Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment in the World

In the world, women have fewer chances to participate in economic life than men. They also have less access to high-quality and basic education higher danger to their health and safety as well as less representation in the political arena.

The protection of women's rights and providing them with the opportunity to realize maximum potential are crucial not just for achieving the goal of gender equality but in fulfilling a range of objectives for international development. Women and girls who are empowered are major contributors to the well-being as well as the productivity of communities, families, and nations, creating an impact that benefits all.

The term "gender" refers to the roles and responsibilities that are socially constructed that society believes are appropriate for both genders. Gender equality implies that women and men have equal rights and chances to achieve financial independence in education, as well as personal growth. (Source) Women's empowerment and development can be an essential element of attaining equality in gender. It is about enhancing women's self-esteem and their power to make decisions as well as their access to resources and opportunities in addition to their power and control over their personal life within and outside of the home, and the ability to bring about changes. However, gender-related concerns aren't just about women only, but rather the interplay between women and men within the community. The behaviour and attitudes of boys and men contribute to attaining gender equality.

Education is an aspect of the agenda. While the world is progressing towards gender equality in the field of education, girls have a greater share of children who are not in school than boys. About one-quarter of girls in developing countries don't attend school. In general, families with little money who are unable to pay for expenses like costs for uniforms and school expenses or equipment for all their children will put education first for their boys. Families might also depend on the girls' work for household chores, water transport and taking care of the children, leaving little time to attend school. However, prioritizing education for girls could be the most effective ROI across the world's developing regions. A girl who is educated is more likely to delay marriage, build children in a smaller household and have healthier children and even send her children to schools. There are more chances to earn a living and be a part of the political process and will be less likely to get sick with HIV.

Read Also: Empowered Women are a Mark of a Progressive Society & Economic Prosperity

The safety and health of women are different areas of concern. HIV/AIDS is now an increasingly significant problem for women. (Source) This could be due to women being denied opportunities to access health education, unequal power of sexual partnerships or as a result of violence based on gender. The health of mothers is another matter of particular concern. Many countries have mothers who are not able to access medical and prenatal care which means they are at a higher risk to suffer problems during pregnancy and birth. This is an issue in the countries where girls get married and birth children prior to when they're ready, usually before the age of 18. Good maternal health care is an essential source of knowledge and support services to allow mothers to take informed decisions regarding their health and the health of their children.