Gender Equality Essay

Irrespective of the country and the cultures people live in, it is next to impossible to keep the question of gender equality hidden in the modern society. When the word gender equality was voiced in the 19th century what was been sought was political rights. Not only then but also today inequality between men and women has been evident in our society. Discrimination against women is an act that has had a lot of negative impact in our society and to the women themselves. This has been demonstrated through gender violence, economic discrimination, reproductive health inequalities and harmful traditional practices. It is a concern to the whole world to a point of making the affirmative action to fix this problem. Gender equality first and foremost is a human right; women are entitled to live in dignity and in freedom from fear and want (Tomasevski, 1993). Should men and women be equal in the modern society? Men and women are equal; only that women are victims of pervert social progress. Gender discrimination between men and women leads to unequal access to the resources and benefits of development. see more:gender discrimination short essay Gender inequality affects all people; sustainable gains in development and poverty reduction are only possible when men and women are full and equal participants in society. Men and women are different but they are equal in that whatever men can do their women counter parts can do it well. Men and women are equal what brings the discrimination is the socialization that men and women get. The notion that women are weak has denied many women with the ability to exploit the abilities they have (Tierney, 2007). Men and women are equal in so many aspects and should be equal. Politically, financially and academically no much difference that can be noted, it is insignificant. In the political realms there are women who are doing extemporal well. Taking the example of the just concluded US election Hillary Clinton had good support and motions that would be bought by the rest of the candidates. In the world of business we have Oprah Winfrey; an indicator of what women can do. She is competing among the men in that field and still her success is a threat to many. In the modern society women have been known to take responsibilities of raising the families. Women have come up so well in that their dependency level is going down even though they are discriminated in salaries. This is a proof enough that if women are given equal opportunity with men they can do much well. In the employment sector women are taking those opportunities which were thought to be for men (Kramarae & Spender, 2000). Women are managers of big companies and also owners just as men. They are also well represented in the government sectors and in the government. They have become career makers. Men have the initiative of sharing the household responsibilities. It is a common occurrence that couples can choose whether it is the woman or the man who will get a leave to take care of their new borne baby. Men and women are equal in the eyes of the law; they are subjected under the same law. Women are equal to men in all aspects hence in the modern society they should get the right to basic needs, education, job training and employment as men do. Empowering women is a great tool for reducing poverty and advancing development. Empowered women contribute to productivity and health in the families and communities and hence improved prospects for the next generation (Cross, 2001). The idea that men are stronger physically is just a preference of a few. If women are given similar opportunities as men they can perform equally well. Denial of opportunity has contributed to decreased performance of women in various areas. On the other hand both women and men should not forget their roles though sharing of responsibilities is taking root in the modern society. References: Cross, P. L. (2001): Women’s Rights are Human Rights; Human Rights are Women’s Rights. Retrieved on 29th Dec, 2008 from: http://www. pinn. net/~sunshine/essays/w_rights. html Kramarae, C. , Spender D, (2000): Routledge International Encyclopaedia of Women: Global Women’s Issues and Knowledge. ISBN 0415920906, 9780415920902, Routledge Tierney, J. (2007): Men and Women, Different but Equal: What’s the Problem? Retrieved on 29th Dec, 2008 from: http://tierneylab. blogs. nytimes. com/2007/09/09/men-and-women-different-but-equal-whats-the-problem/ Tomasevski, K. , (1993). Women and Human Rights. ISBN 185649120X, 9781856491204, Zed Books