Knowledge Building Concepts Relating to Gender Module 1 Introduction A person’s identity is made up of his or her sex, age, race, caste, class, religion, profession or occupation, political affiliation and a host of other factors. At a basic level a person’s identity is decided on biology or nature, in that a person’s identity is defined by his or her biological characteristics. ‘Sex’ marks an individual as a man or woman and depending on the form of sexual organs; a person is classified as a male or female. Further, genetic mutations can lead to transgender features in people that make the distinct biological difference between women and men blurred. Gender is the next basic factor in the construction of a person’s identity. It is also the strongest. It is the social/cultural meaning and values given to sexual differences. Gender is used to describe the characteristics of women and men that are socially and culturally determined. This gender identity is created by the person himself or herself by the characteristics attributed to the person’s sex and also by the influences around the person such as parents, family, relatives, friends, through school, the community, race, religion, wider society, the media etc. Gender differences lead to discrimination based on the unequal power balance between women and men, and those belonging to the third sex. Various interpretations have been given to the word “power”. On a personal basis power can be introduced as the ability to fulfill one’s objectives or the ability to take decisions in this regard. The ability to make contributions to fulfill one’s expected objective not only at home but at every level in the society is also called power. In every society power relationships are built on gender. Hence both on personal basis and general basis power is unevenly divided among males and females. Females who are considered as a group that has less power than males sometimes do not have power to take decisions even regarding their lives. Providing power to females or vesting power on females is called women’s empowerment. The gap between those who have power and who do not have power often paves way for violence against women. Violence is used to control women using the power which is based on the perception that the male is socially, culturally, economically, psychologically and biologically more powerful than the woman. Traditionally the female is at a disadvantageous position both within the family and in society. The knowledge of this, being sensitive to it and by working to redress it in all structures, laws, plans, policies, human resources development activities, financial and resource management, and the culture of any social institution will pave way for gender equality and women’s empowerment. 16