March 8th is the one day when women celebrate their achievements and rally behind other women to advocate for change and equality in society. But here’s the thing, gender equality is more than the pay gap. It’s a bigger problem than having fewer women in leadership positions. The issue goes back to our communities, homes and even our birth.
Gender Inequality at a Glance
In some societies, the lives of women are insignificant compared to men. When an unborn child happens to be female, she is killed as a fetus or an infant. At home, young girls train to do housework for their future roles. They are often discouraged from following their dreams and aspirations as they are expected to settle down and maintain the household.
Of the 7.9 billion people globally, 773 million adults are illiterate, primarily women. It leaves women with fewer chances to be employed. In addition, women and girls make up over 70% of the world’s human trafficking victims.
These are just some of the experiences of young girls and women from different parts of the world. Gender inequality is a challenge we must pay attention to lest we want these to prevail.
Why is Gender Equality Important?
Gender equality is the fifth of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs) for a reason. It benefits everyone, and this list proves it.
Education for women and girls saves lives.
Quality education for girls reduces infant mortality. For each extra year of schooling, the risk of infant mortality drops by 5 to 10%. In addition, mothers who have completed primary education improve child nutrition, reduce child marriages and teen pregnancies. Education also offers a pathway to financial independence and reduce the pay gap between men and women.
Economies grow when more women work.
Empowering women to work has benefits at the individual and national levels. Unfortunately, women consistently face barriers to accessing labour markets. In 18 countries, men can legally deter their wives from working. Increasing women’s participation in the economy would lead to an increase in GDP.
Diversity in an organisation increases productivity and innovation.
Based on a study in 2016 from the University of California, big companies in the state with women at top leadership positions performed better than the companies with primarily male leaders. When women receive the same education and jobs as their male counterparts, they can help realise goals and improve any organisation they join.
Supporting women to earn income allows them to reinvest in their families.
Women who have a say in household finances means better health and education outcomes for their children. Based on the Clinton Global Initiative, 90 per cent of women’s income goes back to the family while men only reinvest 35 per cent of their income. Thus, families are less likely to be trapped in cycles of poverty.
Increasing women’s legal rights keeps them safe to build productive and happy lives.
Women aren’t well protected from domestic, sexual and economic violence. These types of violence affect a woman’s safety and freedom. Laws that safeguard women empower women and create an equal playing field.
Equal opportunities reduce the need for human trafficking.
Poverty and instability are two causes of human trafficking. Women are easy targets as they are more vulnerable than men. But with better education and job options, women and girls don’t end up in trafficking situations as often.
Gender equality allows women to be proactive in the protection of their lives.
Another way gender equality saves lives is through empowerment and the availability of resources. Women and girls are vulnerable to life-threatening risks like natural disasters. Bringing the gender perspective in dialogues and planning allows women to play a role in their protection.
How To Encourage Gender Equality in Our Society
Most societies are still patriarchal, making it clear that men remain dominant in almost every sector. Therefore, we must achieve gender equality to attain real progress.
Let us start with the pay gap. Women should be given the same opportunity to earn the same pay as men. Allowing women to make as much as men do and become financially independent keeps them from poverty. At the same time, additional income from women boosts local economies.
Providing women and girls in poverty with quality education is hugely important. Education is a basic human right. When women and girls receive proper education, they are more productive and less likely to be victims of trafficking and abuse. They are also healthier and empowered to make decisions.
Of course, gender equality also concerns men. They must be taught the importance of discussing mental health. To reduce the number of suicides every year, we must address their internalised issues. In countries worldwide, male suicide rates are higher than female.
In the workplace, we must allow any deserving person to take positions of power. We must not dismiss them just because they aren’t male. Instead, our focus should be on talents, skills and efforts. We must look past a person’s gender and instead base their employability on what they can bring to the table.
Both men and women should be free to feel what they feel. They should be free to be sensitive, feel strong, and be at home with themselves. It is time we stop thinking about genders as opposing sets of ideas.
Let us treat each other with respect. We should be mindful of the challenges of all gender identities. Let us respect people’s choices and be a generation that will #BreakTheBias and promotes equality for all.
Gender Equality: A Sustainable Development Goal
Gender equality is Global Goal 5. It is one of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), an urgent call for action by all countries. These goals are interconnected as ending poverty and other deprivations must be consistent with strategies that improve health and education, reduce inequality, and boost the economy while tackling climate change and preserving our oceans and forests. The SDGs were built on decades of work by countries and the United Nations. Gender equality is sustainable as it allows us to meet our needs and pave the way for future generations to meet their needs.
About the Author
Marianick Villegas is a writer for BloomLocal. She secretly adores flowers and loves any reason to send flowers.
