Steemit Engagement Challenge / SEC-S19 / W5 | " Why Is Gender Equality Necessary?

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Gender equality is an essential aspect of a just and equitable society. It is the idea of giving everyone equal opportunities, rights, and treatment, yes irrespective of their gender identity. For ages now fight for gender equality has been ongoing, and there's significant progress but then we still have a long way to go. This is because achieving gender equality is not only about moral issues it includes economic, political, and social ones. Gender equality is important to creating a more prosperous and sustainable future for all! In this article I will write about why gender equality is so important and also discuss some of the challenges facing the pursuit of gender equality in our world today.

What Does Gender Equality Entail, And What Are The Advantages?

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Gender equality is the concept of giving equal, opportunities, rights, and treatment for all genders without any unjust discrimination based on gender. It involves giving equal opportunities for both men and women in all areas of life, including education, employment, politics, and social interaction. Gender equality entails the elimination of stereotypes, and gender-based violence while promoting gender diversity and inclusivity.

Advantages:

There are many advantages to gender equality and some are:

1) It leads to economic growth and development, because it will ensure that both men and women participate fully in the the workforce, and this will lead to an increase in productivity and higher income levels.

2) Gender equality also promotes equity and justice Both socially and otherwise, it ensures that everyone has equal rights and opportunities regardless of their gender.

3) It promotes healthier and happier relationships between men and women by creating a mutual respect that both genders deserve.

4) Furthermore, gender equality in education leads to higher educational achievements, better job opportunities, and higher standards of living for everyone in society.

5) Lastly, promoting gender equality is essential in building an inclusive society that is free from prejudice and discrimination.

Is Gender Equality Crucial For All People, Not Just Women?

YES! Everyone deserves to be treated equally, and be given equal rights and opportunities regardless of their gender identity, so it's not just for women alone but for all people including men. As I said in the preceding paragraphs, it's not only about moral, social, and economic issues, but it includes the eradication of negative gender stereotypes and expectations that can affect both men and women. Allowing everyone to express their gender identity and have equal rights to education, employment, and other opportunities irrespective of their gender. It is crucial for creating a fair and just society, gender equality is important to everyone, and it benefits all by creating a more diverse, innovative, and productive society.

What Are Your Thoughts On Gender Equality, Specifically Concerning The Circumstances In Your Country?

In Nigeria, gender equality remains a significant challenge for us women, though we are progressing many women have limited access to education, and the majority of parents still hold the belief that women's place is in the kitchen, so they deprive their girl-child the right to education. This alone has cost these girls many other rights; like employment opportunities, and health care, and not only that they are often subjected to gender-based violence and discrimination. Also, my country has a low rate of women's political representation, with women holding only less than 10% of parliamentary seats.

The major issue at hand is child marriage, which is common with the Northerners, some communities there allow girls as young as 12 to be married. This has negative consequences for girls' health, education, and economic opportunities.

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We are making an effort to address gender inequality in Nigeria for example one of the community development services youth copers can undertake is a Gender-Based and Charity community development service group. This initiative by the Federal Government tries to increase educational opportunities for girls, combat violence against women, promote women's political participation, and provide support services for victims of abuse. Well, the truth remains that progress has been slow, and there is still much work to be done to achieve gender equality in Nigeria.

In a few words, gender equality remains a significant challenge in Nigeria, women are facing discrimination, they have limited access to education, employment opportunities, healthcare, and political representation. In fact, those who are given these equal rights are stigmatized. Efforts to address these problems have been made, but progress has been slow.

How To Educate Our Children To Understand This Issue?

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Here are some ways we can educate our children about gender equality:

1) We must be a good example for them to imitate, as a parent me and my husband normally share household and parenting responsibilities, and we share chores equally for all our kids, nothing like girls should cook while boys are watching football, nope, everyone works! We usually share stories that promote gender equality, and exhibit respectful behavior towards men and women.

2) We give all our children equal opportunities and rights, the right to education and to air their concerns and views on certain matters. We normally encourage open discussion where they share their thoughts on gender stereotypes biases and assumptions. We used to encourage them to talk about the famous contributions of women and men and discuss their unique strengths and skills.

3) I normally encourage my kids to interact with diverse people from different backgrounds this has helped them to appreciate differences in people and understand that people are unique in their own ways and everyone can contribute to society with their varying abilities and strengths regardless of gender.

4) I've taught my children how to communicate respectfully with others, and how to resolve conflict amicably. I always encourage dialogue in respectful ways with people who have different opinions.

5) The media could help, the use of TV programs, books, movies, and other media to discuss issues related to gender equality can educate the masses. Then parents can ask their children questions related to what they are watching or reading to help them think critically about what they see or read.

Lastly, it's better to start early, laying a good foundation for our children to understand the importance of gender equality. These approaches can be used to help children learn about gender equality, contributing to creating a more equitable society.

In conclusion, gender equality is so important for promoting social, economic, and political development in any society. Achieving gender equality requires concerted efforts from everyone, which includes you, me, civil society organizations, government institutions, and international development partners to address the root causes of gender disparities and promote gender-responsive policies and programs. I believe that by empowering women and promoting gender equality, my country Nigeria can unlock its full potential for inclusive and sustainable development.