It is unfortunate but true that even in this century, we keep coming across cases of gender discrimination at home and workplace and even educational institutes are not free from this evil. This prejudice despite being unjustified and inhuman continues till date.
Though a lot of progress has been made in the field of education to bring global awareness, in many countries, the outlook of educational institutes has not undergone many changes. There is no justification in trying to sideline girls without any apparent reason. It can have extensive effects on females, resulting to physical and mental oppression.
The Crux of the Matter
On viewing history of world we realize that empowerment of women came quite late. Societies continued treating females as inferior to men. No nation can declare that it has always remained free of this social sin. Up to a certain confirmed time, societies allowed women to gain success at junior levels. This difference was visible in home, bias for employment at workplaces and also in relationships. Where did it arrive from? All the different religions in the world propagated that man is superior. Perhaps, it was the physical capability of man to challenge, venture and provide that traveled through generations. This is perhaps the best justification for male bigotry and archetype of redefining society to contain violence and gender discrimination.
Unequal Opportunity and Gender Differences
We have a lot of issues concerning gender discrimination, the root cause of which is girls getting deprived of studying and availing of special education in today’s world. Despite governments of different countries making meaningful efforts to do away with this evil, it continues to gets demonstrated now and again. It is not unusual to come across cases where girls get free primary education but the boys get encouraged to further their education, at times even at the cost of leading a meager life and hunger. This attitude is most prevalent in developing and underdeveloped countries.This is one of the deep rooted evils there. It continues due unhealthy social restrictions which were in force since generation and encouraged to flourish despite changes. In such countries women are often provided education to facilitate their marriage. Unfortunately, that is the situation in supposedly rich and upper middle class families too.
Effects of Gender Discrimination in Education
There are societies which consider male child as wealth but the girls remain uneducated and have no chance of inheriting ancestral property. Such girls lack education and hence the capacity to work and earn through a job, should there be any marital problems. Soon after she is born she is exposed to the fear of female infanticide, and all through her growing years she is thought to be a liability on her family. This always makes girl child inferior and vulnerable to child abuse. Such circumstances are widespread among the poor, though it doesn’t imply that richer section of society is without it. Once the prejudice is formed, it travels through generation. It has severe consequences that make women susceptible to emotional and physical abuse during their married life.
Inequity at educational level leads to individual tragedies and ultimately affects the rate at which a country or society progresses. The standing of women in any nation directly affects its health. Even today, in many countries nobody takes care to ensure that girls get educated as a girl child is thought to be a burden on the resources of a family. Having remained uneducated, she loses the right to be heard, is unable to support herself financially and emotionally and not competent enough to voice against inequality meted to her. Unless collective measures are taken at different levels to educate a woman, enabling her to become self-sufficient, we’ll continue to deprive her of her rights. Though we can see some change of attitude in certain societies, it is very slow. The ongoing attitude that ignores certain basic requirements of women has to change.
It is obligatory on the part of general public to support the law and law enforcing agencies and trust the supremacy of equality to facilitate women empowerment in the larger interests of societies all over the world.