Gender Equality Essay Example

Introduction

For decades, gender equality and women empowerment cases have surfaced in the media platforms. Additionally, the severity of these case features the elements of discrimination and violence against women and girls all over the world (Stoltz, Svensson, Zhongxin, & Wang, 2010). Majorly, gender equality is not just a fundamental human right, but a movement that established the foundation of peace, prosperity, and sustainability in the world; thus, there are various ways defining gender equality (Khan & Burn, 2017). A more prominent manner of defining gender equality is by understanding the terms sex, gender, gender roles. First, sex is the biological and physiological traits that differentiate men from women. Also, sex has no precise dichotomous definition due to the properties of inter-sex individuals.

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Next, gender is the socially established duties, behaviors, events, and norms that a particular community considers right for men and women; thus, the acute gender and authority functions that reflect on social construct across various societies and change with time. Last, gender roles are the specific economic, social duties, and obligations considered right for women and men within a given community (True, 2012). In other words, gender quality is the action of promoting, implementing, and practicing the same rights and chances across all sections of the society; thus, economic, social, political, and environment participation (Stoltz, Svensson, Zhongxin, & Wang, 2010). With such an extensive definition of gender equality, the paper will evaluate discrimination, violence, sexual and reproductive rights, and political reforms as a means of correcting feminists that the fight for gender equality is not yet achieved since there are several gaps that have not been considered under the policy and movement.

Discrimination and Gender Equality

Gender inequality can be described as the unfair treatment of an individual or group of people based on gender; thus creating the link between it and gender equality since both can be used in describing gender-based disparities (Alba, 2018). Additionally, most communities in the Western Hemisphere believe the gender equality has been achieved; therefore, the feminine and masculine gender have equal rights, but the rates of workplace discrimination continuous and to some extent such acts fall under gender inequality; thus, making it a legal batter that is far much not over (Alba, 2018).

Moreover, several times researchers and scholars have advised feminists that equal is not the same as identical; thus, meaning even though women believe that they are of identical behavior, abilities, and preferences to men but the fact of the matter that the feminine responsibilities to that of masculine are different thus creating the opportunity of discrimination in relation gender equality (Alba, 2018). For example, research confirmed that they are more male firefighters that female ones, the main difference is the physical strengths men possess, and to some extent, the inequality in the employment rights leads to gender discrimination (Alba, 2018). The analysis above emphasizes that equity and equality are not same, it enhances that there are traces of prejudice within the society, and once the world understands that discrimination is an offense against gender equality and raise initiative to combat it the irrational bias men have against women justifies that the fight is not yet over.

Violence and Gender Equality

Gender-based violence is a norm that features in multiple manifestations, for example, from domestic to verbal threats, and those enacted on free online localities; thus, making it an offense against gender equality. Inequalities that occur within the scope of the society, also, several incidents violence happen at the same time and at times reinforce each other (True, 2012). Majorly, anticipated violence is usually related to race, social class, age, ethnicity, religion and sexuality among others (True, 2012). In other words, women face a higher scope of violence about discrimination based on gender and gender roles. There are different types of gender-based discrimination acts, for example, physical, sexual, psychological, and economic violence that are directly related to gender inequality (True, 2012).

Also, physical, sexual, and mental abuse is the harm inflicted on a person as a result of applying illegal force. According to the U.S population, the ration of women to men who are physically, sexually, and mentally abused is 10-to-1, making it an issue that needs to be addressed concerning gender equality (True, 2012). On the other hand, financial abuse or trait relates to the financial harm done to an individual; thus, it can be through property damage, financial resources restriction, education, and failure to comply with economic duties, for example, alimony (True, 2012). Moreover, institutional violence relates to gender-related inequalities, since most of the feminine gender no authority and power in public institutions; thus, making it a scope of interest when dealing with the fight for gender equality (True, 2012).

Sexual and Reproductive Rights and Gender Equality

Gender problems and reproductive health rights are linked, and both affect the reproductive and productive health for both sexes in the globe; therefore, reproductive rights are enacted under human rights and so is gender equality; thus, making an area of interest (Wang, 2016). Race, gender, gender, religion, and culture among other are some of the factors leading to properties of sexual and reproductive rights as an element that can help identify traces of gender inequality (Wang, 2016). First, the world has multiple of different cultures and traditions, and in Africa to date, there are traces of female genital mutilation among young girls.

Next, there are practices that young women are subjected to marry older men without their permission. Furthermore, the risk of conducting abortion as against a religious and government policy even if the life of the woman is compromised and might lead to her death (Wang, 2016). These are the case that the world face on a daily basis and it is the reason to some point it is meaningless to scope for victory over gender equality yet there is a faction of women subjected to male rules and regulations (Wang, 2016). The demonstrated acts are as a result of gender-based violence which to some extent enhance on physical and sexual abuse since women are the victims and men the perpetrators (Wang, 2016). Ideally, the fight for gender equality seems to be on its initial stages, since the world is not ready for women who can make decisions regarding their health and lives.

Political Reforms and Gender Equality

Presently, there are different nations implementing women policies with the aim of driving at gender equality. For example, the National constitutions and legal reforms are essential instructions for the structuring leadership plans and establish accepted legal principles that provide women with a voice (Khan & Burn, 2017). With time, changes and re-draft will open chances for the nations to expand and involve each element to gender equality. It is indeed that with the option and forecast of searching and finding out other traces of gender inequality means that even though the society has accepted that the field of gender equality is large, the fight to attain and implement such policies has been initiated (Khan & Burn, 2017).

Moreover, it is impressive on how the United Nations Women constitution and legal reforms support the fight for gender equality. For example, the UN Women helped establish the Movement on Parity in Morocco to help the women find their voice and allowing women representatives in parliamentary sessions; thus, they serve as political representatives. Moreover, the same group initiated the Department of Gender Equality in Montenegro advocating for equal pay for equal work. It is ideal on what these movements have accomplished, and shortly there are speculations that other nations will follow in their footsteps (Khan & Burn, 2017).

Conclusion

All in all, for the decade the topic of gender equality has been economic, political, and societal issues that have been addressed differently. While others refer to the problem as a single entity, the paper analyzed it under three different objects, sex, gender, and gender roles. First, discrimination regarding gender-based violence can be classified under the offense of gender inequality since it the deprivation of resources to women. Some examples that fall under bias fall under social prejudice; thus, a woman's responsibility is equitable to that of the men, but they are not equally treated in various cases such as applying for firefighter duty. Second, domestic violence is another issue related to the gender-based violence since it covers physical, sexual, and mental abuse and at the same time economic exploitation. Next sexual and reproductive rights are policies imposed by men, and it affects most developing and third-world nations. Finally, policies and reforms are the only hope to achieve the dream of combating gender inequality; since it offers opportunities to make changes when a country or organization realizes a new trend of gender inequality.

References

Alba, B. (2018, March 7). To achieve gender equality, we must first tackle our unconscious biases. Retrieved November 29, 2018, from The Conversation Commercial Website: https://theconversation.com/to-achieve-gender-equality-we-must-first-tackle-our-unconscious-biases-92848

Khan, Z., & Burn, N. (2017). Financing for Gender Equality: Realising Women's Rights through Gender Responsive Budgeting. Palgrave Macmillan UK.

Stoltz, P., Svensson, M., Zhongxin, S., & Wang, Q. (2010). Gender Equality, Citizenship, and Human Rights: Controversies and Challenges in China and the Nordic Countries. Routledge.

True, J. (2012). The Political Economy of Violence Against Women. OUP USA.

Wang, G.-z. (2016). Reproductive Health and Gender Equality: Method, Measurement, and Implications. Routledge.