Creating Gender Inclusivity in Schools
by Feed The Future Now Feed The Future NowWe have been
discussing the need for gender inclusivity for many years now. This is
important if we have to attain high economic growth. At a time when we are
speaking of increasing the economy’s growth rate, we cannot expect to keep half
the population out of economic participation and have high growth.
Inclusivity
is an intention or policy of including people who might otherwise be excluded
or marginalised. In this case, girls at the school level. On this Children’s
Day, let’s take the pledge to educate male and female children equally.
But, to
ensure that women play an equal role in the economy, the efforts have to start
early enough. We cannot think of having high women’s participation at the
workplace if the need for gender inclusivity is not encouraged from the school
itself. This is because, children
are the future and this fact cannot be ignored.
The girls
are often not encouraged to compete with boys in many of the things and for
being successful in the world where job participation of women is lesser, they
will feel intimidated. Thus, it is imperative that gender inclusivity is
integral to the system.
Much of this
happens because of established social norms and religious beliefs.
But, this
lack of inclusivity at schools will show up in the world of work. This can have
disastrous consequences for the country as the economy will be hit hard.
What can be done?
It can be
more pronounced among the more economically challenged. The Akshaya Patra
Foundation has been making efforts to ensure that this does not happen. To
implement this, a lot of resources are required. You could help with the
efforts to educate girls. If you Donate for child education,
it could do a world of good, ensuring that you will contribute to educating
girls who may have dropped out as their families believe that girls need not be
educated or as educated as boys.
Incentivising women’s participation
Incentives,
safe and conducive environment besides a level playing field were the factors
considered critical to boost women participation in the Indian workforce, the
World Bank had said in a report earlier this year.
In India
Development Report, the World Bank said the country had one of the lowest
female participation in the workforce, ranking only 120th among 131 countries
for which data was available. While the overall job creation has been limited,
most of the new ones have been grabbed by men given the social norms, the
report said.
What is
worrisome is the fact that the participation level has been dropping since
2005, despite having 42% women who are graduates. The report highlighted that
India’s potential GDP growth rate can be boosted by a percentage point if
women’s participation increased.
Jobs for
Indian women remain primarily in the agriculture sector today. The share of
women in services and industry is less than 20% today.
It is
necessary to keep participation and efforts for inclusion going and it has to
start at school as all children have a Right to Education and it
this equality has to continue to the world of work.
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Created on Nov 15th 2017 00:31. Viewed 517 times.