Essay on Gender Equality: Perspectives and Problems for Class 10, 12, Mains Exam (UPSC, PSC, SSC)
Gender equality refers to the state of providing equal access to opportunities, responsibilities and rights irrespective of gender, including and social and economic participation and decision making. It implies that the needs, aspirations, priorities of both men and women are taken care of. The Constitution formulates laws to safeguard the rights of men and women and provides them access to resources and opportunities. Gender equity and gender neutrality are the methods that helps in achieving the goal of gender equality. UNICEF states that gender equality means that boys and girls, men and women enjoy the same protections, rights, opportunities and resources. Gender equality is one of the sustainable development goals of the United Nations. In order to achieve gender equality, various social crimes against women have to be relinquished from the society.
Perspectives of gender equality:
Gender equality is the fundamental right of every human being. This is believed by a non-government organization of India named Breakthrough. By their program “Taron ki Toli” they have educated students of 312 schools in Haryana. The United Nations affirmed gender equality as the fundamental to human rights and sustainable development. Gender equality is an important component of every aspect of the social, economic, daily lives of individuals and societies. The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action is the integral global consensus for safeguarding women’s equality. Gender equality is also quintessential to achieve the goals of a peaceful society. Empowering women has stimulated the economic growth and productivity.
Constitutional provision and legal provisions in India on gender equality:
The Indian Constitution formulates various articles and legal provisions to promote gender equality in India. These are:
Articles
Article 14: It states equality of all irrespective on gender before law.
Article 15: It abolishes discrimination of men and women on grounds of caste, sex, place of birth and religion.
Article 16: It states equal opportunities for both genders on grounds of employments.
Article 39: It ensures equal pay for men and women and also equal right to enjoy adequate livelihood.
Article 42: It secures maternity relief for woman and provision for just and humane working conditions of work.
Legal provisions
The Equal Remuneration Act, 1976 states that employer must pay equal remuneration to both men and women.
Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace Act, 2013 states that harassing women at their workplace is an offense.
The Criminal Law Amendment Act, 2013 added offenses such as acid attack, voyeurism and sexual harassment in the Indian Penal Code.
International Labour Organization’s Mandate on Gender Equality:
The goal of ILO is to obtain a Decent Work for men and women by providing them equal opportunities. These are:
- Convention for equal remuneration.
- Maternity Protection Convention.
- Convention for workers having family responsibilities.
Problems of gender equality:
Gender equality shed concerns on both men and women. In general, gender equality policies have been mostly made for women as compared to men. Men seek less professional help or discuss their problems with their family of friends. Many offices do not provide sick or parental leaves and flexible working hours. In such a state they become alcoholics or even commit suicide. In crowded buses hardly any woman is seen leaving her seat for a sick man standing in front of her. Many men are also the victims of domestic violence which gets unnoticed. Women misuse their power of liberty as given to them by the Constitution. No country in the world has fully succeeded in achieving the goal of gender equality. Women suffer from discrimination where harmful patriarchal traditions are exercised. The petrifying practices include child marriage, female infanticide, genital mutilation, female foeticide. In this world, one among four girls does not attend schools and one in every five girls is married off before eighteen years age. This results in death of the girl child at the time of her pregnancy. In the low mid income countries women cannot make decisions on their own bodies.
Conclusion:
Gender equality is a part of the International human rights law and it was adopted in the UN General assembly. The world has gone a long way in promoting gender equality by formulating significant laws and policies. Woman now enjoys equal status as that of a man both socially and economically. The government has to be more vigilant in the fact that the remaining gender disparities are removed and ensure that men and women share equal provisions and status in every walk of life.
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