GENDER EQUALITY: A TOOL FOR SOCIETAL STABILITY

Ever wondered what the world would be like if it were all-male or all-female?

Intriguing as it might sound, it will come to a sad end of discontinuity. Even with the coexistence of several genders in the world today, much is left to be desired in terms of gender roles and equity. This begs the question of gender equality in present times. 

The concept is quite self-explanatory; describing a state of equal access to resources and opportunities regardless of gender, including economic participation and decision-making. While this concept prevails to an extent, the world is still plagued by stereotypes and gender roles, which prove inhibitive to gender equality. What we forget in retaining a society that doesn’t ingrain gender equality in its fabric is that every gender has a role to play on the economic and social fronts.

In this light, the contribution of gender equality cannot be overlooked or overemphasized owing to its role in growth and development. Not only does it facilitate unity, coexistence, and healthy rivalries, but it helps to complement for lapses or incompetence between genders. For instance, there are things that naturally apply to one gender, which another might actively struggle with. In a society where gender equality prevails, the former would complement the latter’s inadequacies swimmingly. This would lead to a better and more integrated system of tackling issues. Take crime for instance, with gender equality in play, no gender would be deemed an underdog, whose rights can be easily trumped without fear or reason. Conversely, everyone would be made to pay penance equally, as there would be no excuses on grounds of gender bias.

While it’s not a given that crime and social vices can be eliminated this way, the subject does hold somewhat of a potential to lower its spread substantially. This quality among others heralded the reason for the formation of the Global Gender Gap index, which came about in 2006. The purpose of the initiative was to record gender equality, and keep track of ensuing gaps. It’s a sad realization that up until now, 14 years later, much is left to be desired. A report in 2019 did mention, after all, that the subject of gender equality might be unattainable for another 99 years. By any means, this doesn’t bode well for the foreseeable future as growth and progress will remain stunted.

In summary, the marginalization of any gender is merely society stifling its own progress, as the process is too much of a burden for any one gender. We saw it in the years before women were allowed suffrage, and we might yet experience something similar if gender equality isn’t embraced.