Gender Equality in a Global Perspective

Anders Örtenblad is Professor of Organization and Leadership at Nord University, Norway. Raili Marling is Associate Professor of American Studies at the University of Tartu, Estonia.Snježana Vasiljević is Professor of European Law and Fundamental Rights, European Anti-discrimination Law, EU Law and Gender at the Zagreb University, Croatia.

"This book is timely and thought provoking, rarely does a book on Gender equality explore the relationship between research, theory, practise and action with such rigour, insight and relevance from a global context. Each author presents leading edge contributions which advance stimulating and distinctive debates to the study of diversity and equality. The ingenious accounts provide critical insights and new impetus to the study of gender equality. The book is evocative, an invaluable resource for scholars, students and practitioners across the social sciences. A must read, which makes an outstanding contribution." –Kiran Trehan, University of Birmingham, UK"This thought provoking book challenges our current understanding and implementation of the core concept of gender equality as embodied in the CEDAW Convention and rightfully calls for more comparative analyses of ways and gaps encountered in its incorporation at the national level. As such it contributes better understanding of obstacles and measures needed in achieving gender equality as established goal No 5. of the UN Sustainable Development Agenda." –Dubravka Simonovic, UN Special Rapporteur on Violence Against Women, its Causes and Consequences"This timely volume addresses a long standing core question and dilemma in feminist theory and more generally work on gender equality. This is the underlying and often normative universalism of what human rights imply, and in particular concepts such as gender equality in contrast to national and local gender regimes. Drawing on an empirically rich variation of examples from different parts of the world, we come to learn about the complexity and challenges involved in applying definitions and concept related to human rights and social injustice. With a point of departure in a common set of questions of what gender equality means, the different chapters of the book addresses how international law, policies, and regulatory frameworks needs to be understood in their particular contexts. It is a refreshing and much sought for perspective that teaches us that gender equality is never only about gender." –Ulf Mellström, Karlstad University, Sweden

• Part 1: Background and Introduction1. Introduction: Different Dimensions of Gender Equality in a Comparative PerspectiveSnježana Vasiljević, Raili Marling and Anders ÖrtenbladPart 2: Examining Gender Equality in a Global Perspective2. Gender Equality in Nigeria Funmi Josephine Para-Mallam3. Gender Equality in the Arab and Muslim World: Whither Post-Revolutionary Egypt?Mohamed Arafa and Ahmed El-Ashry4. (Un)doing Gender Equality in China Yan Zhao5. A "Fair Go" in the Lucky Country? Gender Equality and the Australian CaseArchana Preeti Voola, Kara Beavis and Anuradha Mundkur 6. Gender Equality in UruguayAlma Espino7. Structural and Ideological Gender Equality in MexicoSonia M. Frías8. Gender Equality in the United StatesColleen E. Arendt and Patrice M. Buzzanell9. Gender Equality in SerbiaSuzana Ignjatović and Aleksandar Bošković10. Gender Equality in CroatiaSnježana Vasiljević11. Gender Equality in EstoniaRaili MarlingPart 3: Comments and Conclusions12. Commentary: The Nature and Impact of Gender Equality Initiatives Around the Globe – Tensions and ParadoxesPatrice M. Buzzanell13. ConclusionRaili Marling, Snježana Vasiljević and Anders Örtenblad