Equity

Equity is a means, equality is an end.

Equity is synonymous with justice, meaning that people, regardless of who they are, are treated fairly. Thus, equity is essential to achieve equality.

Equity strategies are different from equality strategies.

In other words, it is not a question of offering exactly the same treatment to each individual, but rather of adapting strategies according to specific needs in order to achieve equality.

Assuring equality by simply granting the same opportunities to women and men does not necessarily lead to equal results. (as can be seen in the video)

Equity refers to equality in difference, to the notion of equivalence, and to the myth of “gender complementarity”, whereas equality refers to indifference to differences (recalling that equal does not mean similar), to the right to equality, and to the denunciation of the myth of gender complementarity and its “naturalizing” effect on inequalities. (R. Sabathier – Intersections)

Equity is equality with a fair amount of inequality according to J. Rawls.

J. Rawls (“Principles of Justice”) argues that individuals behind the veil of ignorance would choose two principles of justice:

1. Principle of liberty and equality : Each person has an equal right to the widest possible freedoms consistent with the freedom of others.

2. Principle of difference: Social and economic inequalities must be arranged so that they are both to the greatest benefit of the least advantaged, and that positions are open to all under conditions of equal opportunity.

The principle of difference assumes the idea that society cannot be egalitarian (strict de facto equality, materially speaking), but must be open, making room for social mobility, according to the merit principle (affirmative action, or positive discrimination in French).

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