Towards Gender Equality

Dixya Poudel

March 8th is the International Women’s Day which will be celebrated throughout the world. Programmes will be organised to honour women and their contributions will be held to a limelight. And yet, at the end of the day, women will still be doing most of the household chores and they will still be paid less than men at work. According to research, as of 2022, for every $1 men earn, women earn $0.82. This gap might not sound like much, but when the numbers run in higher amounts, the difference becomes stark. 

And it isn’t just the earnings that are disproportionate between men and women. Women are often undervalued and overlooked at work and are subject to the bulk of household chores at home. In countries such as Afghanistan, the gender inequality is acute with girls and women unable to earn an education and work outside of home. Even in developed nations, women are subject to inequality and discrimination. The rules are different for them whether it is in the way they dress, the way they conduct themselves, or even the way that they manage their work and home lives. 

Why is it so? Why are gender stereotypes still prevalent and even quite pervasive? Further, why is violence against women a common occurrence in most societies throughout the world? There could be many explanations but the most prominent one is the ideology of masculinity. As such, masculinity is a set of behaviours, attributes and roles that are associated with boys and men. Such attributes range from physical traits to personality traits described as self-assured, assertive, strong, etc. 

From an early age, boys are taught to behave in a certain way. They learn to be emotionally restrained as crying is seen as a sign of weakness and expressing emotions is frowned upon. This bottling of emotions that starts from childhood could lead to negative consequences in teenage years and might even fester in adulthood. Further, when it comes to relationships, men internalise the thinking that women are to be possessed. Particularly toxic masculinity holds the belief that women should be subjugated. 

As such, its roots run deeper resulting in both subtle gender discriminations and unspoken rules and regulations. Ultimately, lives could be limited due to these narrow, orthodox, and confined perspectives towards the fairer gender. 

Typically, noxious masculinity can be seen in most patriarchal societies and is quite pervasive in the developing nations due to a lack of awareness and education. For a gender inclusive society it is thus important that toxic masculinity be replaced with healthy masculinity. Girls and women are half the sky. They are not just the nurturers, caregivers, and ever loving members of a family, they are also able professionals. 

Whether single or in a relationship, married or separated and working or not, women should be treated with respect that they deserve. When a society moves towards gender inclusion, it could mean reduced inequality at work and home. 

And if extreme masculinity is the primary cause of gender discrimination, then healthy feminism could be its solution. Access to education and work opportunities, availability of affordable health facilities and childcare services as well as a level of respect and acknowledgement can be certainly effective in empowering women which could then lead to gender equality.