Sex is anatomical but gender is an unjust and unfair social construct in which women and girls are deprived of their rights, opportunities, and access to resources. It is a curse on society. Society enforces specific roles on men and women and this incapacitates them. Their likes, choices, capacities and rights are ignored and disrespected. This gender stereotyping has long-term irreparable damage on growth, development, health and well being on individuals and society.
Gender inequality is unequal allocation of resources and opportunities based on gender. While female gender is oppressed and suppressed, other genders are excluded and stigmatized. This affects physical and mental well-being of all involved. This could even be disastrous.
Women are reared to be dependent lifelong on some male person of household. Men are reared to be rough and tough and not cry. Girls are married off before 18 years and boys in poorer sections of society are pushed into child labor to earn for family. Women face nutritional and emotional neglect. Their right to education is snatched from them. Many are molested and physically and sexually assaulted. Their voices are unheard and they are not allowed to choose the profession of their choice. They are not allowed to work and blamed for no fault of theirs.
All this begins even before a female child is conceived. Son preference exists in many parts of South Asia as well as in China. If a female child is conceived, her sex is determined antenatally and the female fetus is aborted as unwanted.
If the female fetus reaches term and is born, she is weaned off early to make way for the next child birth whom the parents want to be a son. In this desire, the family may end up to have many daughters before the birth of a male child who is then overvalued, pampered, and spoilt.
Nutrition of a daughter is considered secondary and all nutritious food is reserved for boys and men of the house. She starts helping her mother in umpaid household chores early. She is admitted to low-quality free schools while a son is admitted to a private school. Whether he wants to study or not remains immaterial.
The girl lacks behind in academics since she does household work and also has to manage and take care of her younger siblings. She might be forced to dropout of school for such work or also marriage. She is subjected to physical, emotional, and sexual abuse often. Even after the child marriage, her ordeal continues.
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| Gender equality a must for good society |
She is not allowed to go to college or choose her subject of choice. Even if she manages to finish a degree, she is not allowed to work. If she starts working, she has to stop it on order of her parents, in-laws, husband, or for childbirth and child rearing. She gets no help from her husband in rearing of their children, in cooking, or in household chores.
The net result of all this lack of opportunities and resources is a financially dependent mother with no autonomy or freedom. She might become a mother but is still dependent on her family for any decisions related to child upbringing and health.
Studies have revealed that higher the gender inequality, more is the crude birth rate and neonatal, infant, and under five mortality in that country and region. Immunization rates of children especially daughters is lesser in countries with poor maternal empowerment. Malnutrition and nutritional deficiency rates are higher is such regions. Children suffer in growth and development and their mental well-being is at stake. Risk of crimes also rises in such households.
Gender inequality and religiousness of a country are positively related. Hence, this implies that religiousness promotes and maintains gender inequality. Therefore, in order to overcome gender inequality, society has to get more scientific and less religious. Religion should also be removed from public and political system and should remain confined in homes. Society should get secular and just and policymakers and legal system should aim for reforms in this direction.
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