How to get away with unequal gender equality: on hegemonic paradigms, masked exclusions, and self-legitimation strategies

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this work is to analyse hierarchies, gaps, and exclusions present in the gender equality framework of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, particularly its Sustainable Development Goal 5. More specifically, I critically analyse: (1) the co-existence of hegemonic and counter-hegemonic elements in the 2030 Agenda’s/SDG5’s gender equality framework, with the privileging and invisibility of its Western-hegemonic facet; (2) how gender, sexual orientation, racial, and historical silencings found in this framework limit its potentialities; (3) how these silencings are masked through self-legitimation strategies, which I call Divertising and Othernization of Inequalities. The findings suggest the 2030 Agenda’s/SDG5’s gender equality framework potentially creates a situation in which Othernized peoples oppressed by gender-related/intersected violences are many times left with limited choices: they are either being oppressed within their own realities or they are being imposed a ‘salvation’ with Western-dominant paradigms that also maintain and perpetuate oppression and violence.