On certain terms and definitions in the legislation on gender equality

Abstract

The article reveals the issues of defining terms (concepts and definitions) in gender legislation. The author pays special attention to the definition of the term «vulnerable groups» and the definition of «women from vulnerable groups».The purpose of the study is to analyze certain terms and get acquainted with international experience in order to use certain initiatives in Ukrainian legislation to achieve gender equality. The term of vulnerable groups exists in everyday life,but there is no unified term and a clear understanding of what categories are attributed to women from vulnerable groups. Existing research, current Ukrainian and European legislation, and international human rights practice conclude that it is vulnerable groups of populations are most prone to discrimination. For such categories of persons, discrimination may contain signs of plurality, namely exacerbated by signs of ethnicity, disability, age, and so on. Scrutinize approach to determining the criteria for women’s vulnerability will allow to provide better social services that will be targeted at certain categories of people to achieve the best results. It is important to develop comprehensive measures that address the problems and needs of certain categories of people and groups. The introduction of targeted approaches to implement the specific needs of each group are necessary measures. In the course of the research the Ukrainian legislation and international practice on defining the term vulnerable categories of persons and women from vulnerable groups were analyzed. Ensuring equality of rights is especially important for women from vulnerable groups. Therefore, determining which categories of women can be classified as «vulnerable» is a necessary component of the legal framework.The practical significance of this article is the need to determine the category of women from vulnerable groups and vulnerability criteria. A clear normative definition will provide a better understanding of the needs of such groups and take special measures to ensure their rights in a targeted and effective manner. Keywords: women from vulnerable groups, legislation on gender equality, vulnerable categories of persons, terms in gender legislation.