Improving gender equality is something everyone can help do. There are things that can be done to give women empowerment. These things can range from ensuring women around the world get an education to simply tell the women in your life that they matter (7 Ways). Ensuring that a girl gets an education can be as simple as providing clean water for her village. According to World Vision, women and girls spend approximately 200 million hours every day getting water for their village. With so much time spent on this chore they are unable to attend school. If clean water was available for everyone, more girls could devote their time to school. Besides not getting an education, many women and girls around the world are exposed to violence and child labor. This can be changed by providing medical care, training, and counseling for women. Although these things may seem simple, they could make a huge impact on the lives of women and girls worldwide. You can start in your own neighborhood by helping a young girl and by telling the women around you that you are there for them. "7 ways to empower women and girls." World Vision, 4 Jan 2019, https://www.worldvision.org/gender-equality-news-stories/seven-ways-empower-women- girls. Accessed 25 Mar 2019. "How To Stop Gender Inequality For Women." Youtube, uploaded by Clara William, 3 May 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHAGjoy20ew.
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Women can face many different forms of violence. This violence can range from dating violence to human trafficking (Other Types). Violence needs to be stopped in every form for every person, but violence against women has gotten too prominent and is very harmful, emotionally and physically. Women in relationships often get abused and go without telling anyone. Dating violence can include any form of verbal, emotional, sexual, or physical abuse. Emotional and verbal abuse is any form of name-calling, isolation, and fake promises to name a few. Hitting, kicking, and any other threatening contact are forms of physical abuse. Lastly, sexual abuse is any form of sexual assault or rape (Other Types). According to United Nations, 35 percent of women have either been sexually or physically harmed by their significant other (Gender Equality). These actions can have ever lasting effects on women physically and emotionally (Other Types). Human trafficking has become a large problem in the United States with women and girls being the main target. Victims are kidnapped and forced to do things they don’t want to do. They can be trafficked for hard labor or for sex. If they are trafficked for hard labor, they will be pressured into working in sweatshops or on the farm by being threatened, starved, and beaten. Sex trafficking is when a person has sex with a trafficking victim in exchange for money or other valuables. Women and girls who have been trafficked face many challenges after they return home safe (Other Types). These are just a couple of the forms of violence that women can endure. No matter what type it is, the violence against women needs to come to an end. The violence that women face can lead to lasting effects on their lives (Other Types). "Ending Violence against women and girls: If not you, who?" Youtube, uploaded by UN Women, 8 Jun 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W_ZPHPutN-c. "Gender Equality." United Nations, http://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/gender- equality/index.html. Accessed 25 Mar 2019. "Other types of violence and abuse against women." OWH, 2 Mar 2018, https://www.womenshealth.gov/relationships-and-safety/other-types. Accessed 25 Mar 2019. During the 17th and 18th centuries, not every female went to school beyond their elementary years. Only a small number of females from wealthy families would go on to a higher education. However, in the mid to late 19th century, many schools of higher education began to allow women to enroll and several schools for women only were founded (A Brief History). However, even with these improvements, equity in education was still not to full potential. It wasn’t until 1972 that a law was passed to ensure an education for everyone without discrimination based on gender. Since then, there are more girls earning an education than there has been in the past. However, there are still obstacles that females must face. A couple of these obstacles are gender stereotypes and global discrepancies. A very harmful gender stereotype is the belief that males are better at math and science, while females are better at English and arts. This stereotype can lead females to avoid education in math and science (Women and Girls). Another stereotype is believing that males and females should be treated differently within a classroom setting, causing a female to not get the education she deserves. This problem can really be seen when dealing with a pregnant student. It is often thought that young mothers have behavior problems, which leads schools to refuse them a proper education. This refusal keeps these women from the knowledge they need to survive their challenges. It can also lead them to drop out of school (Women’s Rights). The second obstacle that women face in education is global discrepancies. Although women in the United States enjoy many opportunities in education, that is not the case for women in other countries. A study found that around the world, 32.1 million girls don’t attend elementary school. This statistic increases as girls get older resulting in 69.1 million not attending high school. The fact that so many girls don’t attend school leads to problems for their entire lives, which is shown by the fact that about 500 million adult women in the world are illiterate. Almost 200 years after women began fighting for equity in education, it is clear that full equity has still not been reached. Women are discriminated against based on gender stereotypes and women who live outside of the United States are not afforded the same rights as those who live in the United States. "Educate a girl and she will change the world." YouTube, 5 Mar 2014, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05qZyoznfwk Lewis, Jone Johnson. "A Brief History of Women in Higher Education." ThoughtCo, 11 Mar 2019, https://www.thoughtco.com/history-women-higher-ed-4129738. Accessed 13 Mar 2019. "Women and Girls." Right to Education, 2018, https://www.right-to education.org/girlswomen#section_view-default-8. Accessed 13 Mar 2019. "Women's Rights in Education." ACLU, 2019, https://www.aclu.org/issues/womens rights/womens-rights-education. Accessed 13 Mar 2019. Although women have gained some rights in the workplace, there is still much improvement to be made. They still don’t have as many rights as men do. Women are still paid less than men and also get discriminated against simply because they are women. In addition, there are certain jobs that have always been traditionally for males that women are rejected for even if they are qualified. Also, jobs that are seen as traditionally for females are less respected (Women’s Rights). Even though the Equal Pay Act of 1963 was written as a way to ensure that women were paid the same amount as men, almost 60 years later that is still not the case. Today’s women are only paid about 78 cents for every dollar that a man makes for a similar job, which is only 17 cents better than it was when the act was first created. These numbers are even lower for women of color with Latinas earning only 54 cents and black women, 64 cents for every dollar a white man earns (Women’s Rights). This difference can make it very difficult for women as it results in a loss of $10,000 per year forcing many women to live in poverty (Workplace). Sex stereotypes is one way that women are being discriminated against for being female. A woman could be passed over for a job because her boss may think that she is too emotional or not strong enough to handle the work. Another reason a woman may miss out on a job opportunity is because she may become pregnant or she is already a mother (Gender Stereotyping). This can be attributed to the idea that women should be mothers and not employees (Women’s Rights). In many fields, such as construction and factory work, men make up the majority of workers. Women have a very difficult time getting hired for these jobs because some may require physical tests or the employers may believe that a woman couldn’t handle the hard work. Finally, there is discrimination even in work that women generally do. When a woman requires time away from work to care for her family, she often won’t be paid for the time she misses. Even if she is lucky enough to receive paid time off, it can still be used against her when it comes to promotions or raises (Women’s Rights). Discrimination in the workplace can come in many forms including wages and sex stereotypes. Although it is better than it was years ago, there is still work to be done to reach true gender equity. "Gender Stereotyping in the Workplace." Phillips & Associates, 2019, https://www.newyorkcitydiscriminationlawyer.com/gender-stereotyping-in- the-workplace.html. "Protecting Women's Rights in the Workplace." YouTube, uploaded by TheBalancingAct, 2 Jan 2013, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iXVlTXsuyr4. "Women's Rights in the Workplace." ACLU, 2019, https://www.aclu.org/issues/womens rights/womens-rights-workplace. Accessed 11 Mar 2019. "Workplace." NWLC, https://nwlc.org/issue/workplace/. Accessed 11 Mar 2019. Everyone knows about Martin Luther King Jr. Day and that it signifies the protest against racial discrimination and promotes equal rights among all races. However, did you know that there is also a day that promotes equal rights for women? That day is called International Women’s Day and is celebrated on March 8th. The first time that this was celebrated in the United States was February 28th, 1909. Charlotte Perkins Gilman, an American writer and feminist, spoke to a crowd in New York stating, “It is true that a women’s duty is centered in her home and motherhood, but home should mean the whole country and not be confined to three or four rooms of a city or a state.” On March 19, 1911, International Women’s Day was celebrated for the first time in Europe. Over a million people attended conventions to fight for women’s rights to vote, be trained, to work, and hold public office. In 1922, Women’s Day was made an official celebration in the Soviet Union by Lenin. March 8th was made the official International Women’s Day in 1975 by the United Nations (International Women’s Chicago). The UN has since made it it’s goal to improve the conditions for women all around the world (International Women’s). Today, International Women’s Day, is used as a day to celebrate the improvements that have already been achieved and the women who have made a difference in their communities (International Women’s). Use this day as a day to celebrate women and their rights. "International Women's Day 2018: The Time is Now." Youtube, uploaded by UN Women, 2 Mar. 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXCnHvQzoOU. "International Women's Day 8 March." United Nations, http://www.un.org/en/events/womensday/history.shtml. Accessed 25 Feb. 2019. "International Women's Day History." The University of Chicago, 2019, https://iwd.uchicago.edu/page/international-womens-day history#1907%20The%20Early%20Beginings. Think back to when you were eight-years-old, what were you doing? Riding your bike, coloring, or playing with friends. Now imagine you’re eight-years-old and live in Yemen, you probably wouldn’t be doing any of these things, but you might be getting married tomorrow. This is reality for many little girls who are forced to marry at such a young age (Yemen: Women). However, this isn’t the only situation in which women’s rights in Yemen are violated. In fact, according to The Telegraph, Yemen is the worst country for gender equality. Women in Yemen encounter daily discrimination and are often treated as inferior citizens. They are discriminated against when it comes to child custody, divorce, marriage, and inheritance. As stated by Amnesty International, “discrimination and violence against women are part of law and culture in Yemen.” Men are given complete authority over the women in their families and many women endure considerable violence. In addition, the government doesn’t sufficiently investigate, punish, or prevent this violence. In fact, the government actually treats women as if they are only worth half as much as men. They don’t get equal inheritance and if they are murdered the family will be given much less money than if they were a man. Women who are accused of a crime are treated more brutally than men accused of the same crime. Furthermore, men who murder their female relatives in “honor killings”, the killing of a female relative after they have “dishonored” their family, are not punished harshly. Since the government treats women so poorly, all other men believe that it is appropriate behavior (Yemen: Women). Although women all over the world face discrimination of some kind at some point in their life, women in Yemen face it every day. The discrimination they face has nothing to do with voting rights or owning land, it could be the difference between life and death. Obviously, this makes Yemen the worst place in the world for women’s rights. "Mapped: The best (and worst) countries for gender equality." The Telegraph, 2019, https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/maps-and-graphics/mapped-the-best-and-worst countries-for-gender-equality/. "Women's Rights in Yemen." Youtube, uploaded by Kate Jardine, 23 Apr. 2015, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS8pxifqkII "Yemen: Women's Rights Must Be Front And Center." Amnesty International, 2019, https://www.amnestyusa.org/yemen-womens-rights-must-be-front-and-center/. Accessed 25 Feb. 2019. Although women have been fighting for their rights since the 18th century, the rights which they seek have seen many changes throughout the years. In the 18th and 19th centuries, women were mainly fighting for their right to own property under their own name and the right to vote. Some progress was made in 1839 when Mississippi allowed women to buy and own their own property with permission from their husband. By 1900 every state allowed married women to control some of their property and earnings. The right for women to vote was denied in all states in 1777. The 15th Amendment which passed in 1870 states, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” Although the amendment does not mention the right of women to vote, in 1890 the state of Wyoming gave them the right to vote in all elections (Timeline of Legal). In the early 20th century, women were still fighting for their right to vote but also began fighting for equality in the workplace. In 1920, the fight for the right to vote was over when the 19th Amendment was passed. This amendment states, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” Up until the 20th century, women were generally paid less than men for the same job and were sometimes passed over for jobs in favor of men. However, in 1938, minimum wage was approved for all people regardless of gender by the Fair Labor Standards Act. 25 years later the law went even further when Congress passed the Equal Pay Act. This act makes it illegal to base a person’s pay on race, religion, gender, national origin, or color. The very next year in 1964, the Civil Rights Act was passed, which banned discrimination against employees based on color, gender, religion, race, or national origin (Timeline of Legal). The late 20th and early 21st centuries have found women still fighting for equality. In 1972, women were given equal opportunities for education and two years later it became illegal to show prejudice against women for housing and credit opportunities. The Violence Against Women Act, which provides assistance for women who are victims of domestic violence and rape, was passed in 1994. Later in 2005 and again in 2013, this act was improved to include financial support, housing, interventions for victims and their children, and inclusion of Native American women and immigrants. Along with the improvement of the Violence Against Women Act in 2013, women were allowed the right to fight in military combat (Timeline of Legal). All of these rights that have been achieved are great accomplishments, however, there is still much work to be done around the world. Women and girls are sex trafficked into slavery and forced labor. They are forced to marry as children and are raped as a result of wars fought in their countries. Women die as a result of pregnancy and childbirth and many are not allowed to make choices about their own lives (Women’s Rights). These are just a few of the challenges that women around the world still face today. In order for women to truly be considered equal, these issues also need to be resolved. “History of the Women’s Movement.” Youtube, uploaded by superhero9, 18 Aug. 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhMatTjdgZE. “Timeline of Legal History of Women in the United States.” National Women’s History Alliance, 2019, https://nationalwomenshistoryalliance.org/resources/womens-rights- movement/detailed- timeline/. 18 Feb. 2019. “Women’s Rights.” Human Rights Watch, 2019, https://www.hrw.org/topic/womens-rights#. 18 Feb. 2019 A world issue is any issue that affects people of every nation. These issues can range from climate change to world hunger. They can be serious needing our immediate attention or not, but none of these issues can be solved if each country acts alone. The world must unite in the fight against these global issues. One such world issue is that of women’s rights. As stated in Merriam-Webster Dictionary, women’s rights are the “legal, political, and social rights for women equal to those of men." Every person in the world, whether male or female, deserves to have a set of basic rights. Some of these rights are the right to an education; to live without slavery, discrimination, and violence; to vote; and to earn equal pay. Although women and girls around the world should be allowed these rights, many places still deny them simply because of their gender (Women’s Human Rights). Women’s rights are an extremely important world issue. Although some progress has been made over the years, there is still much work to do to reach full gender equity. It is important to accomplish equal opportunities for women in order for societies to reach their full potential (Gender Equality). According to UN Secretary-General, António Guterres “achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls is the unfinished business of our time, and the greatest human rights challenge in our world." “Gender Equality.” United Nations, http://www.un.org/en/sections/issues-depth/gender-equality/index.html. Accessed 6 Feb. 2019. “Why Women’s Rights?” Youtube, uploaded by Lauren Castelino, 1 Oct. 2017, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHuKeqsbbBk. “Women’s Human Rights.” Global Fund for Women, 2019, https://www.globalfundforwomen.org/womens-human-rights/#.XGnWJhJKgWo. Accessed 17 Feb. 2019. “Women’s Rights.” Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2019, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/women's%20rights. Accessed 17 Feb. 2019. |
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