Statistical Terms Glossary

Data is reliable, valid and representative, free of gender biases, with good coverage (including country coverage and regular country production), and is comparable across countries in terms of concepts, definitions and measures. Quality data should have the features of complexity (meaning that data from different domains in women’s lives can be cross-referenced and cross-tabulated), and granularity (where the data can be disaggregated into smaller units by race and ethnicity, age and geographic location, as well as sex).

All individuals who fall outside of the gender and sexuality ‘norms’.

Theoretical reflection, developed in the humanities in the mid 1980s against a backdrop of growing theoretical interest in sexualities, which was coterminous with the civil movement’s adoption of the word ‘queer’, which previously had a pejorative meaning.

Quota systems have been viewed as one of the most effective special measures or affirmative actions for increasing women’s political participation. There are now 77 countries with constitutional, electoral or political party quotas for women. In countries where women’s issues had always been relegated to the lowest priority, increases in the number of women in decision-making positions help move women’s agendas up to a higher priority level.

A form of sexual assault, involving illegal sexual intercourse with a person against that person’s will/consent. Typically involves sexual penetration without consent including sexual penetration obtained by force, threat or incapacitation, or sexual penetration of someone who is unable to give consent, such as a younger child or incompetent person (National Centre on Sexual Behaviour of Youth, 2003). However, the most commonly used definition of rape is the imposition of sexual assault on someone against his will, through the use of violence, force, threat to harm or other forms of coercion, or in the case of the victim's incapacity to refuse if under the influence of alcohol or drugs. When an effort is placed to rape someone without penetration, this is called an attempted rape. Rape is a judicial definition that differs according to the laws in different countries.

When an effort is placed to rape someone without penetration, this is called an attempted rape.

Complex of beliefs that encourages male sexual aggression and supports violence against women.

The legal act by which a country that has signed the convention agrees to be bound by its provisions; usually ratification requires that the national legislative body agrees to the convention. A certain number of country ratifications are required before a convention comes into force.

Measurement, in quantitative terms, including by assessing and reflecting its value in satellite accounts, of unremunerated work that is outside the scope of national accounts (UN system of national accounts), such as domestic work, caring for children and other Dependents, preparing food for the family, community and other voluntary work.

Objective pertaining to gender equality that requires the introduction of family and parental leave schemes, child and elderly care arrangements, and the development of a working environment which facilitates the combination of work, family and private life for women and men.

Those crimes that are reported to, detected by, or otherwise drawn to the attention of the police. What constitutes a crime as well as the definitions of different types of crimes also varies from country to country. Therefore, comparisons should be used with caution. Where investigation of one crime reveals the existence of other unrelated crimes, each crime is recorded separately. Where a case includes several related offences, the most serious crime is recorded. One offence committed by several offenders is recorded as one crime.

The process whereby a health care or community worker performs a series of operations and procedures so that their client benefits from accessing additional and/or different services.

Any woman who meets the eligibility criteria under the applicable refugee definition, as provided for in international or regional refugee instruments, under the mandate of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, and/or in national legislation.

For census purposes religion may be defined as either:(a) religious or spiritual belief of preference, regardless of whether or not this belief is represented by an organised group; or (b) affiliation with an organised group having specific religious or spiritual tenets.

Reproductive rights include the rights of all individuals and couples to decide freely and responsibly the number, spacing and timing of their children, and to have the information and means to do so. Further, decisions concerning reproduction should be made free from discrimination, coercion and violence. These services are essential for all people, married and unmarried, including adolescents and youth. For people to realize their reproductive rights, they need access to reproductive and sexual health care in the context of primary health care. This should include a range of family planning; obstetrical and gynaecological care; prevention, care and treatment of STIs and HIV/AIDs; education and counselling on human sexuality and reproductive health; prevention and surveillance of violence against women and elimination of traditional harmful practices.

Refer to the activities needed to ensure the reproduction of society's labour force. This includes child bearing, rearing, and care for family members such as children, elderly and workers. These tasks are done mostly by women.

All the tasks associated with supporting and servicing the current and future workforce – those who undertake or will undertake productive work. It includes childbearing and nurture, but is not limited to these tasks.

When a country specifies that it will not accept certain provisions at the time of ratification. Reservations can also refer to which dependent territories are covered or not covered by the provisions. Some conventions have a provision prohibiting reservations.

Non-consensual pornography (the most common form of which is known as ‘revenge porn’) involves the online distribution of sexually graphic photographs or videos without the consent of the individual in the images. The perpetrator is often an ex-partner who obtains images or videos in the course of a prior relationship, and aims to publicly shame and humiliate the victim, in retaliation for ending a relationship. However, perpetrators are not necessarily partners or ex-partners and the motive is not always revenge.

Individuals or social groups that have particular entitlements in relation to specific duty-bearers. In general terms, all human beings are rights-holders under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. In particular contexts, there are often specific social groups whose human rights are not fully realized, respected or protected. More often than not, these groups tend to include women/girls, ethnic minorities, indigenous peoples, migrants and youth, for example. A human rights-based approach does not only recognize that the entitlements of rights-holders needs to be respected, protected and fulfilled, it also considers rights-holders as active agents in the realization of human rights and development – both directly and through organizations representing their interests.

Theft of property from a person that involves overcoming resistance by force or threat of force.

Emergency, transitional or permanent shelter/housing that is confidentially located to respond to critical situations, usually related to domestic violence.

Concept and conditions for ensuring that women receive the appropriate services in connection with pregnancy, childbirth and the post-natal period, including family planning and emergency obstetric care.

A person who was influenced by the experience of violence perpetrated on another person. The secondary survivor may be a member of the family or someone close to the survivor.

The victim affected by violence, without being the main target originally.

Approach whose objective is to ensure that a gender dimension is integrated into the work of all governmental bodies and into all policy areas via an effective commitment to gender mainstreaming by policymakers when devising sectoral plans and programmes, as well as the building/strengthening of the technical competencies of all those involved in the implementation of this strategy.

Secure tenure is the right of all individuals and groups to effective protection by the State against arbitrary unlawful evictions. People have secure tenure when there is evidence of documentation that can be used as proof of secure tenure status or when there is either de facto or perceived protection against forced evictions.

The person appointed by the guardian, the father or grandfather, during his lifetime, from those considered competent to support the child. While it is not necessary for the guardian to use specific words while assigning, the assignment is done only by a guardian stating for example: "I select or recommend so and so". According to the personal status laws, the selected guardian can choose a replacement for himself, if the original guardian’s assignment enables him to do so.

Killing female foetuses through abortion following the ultrasound procedure, due to the suspected fetes’ sex.

The right of a people to determine their own political status. That could mean full independence, or it could mean a greater degree of autonomy and linguistic or religious identity within an existing state.