Our world’s development will be of the greatest quality,

 

Once we achieve true GENDER EQUALITY!

 

Gender equality is a significant topic and a very essential one too. But, what is gender equality? Many of us are under the impression that gender equality is a mission that is mainly women-centred. Well, this definition is absolutely incorrect. “Gender equality”, means the equality of all genders. Both men and women should be considered equal at all times and in all situations, that is the true meaning of gender equality. Neither a boy nor a girl should feel that they are incapable of doing something because of their gender. Gender should not be a preventer instead it should be an enabler, that is the true aim of Gender Equality.

 

Some of us might wonder why gender equality is related to uplifting women’s condition in society? Well, the answer lies in history. Over centuries, human beings created many stereotypes based on gender that soon fabricated a prejudice in our mindset that- females are not as capable as males, this is as disappointing as it is false. So, to create a gender-equal world, we must erase the existence of this rooted prejudice.

 

We need to eradicate this perception from our minds,

 

To ensure that the framework of society is redefined.

 

We all have heard about the progress we have made in this field, yet in various places, women don’t get equal opportunities. Nearly one in four girls between the ages of fifteen (15) and nineteen (19) is not educated which, when compared to one in ten boys, is disheartening. In schools, we all have seen that the ratio of boys in a class is much higher than that of girls. There have been many attempts to modify this situation and to promote and encourage more girls to study. One of the most famous campaigns to protect and educate girls is the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao campaign, which was started by the Indian government in 2015.

 

A question that arises in our mind is, why is it so difficult to create a gender-equal community? One of the main reasons is the patriarchal structure of our society. So, why do we need gender equality in societies? Well, a very simple answer to this would be that nearly half of the world’s population is constituted by women. If women are also given equal opportunities like men, then the world would develop at a much faster pace. None of us can develop if half of the population is held back.

 

The best examples of the benefits brought by gender equality can be seen through countries that are much ahead of the rest of the world in creating a gender-equal society. Denmark and Sweden are two countries that have almost successfully attained this goal. These countries provide equal rights to women and men in terms of freedom of movement, legal rights, and economic opportunities. The result of this is exemplary, the two countries have been in the top ten list of the happiest countries in the world for more than five (5) years. The happiest countries in the world are chosen based on six categories out of which some are – freedom to make life choices, Gross Domestic Product, and life expectancy of the country. Through this, we clearly understand that gender equality is a blessing to humankind. It is so necessary for the prosperity of the world that it is also recognized by the United Nations as a sustainable development goal.

 

We need gender equality not only in terms of education and at work, but also in our day-to-day activities, in our hobbies, and choice of profession. What do I actually mean by this? Well, if a boy likes to cook and wishes to pursue this as his profession, in most cases he is told not to follow his dream. Whereas a girl is expected to cook, in most societies. Now, this situation is gradually changing. We are learning that responsibility should be assigned based on ability and not with regard to masculinity or femininity. Today, many famous chefs are men and many of the best sports players are women. We are overturning many stereotypes step by step and are much closer to achieving the utopian vision of a “gender-equal” society. However, there is still ample space for improvement to achieve our dream community.

 

We need to work harder towards fulfilling our goal, after all, “Continuous efforts are the key to unlocking our true potential”. We all should start our attempts to bring about gender equality with little initiatives. In our homes, we should ensure that the household chores are divided equally and such small steps will help us reach our goal faster. After all, “Little drops make the mighty ocean.”

 

I hope that in the future “Gender inequality” will become a forgotten terminology and all of us can live together in an equal society!

 

We must change the stereotypical ideology to ensure gender equality!

 

Sanya is a voracious reader who has read 200 plus books. She is also an avid writer who has written a novel, multiple short stories, and numerous essays. She is a confident young girl who believes in inhaling doubt and exhaling confidence