GENDER POLICY IN UKRAINE: RELEVANCE AND INNOVATIONS

Abstract

The article examines the issue of gender policy in Ukraine, in particular, new approaches by scientists and legislators to solving the problems of gender equality. Thus, the corresponding legal principle was analyzed, which makes it possible to establish gender parity in society, removing the inequality of women and men in rights and opportunities in various spheres of public life – economic, educational, political, legal, social, cultural. It has been found that gender equality as a category is a set of social ideas and norms that, through the establishment of gender justice in all spheres of life, ensure the democratic development of the state and society, because they are based on humanistic virtues – freedom, equality, justice, legality. It was noted that the prevalence of stereotypes regarding the roles of women and men in society was characteristic of previous centuries, in particular, in the 20th century, a woman had to take care of the household and children after working at an enterprise or institution. In contrast to such a stereotype, in the 21st century, another scheme is assumed, according to which a woman may not have (do not want) a family, children, is engaged in business or may create a samesex family. A man can act similarly in the modern world. That is, gender identity comes first, not external biological features. It was concluded that Ukrainian legislation already reveals certain innovations in the field of protection of gender rights in accordance with European humanitarian traditions and principles. Thus, according to the provisions of the Law of Ukraine «On Ensuring Equal Rights and Opportunities of Women and Men», discrimination on the basis of gender is defined, which is manifested in the application of certain restrictions to representatives of a certain gender regarding their opportunities to realize their rights and interests, but biological factors are not considered decisive. Signs of gender, but «real» or «assumed», that is, revealed by a person in his self-identification. Emphasis is placed on the fact that guaranteeing the equality of any person in rights is a fundamental principle of a democratic state. This includes mechanisms for preventing possible conflicts in this area, in particular, discrimination on any basis, in particular, on sex or gender identity. These mechanisms should be used by the state in the implementation of gender policy.