The Principles of Gender-Sensitive State Power
摘要
This chapter summarizes the findings and suggests how to move forward. In conclusion, the role of gender-sensitive state power is twofold: to enforce progressive change in society and make it more gender equal, while ensuring that resources do not leak in ways that compromise women’s room to maneuver, either in the private family sphere or society more broadly. In contemporary EU member states, male power through the law has been significantly loosened in past decades but changes in laws is insufficient for realizing gender equality. This is why being “gender-sensitive” must include additional ways of committing to progressive change. The chapter highlights that Oxford Languages provides “thoughtful” and “compassionate” as synonyms to “sensitive.” A point made is that very harsh state power that transgresses individuals’ integrity would not be compassionate, nor would it be very thoughtful. What states can however do is to recognize gender equality as a common good and direct adequate resources to the equalizing of self-determination between women and men. Such initiatives, to be successful, includes reaching a high number of women elected and controlling levels of corruption, not least to ensure a reasonable job market for women.