Support Gender Equality
98 million girls are not attending high school when they should be.
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In many areas, girls are not valued as highly as boys. This must end.
Gender equality is one of the objectives of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights. People are increasingly aware of the need to combat gender inequality, which in many places is connected to other types of discrimination, such as racism, xenophobia, and homophobia.
**What is gender? ** Sometimes the term “social gender” is used. Unlike the concept of “sex”, which is understood exclusively in a biological sense, the term “gender” refers to cultural characteristics and models assigned to male or female biological sex and refers to the social differences between women and men. These roles change over time and vary significantly according to the culture of the nation and the historical stage of development of the specific society. The roles therefore do not signify a natural, given difference between men and women, but a temporary stage of development of social relationships.
What is gender equality? UNICEF defines gender equality as the condition when women and men, and girls and boys, enjoy the same rights, resources, opportunities and protections. It does not require that girls and boys, or women and men, be the same, or that they be treated exactly alike, though. On a global scale, achieving gender equality requires the elimination of harmful practices which discriminate against females, including sex trafficking, femicide, wartime sexual violence, genital mutilation, gender wage gap, and other oppressive tactics.
International bodies have defined gender equality in terms of human rights, especially women's rights, and economic development. The United Nations Millennium Development Goals Report states that their goal is to "achieve gender equality and the empowerment of women". Therefore, in schools and communities worldwide, it is necessary to promote gender equality, and to support the strategies which prevent violence and discrimination in all forms.
Women's suffragists parade in New York City in 1917, carrying placards with the signatures of more than a million women. Source: Wikipedia
Why should girls be valued less than boys? In many regions, girls are not valued as highly as boys. As a result, they are less educated. Annually, 12 million girls worldwide are married before reaching the age of 18 years. It is necessary to increase female participation in the labor market and to reduce the economic dependence of women, by eliminating the pay gap and the gender pension gap. This will assist in combating female poverty. It is essential to promote a balanced representation of males and females in leadership positions. It is also vital to combat gender-based violence and to protect victims, together with the appropriate support. Gender equality and women's rights should be promoted worldwide.
Women discriminated against on the grounds of gender, pregnancy or maternity are treated less favorably than others in a comparable situation. They can also be discriminated against indirectly, on the basis of established provisions, criteria and practices.
Gender stereotypes Simplistic and biased assumptions exist about the characteristics, views and roles of men and women in society, at work and in the family. For example, “boys don’t cry” is a stereotypical unwritten law in many cultures. It is also assumed that boys and men are untidy, aggressive and competitive. On the contrary, sensitivity, empathy, orderliness and flexibility are attributed to females. The generalization of male and female characteristics can often lead to discrimination against those who deviate from the accepted stereotype by their behavior (e.g. pressure on boys and men who are interested in so-called “feminine activities” such as childcare, and vice versa).
Gender contract A set of implicit and explicit rules concerning gender relations, which attribute different jobs and values, responsibilities and duties to males and females. These rules, which disadvantage men and women in various areas of life, are applied and enforced in everyday life. They are defined within the norms and values of the whole of society, at the level of institutions within the educational, work and other systems, and at the level of socialization processes, especially within the family.
Annual earnings of females of different races compared to white males. Source: viaGood
Glass ceiling / invisible barrier Traditional attitudes, assumptions and values prevent the empowerment of women to participate fully in society. This “barrier” is the reason why women rarely achieve the highest political, economic, academic and professional positions. The “glass ceiling” consists of preventing access either directly to these positions or to the pathways leading to them in formal, unofficial or hidden ways. The “ceiling” is the upper limit to which women are "let in" in their professional advancement.
Only 8 countries (including the U.S.), provide no paid maternity leave.
Even if a woman is more educated than a man, she is likely to be promoted at work far less often than a man. Too often, women are also victims of violence. The World Health Organization (WHO) has developed a typology of violence against women based on their cultural life cycles:
- Pre-birth - sex-selective abortion; effects of physical abuse during pregnancy on birth outcomes
- **Infancy **- female infanticide; physical, sexual and psychological abuse
- **Girlhood **- child marriage; female genital mutilation; physical, sexual and psychological abuse; incest; child prostitution and pornography
- **Adolescence and adulthood **- dating and courtship violence (e.g. acid throwing and date rape); economically coerced sex, incest; sexual abuse in the workplace; rape; sexual harassment; forced prostitution and pornography; trafficking in women; partner violence; marital rape; dowry abuse and murders; partner homicide; psychological abuse; abuse of women with disabilities; forced pregnancy
- Elderly - forced "suicide" or homicide of widows for economic reasons; sexual, physical and psychological abuse
As a result of violence and neglect, there are 50 million fewer women in South Asia than there should be today.
In schools and communities around the world, it is necessary to promote gender equality, and support strategies to prevent violence and gender discrimination. One in three women around the world is likely to fall victim to gender-based violence in her lifetime. 38 % of women have experienced sexual harassment in the workplace, and 81 % in the family, during their lifetimes. This includes verbal, mental and physical abuse.
Gender-based violence is one of the leading causes of injury and death in women worldwide. It causes more deaths and disabilities in females aged 15 to 44 years than cancer, malaria, road accidents and war.
On average, women around the world spend more than twice as many hours as men doing unpaid work (i.e. household chores, including childcare, cooking and cleaning, as well as the provision of water and collection of firewood in communities without electricity and running water).
Did you know… ** 60 % of the world's hungry are women and girls.**
2 of 3 children worldwide denied an education are girls. As a result, 75 % of the world's 876 million illiterate adults are women.
Girls leave school due to child marriages Parents in some countries send their sons to school, but marry off daughters. A married girl often leaves school, with a lack of the skills to lift her family out of poverty. As girls age, their number in schools decreases, because they must participate in household chores. 98 million girls who should be in secondary school are not.
Read more in **Childhood Education **cause!
The overload of household chores can increase the likelihood of women suffering from mental illness. In addition to decreasing their work productivity, this consequently affects their earning power. As a result, the majority of girls in Sub-Saharan Africa do not complete their secondary education. The impact this has on their lives is devastating. For example, without an education, girls lack the knowledge of protecting themselves against HIV, and cannot fully take control of their future.
Every minute, 28 girls get married before they are ready.
Shocking statistics: There are approximately 781 million illiterate adults worldwide – two-thirds of whom are women. Around the world, 63 million girls are currently out of school – that is the same number as the total population of California and Florida combined.
Gender gap index, as calculated by World Economic Forum in its 2014 report. Source: Wikipedia
Different countries in the world still discriminate against women:
- 113 countries do not have laws to ensure equal pay for equal work among men and women
- 104 countries make certain jobs off-limits for women.
- 39 countries have laws that mean a daughter cannot inherit the same proportion of assets as a son.
- 36 countries limit what wives can inherit from their husbands;
- 29 countries restrict the hours women can work;
- 18 countries allow men to prohibit their wives from working;
- 17 countries limit when and how women can travel outside the home.
Domestic violence Women aged 15-44 years are more at risk from rape and domestic violence than from cancer, motor accidents, war and malaria. In most countries with available data, fewer than 40 % of women who suffer violent abuse seek assistance of any kind. Even fewer use formal institutions, the police or health services. Fewer than 10 % percent of women report to the police after suffering violence.
Women should get the same salary as men for the same work. Source: Pexels
Wage inequality Even if a woman is more educated than a man, she is likely to be promoted at work far less often than a man. Women constitute nearly 50 % of the global workforce, but are promoted at work less frequently than men. In most countries, females only earn between 60 and 75 % of their male counterparts’ salaries, for doing the same work. It is important to promote equal wages for the same positions at work for both males and females and for the sharing of household chores.
Underrepresentation Women hold only 21 % of the world's parliamentary seats. Only 8 % of government Ministers are women. Only 46 countries have met the UN target of 30 % of women as decision-makers.
Gender inequality should be past history. Even today, girls are not valued as highly as boys in some regions. Let's prevent all discrimination! How? Read the Solution section!
Everybody, regardless of gender, deserves equal opportunities in life.
Nobody should face discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. Public policies should be gender-sensitive and support the equal participation of all. Gender inequality is not an issue of being a girl or a woman! It should be an issue for everyone, as it affects everybody, whether male, female, or someone who identifies with another gender. And of course, more individuals should be interested and involve themselves. This applies in particular to youth organizations – the youth are those who will change the world into a better place.
Everyone can get involved: Share household chores. All adults living in the same home should take equal responsibility for the household chores and childcare. Ask yourself whether there is an equal division of labor in your home.
**Encourage young parents **(especially young mothers) from disadvantaged neighborhoods to continue studying or to return to education, training, or to pursue employment.
Support young people as leaders in their local communities. This can be achieved through gender-specific youth organizations, youth work and gender-sensitive initiatives.
Watch for signs of domestic violence. Try to assist if someone you know is suffering from domestic violence or other abuse. Domestic violence is not restricted to physical aggression but may include verbal attacks, threats, psychological abuse, etc.
Offer your seat in public transport to pregnant women.
Do not ever make chauvinist or racist comments that ridicule, demean or humiliate women, black people, people of other races, indigenous people, members of the LGBTQI community or any other historically marginalized groups. Pay attention to your assumptions and know that none of us is immune to making bigoted comments or holding biased attitudes.
Do not remain silent if you hear chauvinist or racist comments. Talk to your colleagues, friends and family frankly and tell them to stop all such insults. When someone says something problematic, do not keep silent but speak out!
Help women to gain power. Women are underrepresented in legislative bodies. Find out who the female candidates are, and support them in elections.
Promote equality for women in business. Hire diverse teams. When selecting candidates for a job, it is helpful to remove names, photos and addresses from the resumés early in the selection process, as gender and racial biases can affect the outcome, even before the interview.
Demand an equal salary for the same work. If men and women do not receive the same salary for the same work, make the effort to introduce the fair treatment of all.
Do not tolerate sexual harassment.
