Feminism - The rise of women is not about the fall of men.
For centuries, we
have created society-approved job descriptions for men and women.
If either does something different from their society-approved roles, it is
always seen as unconventional.
Female literacy rates have always been
lower than the male literacy rates in India. Female labour participation rates
have also steadily declined. Women continue to do most of the unpaid work that
helps prop up economies.[i]
Women raise children, cook, tend to the old and sickly.
We all have already heard that including
women in the workforce increases productivity. A greater workforce will have a
significant impact on economic output, and there should be a corresponding
increase in GDP[ii]. However, the advantages
go much beyond this crude appraisal. In the United States, for example, one study found that "for every
10% increase in women working, we find a 5% increase in salaries."[iii]
That is, not only will you see an increase in actual economic activity as a
whole, but you will also see an increase in men's earnings.
Companies gain tremendously from
expanding women's employment and leadership options, which has been proved to
benefit organizational productivity and growth. Companies with three or more
women in top management positions are thought to perform better in all aspects
of the firm.[iv]
Another problem is that India hasn't
produced enough jobs to accommodate the growing number of educated women. Even
when they do, women must manage the balancing act of caring for their families
while still working. Meanwhile, in the informal sector, women are frequently
forced to work in low-paying jobs. And, while they do it to make a living, the
working conditions are often deplorable.
It's not a competition. If person A gets a raise at work and person B works
equally as hard as them, then person B is also entitled to a raise. Unpaid care
and domestic duties take up 2.5 times as much time for women as it does for
males. [v]When
we start differentiating two people based on who they are, then the inequalities
begin. But if we just look at their capabilities and experiences, we will be
able to create unbiased opportunities for all genders.
Why are we continually advocating for the girl child's protection? Imagine having to fight for your basic right to
life. Why should a girl child get a grave when a boy child gets air to breathe,
milk to drink, and a roof over his head? A girl child can take care of her
parents as well. She will be able to obtain an excellent education, find work,
and support her family. This in no way diminishes the importance of the
family's son. In fact, he will feel less obligated to meet all of his family's
requirements, allowing him to focus on his own goals and ambitions.
A married woman
faces even greater difficulties. She's being judged all the time. She is graded
if she dresses in trendy workplace attire. She is judged if she works late. She
is judged if she attends an office party. If she hasn't had a child within the
first year of marriage.
Imagine a world
where people tell a man that his shirt is too short, that he shouldn't drink so
much, that he should go home earlier, and that he should always look after his
wife. Doesn't make sense, does it? So, why is it acceptable for women to be
asked these questions or to be judged in this manner? The truth is that we are
constantly discussing how to safeguard women. Why not establish a safe
environment for everyone so you don't have to protect women, and we won't be
asking these judgmental questions when we see a woman arriving home late from
work. Gender-based discrimination will vanish only when we recognise the
genuine potential of an individual, not a man or a woman.
Well, there might not be a simple solution.
However, we can make small efforts to ensure that women continue to participate
in the workforce. Simple measures like men sharing home responsibilities, safer
public transportation, improved working conditions, and enabling girls to
pursue higher education all contribute to making this world more balanced.
These levels of
equality do not take away anything from a man. It just creates an enabling
environment for women to contribute to this planet as much as the men do
bringing about greater prosperity and growth.
Word
count: 943
[i] Diane
Elson, Labor markets as gendered institutions: Equality, efficiency and
empowerment issues, World Development, vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 611–627 (1999).
[ii]International
Monetary Fund (2018). Pursuing Women's Economic Empowerment
[iii] International
Labour Organization (ILO), World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends
for Women 2018: Global Snapshot (Geneva, 2018). Available at: http://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/---dgreports/---dcomm/---publ/documents/publication/wcms_619577.pdf
[iv] McKinsey
& Company, Women Matter: Time to accelerate. Ten years of insights
into gender diversity 2018. Availableat:https://www.empowerwomen.org//media/files/un%20women/empowerwomen/resources/hlp%20briefs/unhlp%20full%20report.pdf?la=en .
[v] ILO,
World Employment and Social Outlook: Trends for women 2017 (Geneva, 2017).
Available at: http://www.ilo.org/global/research/global-reports/weso/trends-for-women2017/lang--en/index.htm
Well written 🔥🔥
ReplyDeleteWell done
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