Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

Shikha Deka

(shikha84deka@gmail.com)

The theme for International Women's Day, 8th March 2022 is, "Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow", acknowledging the contribution of women and girls around the world in numerous aspects, to enhance a more sustainable future for every one of us. While, on this International Women's Day, we are honouring and glorifying the economic, cultural, social and political achievements of women all over the world; there is still a long way to go to action for facilitating gender parity. There is still so much that needs to be changed to precisely make a pragmatic and rational difference for women. These are changes that we need now than ever before to uplift awareness about women's equality with greater reason.

Girls' education reinforces economies and diminishes inequality. Hence, transforms communities, nations and the whole world. Girls' education declines child marriage rates. Under this circumstance child mortality and maternal mortality rates automatically decreases. Girls who receive education are more likely to lead vigorous and constructive lives and are capable to shape better futures for themselves and for their families. Accordingly, they contribute to more well-balanced, resilient societies that give all individuals including boys and men the opportunity to fulfil their potential. But woefully, as per UNICEF report, nearly 1 in 4 girls aged 15–19 globally are not in education, employment or training, compared to 1 in 10 boys. Out of the total population of students enrolled in education globally, UNESCO estimates that over 89% are currently out of school because of COVID-19 closures. This speaks for 1.54 billion children and youth enrolled in school or university, including nearly 743 million girls. According to UNICEF, worldwide, more than 650 million women alive today were married as children. Every year, at least 12 million girls are married before they reach the age of 18. This is 28 girls every minute. One in every five girls is married, or in the union, before reaching age 18. In the least developed countries, that number doubles: 40 per cent of girls are married before age 18, and 12 per cent of girls are married before age 15. The practise is particularly widespread in conflict prevalent countries and humanitarian settings (UNICEF).

Marriage before the age of 18 years is a Human Rights violation. Notwithstanding, laws against it, the deleterious exercise remains omnipresent. Child marriage can lead to lifespan hardship. When a girl marries as a child, the health of her children suffers too. The children of young married girls are at higher risk of preterm delivery, low birth weight and severe neonatal conditions, as well as being more likely to suffer from malnutrition and stunting throughout childhood. Young teenage girls are more likely to die due to complications in pregnancy and childbirth than women in their 20s, and their children are more likely to be stillborn or die in the first month of life.

Domestic violence, physical harassment, sexual harassment and other forms of cruel and violent treatment against girls/women continue to take place at educational institutions, at home, on streets, in public spaces, online etc. As per United Nations, 1 in every 3 women experiences some kind of physical or sexual abuse mostly by a closely acquainted partner. Tragically, in many countries COVID-19 crisis has accelerated complaint calls of women to domestic violence helplines. This is what the United Nations has named as 'Shadow Pandemic' and we all need constructive and structured worldwide collective endeavour to put an end to this.

According to Global Gender Gap Report 2020, "None of us will see gender parity in our lifetimes, and nor likely will many of our children". That's the grievous finding of the Global Gender Gap Report 2020, which reveals that gender parity will not be attained for 99.5 years. The Report found the largest gender disparity in political empowerment. Only 25% of the 35,127 seats in parliaments around the world are occupied by women and only 21% of the 3,343 ministers are women (World Economic Forum). Another generation of women will have to wait for gender parity, as per the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2021. As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic continues to be felt, closing the global gender gap has increased by a generation from 99.5 years to 135.6 years (Global Gender Gap Report 2021).

Women's indistinguishable engagement in political and public life is decisive for attaining the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. While the world is progressing; the female folk is still underrepresented when it comes to the leadership aspect in entrepreneurship, education government, administration, health etc. Though, women are constantly evolving and reaching new milestones at regional, national and global levels; their leadership and political participation are inadequate. United Nations data reveals that, as of 1st September 2021, there are 26 women serving as Heads of State or Government in 24 countries. Just 10 countries have a woman Head of State and 13 countries have a woman Head of Government. Only 21 per cent of government ministers were women, with only 14 countries having achieved 50 per cent or more women in cabinets. This occurs even when women demonstrate beyond doubt their abilities as leaders and representatives of advancement.

Unpaid care work is the main impediment stopping women from getting into, persisting and proceeding in the workforce. In spite of having the competence to excel professionally; they are not able to participate in the labour force due to unpaid care work. Norms concerning the gendered division of paid and unpaid labour are repositioning but the "man brings home the bacon" along with "women's domestic, reproductive and caring responsibilities in the family" attitude remains very much deep-rooted within families/societies. According to the International Labour Organization's report, globally, women perform 76.2 per cent of total hours of unpaid care work, more than three times as much as men. Hence, women have less time to engage in labour force participation, wages and job quality. This unequal distribution of caring responsibilities has a direct connection with the involvement informal economy.

Individually, many women have defeated those stumbling blocks with greater significance and benefited society at large. But for women as a whole, tackling ingrained gender standards and stereotypes is the paramount move to end all forms of gender inequality.