International Women’s Day is a recognition of the powerful changes to achieving gender equality over the years. Women have more opportunities in politics, workplace as well as better healthcare globally. Here’re the reasons why promoting gender equality can achieve sustainable social development in the future.
Why does gender equality matter?
‘Gender equality is a human right, not a female right,’ the famous Indian actor Freida Pinto once said that who is the main character of the movie Slumdog Millionaire. Gender equality is a basic and important human right. Also, it’s the preconditions of sustainable development goals worldwide.
The world population of females represent near 50%. Empowering women and girls help to develop economic growth and support social development. As a result, they can have better access to education and participate in the labour market.
Moreover, women can contribute more to science and research in different aspects. Also, it helps women to the part of fighting climate change if women can have more power on the leadership level.
The Limited Progress of Gender Equality
In the last decades, some improvements have been made to improve gender equality, including more girls having the opportunity to study and not being forced into early marriage, the parliament and positions of leadership seem to have more females, and the amended laws to further gender equality.
However, there’s a lot of challenge that remains. According to the United Stations report, the pandemic worsens existing inequalities and reverses the limited improvements.
Due to the closure of schools and nursing homes, it increases the unpaid care work of women. Because of lockdown, more women and girls encounter domestic violence.
How Can We Narrow Down the Gender Gaps?
Even though the scales of gender equality have tipped in the right direction, there is a lot of things we can do in our daily life to narrow down the gender gaps.
1. Share Housework and Childcare equally
- Aware of the Signs of Domestic Violence
- Report domestic violence or other abuse like verbal attacks (curses and threats) and psychological abuse (controlling and threatening behaviour)
2. Stop Public Harassment or Assault Against Women and Girls
3. Support Pregnant Women and Parents
- Offer seat in public transportation
- Advocate establishing breastfeeding friendly premises in public
- Ask companies to offer maternity and paternity leave for parents
4. Vote for Female Candidates
5. Pay Attention and Reflect on Unconscious Bias
In the workplace, here are the solutions and benefits of promoting gender equality.
