Blog 12: The Global Problem of Gender Inequality

            Gender inequality continues to be a problem in the majority of countries.  Only four nations, Cuba, Costa Rica, Sweden, and Norway have achieved gender equality.  Gender inequality affects women and the family.  Access to education, health and life expectancy, economic opportunity, and political empowerment are all areas that show the inequality between males and females across the world.  There are far more crimes committed against women than men.  The ways in which gender inequality is seen varies throughout the world.  For example, in China, females are undervalued and seen as weaker, more expensive, and less intelligent than males.  Some counties, including China also practice in sex selective abortions allowing the parents to choose whether or not to keep the child based on whether it is a male or a female.  China is making some advances in this area as it is allowing parents who have had a girl the chance at having a son despite the one child policy.  India is encouraging women’s education and supplying parents with financial aids to go towards their daughter’s dowry.  In Saudi Arabia, the Society for Defending Women’s Rights is seeking to empower women and protect their rights.  Women are suffering severe emotional and economic repercussions as a result of gender inequality being deeply rooted in history, culture, and tradition.  Gender inequality prevents maximum productivity.  This needs to be addressed in order to help human development and the economy.  Equal partners will allow for societies and families to flourish.

            Gender inequality is prevalent everywhere and affects everything including the family.  Some families are choosing whether or not to keep their child or abort based on the sex of the child because one is more favored.  Something must be done to create gender equality amongst all nations.  We need to look at the four countries that have accomplished this and see what programs and laws they are implementing to create gender equality.  More importantly I think we need to take a look inward and see where gender inequality is present in our own society.  While the United States may have more gender equality than countries like China and India, gender inequality still exists and should be addressed.  Families cannot keep pretending that gender inequality is okay.  China and India and countries alike should reexamine their practices and attitudes towards gender in order to produce more productive members of families and society.  If we were to stand up to gender inequality and create truly equal countries, these countries would be much better off economically because they would be able to have maximum productivity.  I believe one of the first steps to go about changing the ideas and attitudes towards gender and the family is to reexamine our history, culture, and tradition.  If we recognize where these thoughts and practices come from, it will be easier to reshape these ideas into something that is more suited towards gender equality.  

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nake-m-kamrany/gender-inequality_b_1417535.html