
“Gender-based stereotypes, assumptions and expectations related to women being the subordinates of men and their role being solely as caregivers and mothers, in particular, are obstacles to substantive gender equality, including the equal right to sexual and reproductive health, and need to be modified or eliminated, as does the role of men solely as heads of household and breadwinners.” (paragraph 27)
1999 General Recommendation No.24 on women and health
“For example, States parties should not restrict women’s access to health services or to the clinics that provide those services on the ground that women do not have the authorization of husbands, partners, parents or health authorities, because they are unmarried or because they are women. Other barriers to women’s access to appropriate health care include laws that criminalize medical procedures only needed by women punish women who undergo those procedures.” (paragraph 14)