Gender Equality Revisited: Ways to Take Action

Mahnoor Bhatti | Lahore, Pakistan

Hello! My name is Mahnoor Bhatti and I am a 7th grader based in Pakistan, who really likes to talk and write about human rights, because after all we all are humans and speaking up about our rights is incredibly important. And I really want to thank Maryam and Nivaal Rahman from The World With MNR for giving me a big opportunity to showcase my blog all over the world.

What is Gender Equality?

Gender equality is when people from around the world have rights of their own, equal respect and an equal amount of opportunities to live their lives to the fullest. Gender equality encompasses multiple genders, of course because all over the world, many people are affected by gender inequality.

In terms of the experiences of women, while there has been progress over the last decades, there is still a lot more left to be done for women to achieve full equality. More girls are going to school, but a lot of girls are still forced into early marriage. There are also a lot of women serving in parliament and positions of leadership, and laws are being reformed to advance gender equality. But along with the progress, all countries have setbacks faced by women as well. As mentioned before, child marriage is still a big issue, dropping out of school is also very prominent, and gender-based violence is experienced by women in communities all around the world.

A lot of people think that only women face gender inequality, but in reality, men can also face inequalities. The patriarchy places pressures on men to behave in a certain way, or to play a certain role, and toxic masculinity can contribute to unhealthy standards that young boys are taught to reach while in their homes and communities, or while at school.

In countries like Pakistan and India, transgender individuals are also facing inequalities because of the taboos or harmful stereotypes that other members of society hold about them. This has caused discrimination in the workplace, lack of job opportunities, and overall negative attitudes towards transgender individuals by society.

What can we do to help reduce gender inequalities?

1. Treat everyone with respect and consideration

2. Communicate openly and thoughtfully with others, and be considerate of the multitude of views/opinions that are different than your own

3. Be respectful and mindful in your critique of ideas

4. Be mindful of your surroundings and of your fellow participants.

5. Respect the rules and policies of the events, conferences or public gatherings you are participating in.

6. Refrain from holding a bias about people's abilities/expected behaviours because of their gender or the preconceived notions you hold about them.

There are so many ways of reducing gender inequalities all over the world, and together, we can make the impact that is necessary to create positive changes and strides towards equality.