Gender Equality

Gender equality is achieved when women and men enjoy the same rights across all sectors of society, including economic participation and decision-making, and when the different behaviors, aspirations and needs of women and men are equally valued and favored. Yet, despite a general consensus that women should have the same rights as men, people in many countries around the world say gender inequalities persist in their countries. Gender equality refers to the right of women and men to have the same opportunities for the achievement of important goals in society such as education, employment and income and to contribute to political, social, and cultural development at all levels. “Around the world nearly 98 million girls are not in school. Globally, 1 in 3 women will experience gender-based violence in her lifetime. In the developing world, 1 in 7 girls is married before her 15th birthday, with some child brides as young as 8 or 9. Each year more than 287,000 women, 99 percent of them in developing countries, die from pregnancy- and childbirth-related complications” (Edmonds, 2013).

Many say that men get more opportunities than equally qualified women for jobs that pay well and that life is generally better for men than it is for women in their countries. This is true even in some of the wealthier nations in the world. This is especially true in the predominantly Muslim countries surveyed, as well as in India, China, South Korea and Nigeria. In these countries, solid majorities agree that women should be able to work outside the home, and enjoy the same rights, resources, and opportunities as men, yet, most also agree that men should have more right to a job than women when jobs are scarce. In some parts of the world, various forms of violence against women are tolerated and accepted as parts of everyday life. Despite many international agreements affirming their human rights, women are still much more likely than men to be poor and illiterate. They have less access to property ownership, credit, training and employment. They are far less likely than men to be politically active and far more likely to be victims of domestic violence.

Gender equality will be achieved only when women and men have the benefit of the same rights in all fields of everyday life. This means sharing equally in the distribution of power and influence, and having equal opportunities. When women are empowered, everyone benefits including future generations. By denying women equal rights, we deny half the population a chance to live life at its fullest. Political, economic and social equality for women will benefit the whole world and each and every citizen. Gender inequality remains a major barrier to human development. The disadvantages facing women and girls are a major source of inequality. Women are discriminated against in health, education, political representation, and labor market. Gender equity means fairness of treatment for women and men, according to their respective needs. Worldwide, most countries recognize that equal rights should exist between men and women. Many have produced regulations intended to fight discrimination and programs granting women access to health, education, and economic rights. However, the fact remains that women have fewer opportunities than men to benefit from economic development, with lower participation in the labor force. Gender equality and the empowerment of women are among the top development goals of the United Nations.

Unfortunately, in many societies throughout the world, a condition of gender inequality exists where women are often discredited and underestimated, and men are favored. In such societies, the learned belief that men should maintain control at all times puts women in situations that threaten their health and well-being. While countries like the US are advanced in the areas of gender equality there are still several other countries throughout the world that do not believe in the possibilities of gender equality and have not necessarily progressed in the same way. There are many challenges that culture and faith based communities face when trying to promote gender equality. Discrimination has been seen against women in Muslim-majority countries. Saudi Arabia provides the most extreme example of limited mobility for women. The strict Islamic law in the country prohibits women from leaving the home without a man’s permission, and if they do leave the home, they can’t drive a car. In that country, women are not allowed to drive a car in public. In some extreme cases, women are not allowed to leave the country by plane without the consent of their husbands. Up until the age of 40, single women are required to ask their father for permission. When a woman wants out of a marriage, her options are limited in many countries. In some places, courts automatically grant custody of children to the husband. In other places, such as Egypt, women don’t even have access to a court. While men are allowed a divorce, many women around the world are trapped in abusive marriages. Gender equality is a social condition where women and men share equal rights and a balance of power, status, and opportunities.