Problems of Human

Diversity :Gender

Inequality

Samantha Boone

Definitionso Gender: The social Definitions and expectations

associated with being male or female. o Sex: A Person’s biological classification as male or

female.o Sexism: The belief that there are innate

psychological, behavioral, or intellectual differences between females and males and that these differences make one group superior to the other.

o Structural Sexism: The ways in which the organization of society, and specifically its institutions, subordinate individuals and groups based on their sex classification.

Feminist Theory• Analyzes the status of men and women in society with

the purpose to use that knowledge to better women’s lives

• question the differences between women, including how race, class, ethnicity, and age intersect with gender.

• concerned with giving a voice to women and highlighting the various ways women have contributed to society.

Gender Differences Gender Inequality

Structural Oppression Gender Oppression

Gender Inequality o refers to unequal

treatment or perceptions of individuals based on their gender.

o Difference in status, power, and prestige, in groups, collectivities, and societies.

o Gender inequality has a negative effect on society as a whole not only on women and girls.

Gender Inequality…• Throughout much of the world societies and

families treat boys and girls differently based on sex classification.

• Creates;o Early or child marriage o Sex trafficking o Sexual and domestic violence against womeno Health problemso Poverty

We see gender inequality in many areas such as social status, education, income and work, politics, and human rights

Violence against women

• The United Nations defines violence against women as "any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or mental harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivation of liberty, whether occurring in public or in private life."(World Health Organization, 2013)

World Heath Organization

• 35% of women worldwide have experienced either intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime.

• between 15% of women in Japan and 71% of women in Ethiopia reported physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner in their lifetime;

• between 0.3–11.5% of women reported experiencing sexual violence by a non-partner since the age of 15 years;

• the first sexual experience for many women was reported as forced – 17% in rural Tanzania, 24% in rural Peru, and 30% in rural Bangladesh

Human Trafficking• Sex trafficking is

sometimes referred to as “modern day slavery.

• trafficking in women is a criminal phenomenon that violates basic human rights

• In Canada, human trafficking was not a criminal offence until 2005.

• many girls in Canada are first trafficked into forced prostitution when they are 13-years-old (Canadian Womens Foundation, 2013)

The trafficking of women for sexual exploitation is an international, organized, criminal phenomenon that has grave consequences for the safety, welfare and human rights of its victims.

Gender Inequality; Education

• In Canada women’s representation in advanced graduate degrees remains low with only 27% but for over a decade women have been earning more undergraduate degrees then men.

• Many women do not continue to advanced graduate degrees because of social expectations such as marriage and starting a family. (Traditional gender roles)

• Still under represented in mathematics, engineering and physical and applied sciences

• In some developing countries there may be less investment in women’s education due to the misbelief that the return from the investment would be less than the return of a mans.

Women’s Education Around The world

• worldwide, girls constitute over half of the children out of school.

• In many countries parents are faced with economic and social barriers parents often cannot invest in daughters education or choose to invest in the sons education instead.

• women account for two thirds of the world’s 774 million adult illiterates – a proportion that is unchanged over the past two decades.

• Primary and secondary school enrollment is increasing globally according to the untied nations.

Income & Work• Women now make up one third of the worlds

labor force.• Job type women tend to work in more nurturing

areas such as teaching, nursing, child care, social work etc…

• In business Glass ceiling: an invisible, socially created barrier that prevents women and other minorities from being promoted into top corporate positions.

• Even when women have identical levels of educational achievement and both work full time; women, on the average still earn less than men.

• In some developed countries the gender wage gap is decreasing, however; women are still earning less than men (77% of what men earn)

• Women are more likely to live in poverty than men which in turn affects the child mortality rate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjhvjTNBa2c&hd=1

Women in Politics• Worldwide the percentage of

legislative seats held by women ranges between 30 and 40 percent in Scandinavian countries to less than 1 percent in some Middle Eastern and African countries.

• Around the world, a lack of gender balance in decision-making positions in government persists

• Canada is on the road to achieving gender equality in politics; Kim Campbell elected as Canada’s first woman prime minister in 1993, Audrey McLaughlin as NDP leader in 1993.

Kim Campbell

Impact• Gender inequality affects women in all areas of life and has a negative impact on their quality of life, health, mental health, and

over all well being.• Gender inequality has a negative impact on society as a whole

not only on women and girls, it has a negative impact on development, economic growth, it contributes to poverty, violence against women, child mortality, and human rights

violations.

“The United Nations observes that “gender inequality” is one of the most powerful breaks on

human development.” (Mooney, 2013).

SolutionAn end to Gender Inequality is crucial to human development and the well being of women and girls across the globe. The most important ways to solve this problem is to raise awareness, education and the empowerment of all women and girls around the world. Women and men must continue to fight for equality between men and women.

Legislation To achieve lasting change, it is important to

enact legislation and develop policies that:

address discrimination against women; promote gender equality; support women; and help to move towards more peaceful

cultural norms

(World Health Organization, 2013)

Education and Empowerment

• Education empowers girls by introducing new ways of thinking about traditions and issues, and challenges traditionally held gender roles

• Education is essential for a strong economy. One extra year of school boosts a girl’s future wages by 10-20 percent.

• Education fosters critical thinking skills, which are essential for effective leaders and democracy. More women are needed to solve global problems!

• (Day of the Girl, 2013)

Educating women has been shown to help improve health,

poverty and create equality between men and women.

(Huffington Post Canada, 2012)

What is being done?

Because I am a girl International

Women’s DayUnited NationsNew legislation

worldwide regarding sexual discrimination in the work place

Local and national protests and activists

There are many events and programs existing worldwide dedicated to the education, and empowerment of women to create equality amongst men and women. A few examples;

Feminist Theory • Has reshaped modern politics• Recognizes that the roles we are expected

to perform as men and women result from learning the social expectations of the worlds into which we are born.

• Argues the idea of sex classification may be an effect more of culture than of biology

• (Mooney, 2013)

References• Canadian Womens Foundation. (2013). End Human Trafficking. Retrieved 2013, from Canadian Womens 

Foundation: http://www.canadianwomen.org/trafficking 

Day of the Girl. (2013). Girls Denied Education Worldwide. Retrieved 2013, from Day of the Girl: http://dayofthegirl.org/girls-denied-education-worldwide/ 

Huffington Post Canada. (2012). Womens Rights Around the World: WomanStats Project Shows Huge Discrepencies. Retrieved 2013, from Huffington Post : http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2012/04/30/womens-rights-around-the-world_n_1464185.html 

Mooney, A. L. (2013). Understanding Social Problems . Toronto: Nelson. 

Ruchismita. (2012). Here is your short essay on Gender inequality. Retrieved 2013, from Preservearticles.com: http://www.preservearticles.com/2011111517246/here-is-your-short-essay-on-gender-inequality.html 

Sher, J. (2012, August). Sex Trafficking: A National Disgrace. Retrieved 2013, from Globe and Mail: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/books-and-media/invisible-chains-canadas-underground-world-of-human-trafficking-by-benjamin-perrin/article1215201/ 

Tanzim, J. A. (2011). Dimensions of Gender Inequality & It's Impact on Scoeity. Retrieved 2013, from Department of Women and Gender StudiesUniversity of Dhaka: http://www.academia.edu/663453/Dimensions_of_gender_inequality_and_Its_impact_on_society 

United Nations. (2013). The World's Women 2010: Trends and Statistics. Retrieved 2013, from United Nations Satistics Divsion: http://unstats.un.org/unsd/demographic/products/Worldswomen/Executive%20summary.htm 

World Health Organization. (2013, October). Violence Against Women. Retrieved from World Health Organization: http://www.who.int/mediacentre/factsheets/fs239/en/