The Global Gender Gap: Blog 7

Where is the Best Place to be a Woman? : The Global Gender Gap

            The global gender gap has been closing internationally and even now with women in Saudi Arabia making a stand on having driver’s licenses we see that gap closing more. The problem is that in 20% of countries the gap is not decreasing and some believe it may even be increasing. BBC news for the next month will be focusing on the gender gap having 100 women from all around the world discussing and debating the issues and resolutions to this international problem. Yemen in particular seems to be dangling at the bottom of this list. What seems to be the case is that countries invest in rehabilitation, health and education but still make no effort to include women into the economy. Because of this 35% of girls 6-14 are still not being educated. Countries (such as Nordic countries) that do include women are smart because they realize that women make up half of the economy and therefore can contribute that much more. This article states that ranking countries is not to show undeveloped countries that their not as good as other countries but to equip them to solve this crisis. The tools are women, integrating and educating them will allow them to be active, achieving and investing citizens. We have made some progress although, because education, mortality and health is where it starts. The international education gender gap is now 93% closed, and the health gender gap 96% closed. We have come a long way.

            This article makes a distinct point about women in playing a part economically. The desire and the overall goal is for women to have equal opportunity in leadership, and economic positions so that they can contribute to it being viewed as equals. Not only this but it will improve the economy which is a benefit for women and men. Although this is not the case right now, it seems that progress shows it will be. The more women are given the opportunity to be educated and integrated as equals into society the gender gap will close. The fact that education is becoming a necessity to both boys and girls will create equality among them. But will this equality in receiving knowledge result in equal opportunity. Maybe it will not right away, but when we look at history, this has always been the starting point. When women are accepted as intellectual equals logically the result will also mean equality within the economy and position. This does not come as ideally as I have explained, cultural norms are still a problem, but the step towards education and health begins the process of eliminating those norms and producing a more open and equally minded generation. 

Anna Jacobsen

10/25/13

5:00pm

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-24643344