Category: Gender Equality

Introduction

A former member of the UAE Federal Council, Najla Al Awadhi, develops the article based on her experience and knowledge in the social and economic system in the UAE, especially in regard to women affairs in the country. The author is one of the modern and educated women in the UAE, which provides evidence of her ability to develop an article describing the state of women in the country. Although one may not agree with all the issues that the author puts forward in this essay, it is worth noting that the author has successfully shown that the UAE is one of the few Arab and Islam states that have taken a leading role in implementing women rights as part of the global set of human rights.

Summary of the Article

Najla Al Awadhis article attempts to develop an in-depth description of the decreasing gender gap in the UAE, which is better than any other Arab nation. In measuring the gender gap, sociologists consider a number of social and economic factors such as healthcare, education, employment, education, politics and leadership, and other activities (AlMazroui, 2014). Using this basis, Najla Al Awadhi shows how the UAE government has been using different strategies to achieve a reduced gender gap. However, the author notes that the country is yet to achieve the desired goals and that a number of obstacles must be addressed before the desired goals are achieved.

Noteworthy, the author argues that a society with a reduced gender gap achieves more than benefitting its women. In fact, the author argues that gender equality promotes social development. In regards to Islamic beliefs, a common stereotype is that gender equality, and religions cannot exist at the same time. However, the author refutes this claim in the article.

Analysis and Evaluation of the Article

The authors main point is to show the state of women in the UAE in regards to the gender gap. The article shows that the country has achieved a lot in reducing the gender gap through education, but a number of obstacles still affect the plight of women in the country. Najla Al Awadhi (2013) also proposes a number of solutions related to the culture of the UAE in order to help in reducing the gender gap, which is likely to improve womens affairs as well as the social well-being of the country. The authors main audience is the general population, especially the adult people in the country. She intends to create an awareness of the need for a free society that provides equal opportunities to both males and females in order to improve the overall well-being of the nation.

Pathos, logos, and ethos are important strategies in analyzing the ability of the author to develop a comprehensive, valid, and up-to-date rhetoric. Al Awadhi (2013) addresses one of the major issues affecting modern society (gender inequality) in the Arab and Islamic world. In addition, the author uses statistical facts to describe the situation. For instance, she notes that the UAE is considered the most advanced nation in the Arab world in terms of reducing the gender gap, a fact that is derived from studies by the UN and the World Economic Forum. Moreover, Najla Al Awadhis ability to write about the plight of women is justified because she is a former member of the UAE federal national council, which is involved in taking studies on the state of gender inequality in the country.

The appeal for emotions (pathos) is observed when the author attempts to develop a connection with her audience by referring to the need for gender equality. For instance, she argues that gender equality does not seek to benefit women only, but the whole society. She also refers to the current state of women in the UAE, where women who are more educated than men and those who work harder than men fail to obtain higher positions in the workplace.

The context of the text is quite informative, well organized, and eligible. The author uses good and impeccable grammar. In addition, she has arranged the ideas in a manner that allows the readers to understand point by point, which reduces confusion. She uses facts from various sources, which increases the validity of her arguments.

Response

The article has provided me with additional information regarding the state of women in the country. Although I was aware that the degree of the gender gap is high in the country when compared to the western world, I did not know that many people in the country continue suffering from the gender disparity at the workplace, politics, and other areas. I have realized that the country is on the right track, but we need to do more to ensure that women achieve social goals that will improve the well-being of society.

Conclusion

Although the article is short, Najla Al Awadhi develops an aspiring analysis of the situation in the UAE as far as female citizens are concerned, which borrows information from statistics in education, health, and occupation. For instance, Najla Al Awadhi uses statistics that indicate that the number of educated women in the UAE is larger than the number of educated males, yet the number of employed women and those in law and other areas is less than that of men. Thus, Najla Al Awadhis synthesis is important in describing the situation of women in the UAE in comparison with other Arab and Islamic states in the region and the world in general.

References

Al Awadhi, N. (2013). Developing a Culture of Gender Equality. Gulf News. Web.

AlMazroui, A. (2014). The UAE gender gap and the women who fall through it. The National. Web.

Workplace gender equality is paramount to the companys success as different employees provide unique perspectives to the business and help it improve and grow. However, many organizations fail to offer equal opportunities, rewards, and resources to both men and women. This proposal will consider the existing gender inequality within the field of architecture and propose several changes an architecture firm should undertake to create a culture of gender equality.

Women in architecture are substantially underrepresented, and architecture firms should take action to ensure meaningful changes to the current status quo. According to Arieff (2018), despite approximately 50% of architecture students being female, a small proportion stays in the industry following graduation. Mortice (2019) notes that 44% of women in architecture are primary caregivers, with only 5% of men identifying as primary caregivers in their families. Male and female architects with the same experience level earn different wages, with $140,000 and $120,000 per year, respectively (Mortice, 2019). Furthermore, there are fewer female architects in leadership positions, with a survey conducted by the Equality by Design initiative stating the management in most architecture firms is either all male or predominantly male (Mortice, 2019). Overall, it can be argued that gender inequality in architecture is consolidated with broader patriarchal constructs.

The following changes are proposed to the architecture firm to address workplace gender inequality. First, a mentorship program for female architecture students should be established. The influx of female architects will help counter the pipeline effect, which states that the number of women in leadership positions is contingent on the number of junior entrants (Gibson, 2007). Female graduates would benefit from an assisted transition to employment and the support of experienced female architects. Second, workplace flexibility for men and women should be improved. Women are primarily responsible for childcare and shoulder a disproportionate burden to maintain equal status (Gibson, 2007, p. 90). It is essential to offer employees different flexible working options that do not compromise their personal lives. Finally, the process for setting salaries and performance evaluations should become more transparent as balanced and objective reviews with measurable targets will help reduce the pay gap between men and women.

The proposed changes will help balance the existing playing field in the industry by providing women with more entry-level opportunities and ensuring their private lives are respected. The company is recommended to make structural accommodations for both men and women and promote flexible working. For example, part-time and remote work and flexible or compressed hours should be made available to male and female architects, including those in leadership positions. Day-care centers may be arranged for employees with children. Moreover, once a child is born, both parents are responsible for the upbringing, and shared parental leave should be encouraged. In addition, an equal pay audit should be undertaken once a year to ensure there are no unreasonable disparities. The company is also advised to implement staff surveys to identify any gender inequality issues in the firm. Finally, the firm should monitor all implemented changes and ensure employees are aware of opportunities available to them.

The primary challenge for the implementation of the gender-equality plan is a hostile organizational culture. If the employees and management are predominantly male, the proposed changes will be resisted due to the shared values of the majority. In order to overcome this challenge, managers should shape organizational culture by establishing a code of ethics and a general overhaul of office policies (Mortice, 2019). The instances of gender-based discrimination should be responded to with disciplinary action. Furthermore, the management should adhere to its code of ethics and the new policies and champion gender equality by example.

In summary, gender equality in the workplace is paramount to the success of any business as an inclusive, collaborative environment can be created when all employees are treated equally. Thus, the company is recommended to implement a mentorship program for female graduates interested in pursuing a career in architecture. Moreover, it is advised to establish flexible working options to support workers with families and make salary setting and promotion decisions more transparent.

References

Arieff, A. (2018). Where are all the female architects? The New York Times. Web.

Gibson, K. (2007). Ethics and business: An introduction. Cambridge University Press.

Mortice, Z. (2019). Closing the architecture leadership gender gap. American Institute of Architects. Web.

Gender equality has been an increasingly prominent concern in the United States in recent years. Some people have called it one of the least equal countries in the world, though the claim is likely exaggerated. Regardless, with the emergence of the #MeToo movement, the nations long history of discrimination and sexual abuse targeted at women has come into the light. According to Gramlich (2017), 22% of employed women have been sexually harassed at work, and 42% have experienced gender discrimination, though a majority of the population believes that men and women experience equal difficulty. One often identified reason is that men have traditionally occupied positions of power in the United States, not letting women have their concerns be heard and addressed. As such, until women can gain and reach high and real political and governmental positions, we will not have gender equality.

The introduction will provide some background on the issue, discussing recent events that have led to the emergence of the concern and broadly outlining the arguments of both sides. It will also highlight Finland as an often-cited counterpoint to the U.S. in terms of the presence of women in government.

The general public is the intended audience for this paper. Arguments about gender equality are often based on isolated incidents and not supported by data. This paper will attempt to partially remedy the issue by providing a more detailed analysis and comparison.

Review of Literature

Legal Situation: discuss the laws regarding general gender equality and the representation of women in positions of political power. There should not be many differences between the U.S. and Finland in this regard. Both nations laws oppose gender inequality strongly and prohibit discrimination, in letter as well as spirit. Most of the issues, if any are present, would be implicit and not rooted in law.

Political Situation: analyze the current political landscape in the United States as well as Finland and the presence of gender equality in it. According to Niethammer (2019), Finlands newly elected prime minister, as well as the leaders of all five parties, twelve out of nineteen cabinet members, and 47% of the parliament are female. By comparison, Hansen (2019) claims that 102 out of 452 U.S. Congress members and 25 out of 100 Senators are women, though House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is also female. Overall, Finland has a higher female representation in positions of the highest political powers.

Real Situation: discuss the practical situation of women in both nations and the prevalent concerns in them. The U.S. has issues with sexual harassment at work, along with overall gender discrimination accusations. However, Finlands gender equality situation is also imperfect, with the U.S. Department of State (2019) highlighting high rates of intimate partner violence against women as well as potential female genital mutilation concerns. The section can also consider the reasons why these nations have their respective issues.

Discussion: attempt to link the political landscape of the U.S. and Finland with their respective gender equality situation. Discuss whether one nations situation is necessarily observably worse than the others and whether the political landscape can explain the differences. Consider other possible reasons behind the development of different sets of problems and gender equality movements in both countries.

References

Gramlich, J. 10 things we learned about gender issues in the U.S. in 2017 [Blog post]. Web.

Hansen, C. (2019). 116th Congress by party, race, gender, and religion. U.S. News. Web.

Niethammer, C. (2019). Finlands new government is young and led by womenheres what the country does to promote diversity. Forbes. Web.

U.S. Department of State. (2019). 2018 country reports on human rights practices: Finland. Web.

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a relatively young nation. Traditionally, before the establishment of the country in 1971, women were involved in taking care of family and raising children. They traded in local markets alongside with men and produced handicraft items and clothes (Alwahedi, 2015). The leading role in womens empowerment belongs to Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak. She initiated the creation of the General Womens Union in 1975 as the national mechanism for fostering gender equality (The UAE Gender Balance Council, n.d.c).

One of the conducted surveys has shown that around 50% of students believed in the economic importance of women in the pre-oil period (AlMutawa, 2016). Consequently, it is worth looking at the current state of affairs. The objective of the paper is to track changes in gender equality policies, especially concerning the equal representation of all women in the countrys workforce.

First of all, equal educational opportunities are crucial for empowering women in their future workplace. The overall literacy rate of women is 95.8%, whereas, in 1975, it amounted to 31% (The UAE Gender Balance Council, n.d.a). Currently, Emirati women make up 70% of all university graduates (The UAE Gender Balance Council, n.d.a). However, the political activity of women and their presence in governmental institutions remain weak. Women were granted the right to vote and run as candidates for the Federal National Council only in 2006. Besides, there are only nine female ministers out of 31 positions (The UAE Gender Balance Council, n.d.a).

Consequently, according to the Global Gender Gap Index, the UAE managed to take 120th place among 153 assessed countries in 2019 (World Economic Forum, 2019a). It is crucial to consider the representation of both Emirati women and expatriates in the economy.

Globally women remain underrepresented in managerial and leadership positions, as well as in the labor force. Women are given fewer economic opportunities and do not have access to capital. According to the World Economic Forum, it will take 257 years to reach gender parity in the economic sector (World Economic Forum, 2019b). The possible solution is to engage women in sectors where they are currently not adequately presented. For example, only 12% of experts in cloud computing are women (World Economic Forum, 2019b). The leader in terms of closing the gender gap by more than 80% in 2020 is Iceland (World Economic Forum, 2019a). Almost 90% of women in Iceland are employed; moreover, they constitute 40% of ministers in the country (World Economic Forum, 2019a). Therefore, political empowerment and equal economic possibilities go hand in hand.

National authorities have launched the UAE Centennial 2071 plan to become a leading country in the world. One of the priority areas is a happy and cohesive society to promote womens participation in all sectors of the economy (Rung, Fomichenko & El Chedrawi, 2019). Sustainable Development Goals receive special attention in the UAE and are linked to National Agenda pillars. For example, SDG 5 relates to a sustainable environment and infrastructure pillar (National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals, 2017). There is a clear division of responsibilities between institutions monitoring the implementation of SDGs.

The particular governmental entity, Gender Balance Council, was founded in 2015 to propose and implement gender equality policies (The UAE Gender Balance Council, n.d.c). The Council works closely with all organizations to assist them in gender equality questions. It issued The Gender Balance Guide that features steps and tools for companies and organizations in the country. For example, it suggests employing human resource management policies to provide men and women with flexibility. These policies include parental leave for both parents and flexible working hours to ensure a balanced approach (OECD, 2017).

The UAE government is investing a lot in bridging the gap between men and women in the labor market. In 2019 just 20% of women represented an active workforce of the UAE (World Economic Forum, 2019a). It should be noted that women account only for 37% of expatriates in the country (Expats in Middle East  Statistics and trends, 2016). As reinforcement, in 2018, the UAE cabinet approved the law on equal wages for men and women.

These activities correspond to the target 5.5. of the SDG 5 that ensures equal opportunities for women at all levels of decision-making (Sustainable Development Goal 5, n.d.). Despite the existing problems, these efforts demonstrate the commitment of the government to work further on the topic. Several issues continue to forestall gender equality and shape public opinion about women in society.

The underlying framework that is supposed to serve as the basis for gender equality is the countrys constitution. It should be noted that in the UAE, it guarantees equality for all the citizens (Al Tamimi, 2015). However, it does not specify gender as a particular category, which can be considered a controversial point. From the legal point of view, women are not adequately protected, which distorts the perception of womens place in society.

For instance, the Personal Status Law of 2005 states that a husbands rights over his wife include the wifes courteous obedience to him (Amnesty International, 2019 para.16). Women should go through a judicial procedure in order to get a divorce, while men can divorce any time. These boundaries create an image of unprivileged women who have to make an extra step to feel free. Legal inequality elicits social disparities and damages social attitudes toward women.

Gender equality is crucial for the equal representation of people in society. Apart from that, it ensures a balance of power and a fair distribution of social and economic benefits. Its elimination advances human potential and strengthens the countrys competitiveness in the global arena. There is a lack of consistency on the issue of gender equality between different strategic plans and initiatives. Moreover, it is essential to connect SDG 5 to SDG 4 Quality education and SDG 8 Decent work and economic growth.

The statistics mentioned above demonstrate that women of all nationalities in the UAE experience difficulties with economic participation. However, the governments consistent efforts can improve enabling conditions. Stakeholder mapping is a useful analytical approach for a thorough investigation of the stakeholders. Gender inequality is a complex social issue that involves a variety of stakeholder groups, such as companies, governmental bodies, higher educational institutions, and households.

References

Al Tamimi, E. (2015). Women in the UAE. Web.

AlMutawa, R. (2016). Awareness of Emirati womens economic roles before the oil boom: Changing perceptions of gender roles?Inquiries Journal, 8(10). Web.

Alwahedi, A. (2015). The development of women role in the UAE. Sail Magazine. Web.

Amnesty International. (2019). Everything you need to know about human rights in United Arab Emirates. Web.

Expats in Middle East  Statistics and trends. (2016). Web.

National Committee on Sustainable Development Goals (2017). UAE and the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development. Web.

OECD (2017). Gender balance guide. Web.

Rung, G., Fomichenko, N., & El Chedrawi, N. (2019). Achieving Sustainable Development Goals in the UAE. Private sector contribution. Oliver Wyman. Web.

Sustainable Development Goal 5 (n.d.). Sustainable Development Goals Knowledge Platform. Web.

The UAE Gender Balance Council (n.d.a). UAE women. Web.

The UAE Gender Balance Council. (n.d.b). About the UAE Gender Balance Council. Web.

The UAE Gender Balance Council. (n.d.c). Foundation. Web.

World Economic Forum. (2019a). Global gender gap report 2020. Web.

World Economic Forum (2019b). Mind the 100 year gap. Web.

The relevance of gender nondiscrimination as a social topic is hard to underestimate nowadays. Despite the variety of achievements made on the subject in different parts of the world, the general tendency leads society toward accepting the idea of equality between men and women. Ensuring the effectiveness of this process starts with parenting during the early stages of child development, which puts tremendous pressure on modern-day parents to raise their children in a contemporary way free of bias.

Figuring out ways to put the intention of contemporary parenting to life is challenging. Giving children verbal advice without abiding by it will do little to indoctrinate them into the ideas of equality. Modern parents must reflect on how they were raised and get rid of their prejudices, which might prove to be a strenuous task. Conscious preconceived notions, widely criticized nowadays, can be spotted and eradicated more quickly than the unconscious ones that primarily manifest in attitudes and behaviors rather than words. For example, Bowles et al. (2021) promote the concept of emotional involvement from the fathers side to ensure the integrity of a childs perception of gender equity. However, emotional labor is still challenging for numerous men due to the specifics of their gender socialization. A necessary step, in this case, might be attending psychotherapy sessions, an idea many people omit in their approach to parenting.

Democratic family structure can aid parents in establishing ideas of gender equality within a household. It supports the notion of teaching through actions rather than words presented above since the democratic approach implies fair negotiations between family members of different genders. That sets an example for the youth to follow, shown through the convergence of gender roles amongst parents over the past fifty years (Ammari et al., 2018). As a result, borders of what is considered appropriate gendered behavior dilute with each generation. This dilution is vital in establishing ideas of gender equality in childrens minds since it teaches them that there are no right or wrong answers to what they can grow up to be.

Unprejudiced parenting is a demanding task that requires much work and open-mindedness but is essential in the present. Several things can aid modern parents on this challenging path, and applying democratic family structure to their familial dynamics can be a beneficial step. The resulting unbiased attitude of children raised in such a way helps with the general betterment of society.

References

Bowles, H. R., Kotelchuck, M., & Grau-Grau, M. (2021). Reducing barriers to engaged fatherhood: three principles for promoting gender equity in parenting. Engaged fatherhood for men, families and gender equality. Springer, Cham, 299-325.

Ammari, T., Schoenebeck, S., & Romero, D. M. (2018). Pseudonymous parents: Comparing parenting roles and identities on the Mommit and Daddit subreddits. In Proceedings of the 2018 CHI conference on human factors in computing systems (pp. 1-13).

Introduction

Many studies, speeches, and articles have been recently published to show the worth of discussing gender equality in society. Each story is usually full of personal emotions, negative experiences, and observations that make people understand that, in their intention to become democratic and free, people cannot solve one of the most integral concerns.

Discussion

In his article, Horton (2019) admits two global problems, namely climate emergency and gender inequality, and proves that the latter remains marginal in most debates and evaluations. Therefore, it is not enough to say that gender inequality exists and continues to bother modern society. It is more important to reveal the truth about gender relationships, give clear definitions, and share the background to ensure all concepts of gender equality are well-explained and properly implemented. In the article, the author presents such concepts as violence, harm, empowerment, freedom, and universal care from the point of view of capitalism, liberalism, and feminism to reach the point of gender equality.

All concepts of gender equality have to be interpreted through the prism of its definition and behavioral characteristics. Horton (2019) addresses the sustainable development goals for peace and human prosperity to explain gender equality as a necessity to achieve a number of purposes based on interpersonal relationships. First, it is expected to end all forms of discrimination and violence against women and girls (Horton, 2019, para. 2).

However, according to Steiner (2013), most women do not recognize abuse or violence, and, when it is too late, they cannot solve a problem because of fears for their lives. Biased gender relationships hide the ugly truth about violence, abuse, and discrimination, and few attempts are made to change the situation. Thus, gender equality is hard to attain due to poor awareness and recognition of the issue.

In addition to improved education and identification of the limits of human behaviors, people should think about the steps to promote positive changes. Horton (2019) suggests eliminating harmful and unfair practices and empowering women. Still, this goal is also complex and lies in the historically wrong interpretations of capitalism and liberal feminism. In a capitalist society, gender oppression provokes the undervaluation of womens work and responsibilities (Horton, 2019).

In other words, there is a common belief that women must take care of their families, husbands, and children, do domestic work, and never think about payment. A woman is responsible for food, cleanliness, and an overall healthy environment at home. Men are the main sources of financial support and stability. Still, there are many working mothers and wives today, and the question of money should not be gender-centered anymore. Economic frameworks have been significantly expanded, proving that gender equality is possible when it is profitable for some groups of people. However, it is impossible to gain benefits for all population groups, and there has to be someone who pays a higher price for success.

Finally, as soon as violence is eradicated and empowerment is supported, certain outcomes should be observed. According to Horton (2019), political and public life freedoms, universal care, and rights may be properly distributed among women who believe in the possibility of gender equity. The author mentions the manifesto by Cinzia Arruzza, Tithi Bhattacharya, and Nancy Fraser, Feminism for the 99%, to blame capitalism and liberal feminism for gender oppression and the unwillingness to remove socioeconomic constraints (Horton, 2019). Instead of searching for a solution within a problematic initiative, creating a new one without unclear points and additional questions is better. In the article, anticapitalist feminism is the required resolution with such foundations as universal health care, freedom, and a new vision (Horton, 2019).

People should learn that their activities, not some principles from the past, determine their success or failures. It will help victims and oppressed individuals recognize their opportunities and understand that they can take another step and be free of violence and oppression (Steiner, 2013). Gender equality is no longer a myth or something controversial but a common condition under which modern societies can live.

Conclusion

Taking into consideration all the concepts of gender equity presented in the article and promoted in the TED talk, a specific solution may be proposed. Gender differences cannot be eliminated from the environment in which all people have to live today. However, these differences should not indicate the prevalence of one group over another. Gender equality is a result of the progress that all humans have been able to achieve during the last several decades. Instead of imposing unnecessary or unfair obligations and expectations, it is high time to think about the conditions under which genders demonstrate their best qualities and unique characteristics. Living in a world where gender equality prevails will become the most successful outcome. There are so many critical situations and problems that do not depend on individuals directly, but violence and oppression are the two basic human mistakes that may be solved. After reading the offered article, the only thought emerges  how to promote gender equality in all spheres of human life.

References

Horton, R. (2019). Offline: What is the point of gender equality anyway? The Lancet, 394(10215), 2136. Web.

Steiner, L. M. (2013). Why domestic violence victims dont leave [Video]. TED. Web.

The narrative of gender equality in the global context has been extremely popular with social studies and media. However, while many people and organizations nationwide shed light on the issue of the gender revolution, the problem itself remains complex and challenging for women. Thus, according to the study by England et al. (2020), there has been dramatic progress in moving toward gender equality, but, in recent decades, change has slowed and, on some indicators, stalled entirely (p. 6990). Thus, when the number of women with higher education continues to grow unprecedentedly, some legislators present initiatives to block womens right to control their reproductive health. A prime example of such an unjust limitation is the Texas Heartbeat Act which forbids women to have abortions once the fetuss heartbeat is detected (87(R) HB 1515). Hence, it becomes evident that currently, the US context of feminism requires even more attention.

For this reason, the global goal of gender equality should be met at all levels, including interpersonal communication and legislature. As far as health care is concerned, the primary issue of gender inequality addresses the issue of access to the services and the quality of care provided. Thus, nowadays, insurance companies estimate that even after the introduction of the Affordable Care Act of 2010, the insurance price discrepancy between men and women remains unreasonably high, claiming that health care for women is more demanding and complex (Equally insured? 2020). Such a statement is ethically and morally questionable, as it is unclear whether women should be held financially responsible for the physical peculiarities of their bodies. In order to combat this issue, nurses should serve as advocates for equal access to health care regardless of gender. Thus, as a nurse, I would initiate the process of collaboration with the local NGOs, private insurance companies, and patrons to create a platform for financial and psychological support for women in terms of access and funding of health care. Moreover, nurses could create an educational platform for womens health awareness campaigns as a part of a fight for universal respect for women and their body image.

References

87(R), 1515 House Bill, 2021 Reg. Sess. A BILL TO BE ENTITLEDN (2021).

England, P., Levine, A., & Mishel, E. (2020). Progress toward gender equality in the United States has slowed or stalled.Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 117(13), 6990-6997.

Equally insured? What you need to know about women and health insurance coverage. (2020). Coverage. Web.

Introduction

Gender equality entails receiving equal treatment to realize social justice and equity; Holtmaat (2012) pointed out that gender equality is crucial in the realization of decent work for all people. According to Holtmaat (2012), decent work entails equal treatment in the different areas of work, social security, political and economic representation. Gender equality is a key indicator of development. The progress of gender equality across the globe has changed since the Fourth World Conference on Women that led to the Beijing Declaration. The following paper reviews the progress of gender equality at the global and national levels.

Global Dimension

Gender equality has remarkably improved to the point of a relatively inclusive society at the global level. The progress varies based on the countys level of development. For instance, in developed countries, there have been high levels of social justice and equity. The progress of gender equality across the globe is based on the reinforcement of the human rights recommendations passed at the Beijing Conference. The key achievements have been the removal of all forms of discrimination against women, the promotion of legal literacy, education, and the general protection of the rights of women (Banda, 2015).

The Gender Chart of 2015 shows that there has been remarkable progress in the areas of education, maternal mortality, and increased participation of women in development imperatives. For example, in developed countries, there are no literacy gaps between men and women. In the developing countries, the literacy gaps among the youth have reduced significantly, and there is positive progress of reduced stereotyping of women at the places of work.

Despite the progress, the main challenges at the global level have been the failure to understand what the phrase gender equality connotes. Religious groups such as the Holy See define gender in terms of biological sexual identity; thus, failing to realize the absolute equality of men and women (Banda, 2015). Also, the other challenge has been the failure by States, especially in developing countries to abide by the provisions of the Beijing Declaration, which has resulted in discrimination of women based on customs and cultural practices that undermine the full realization of gender equality.

National Dimension

UAE has made great strides on gender equality; according to Samir (2016), the progress can be attributed to the legal framework of UAE. The constitution enshrines that there should be equal treatment of all citizens. The constitution has created a platform in which women have equal access to education, decent work environment, political, and economic representation. For instance, the literacy levels for both men and woman is 95% with more women completing secondary education compared to men (Samir, 2016). Besides, 95% of the people who complete secondary education join tertiary level education.

Despite the principle of equal treatment of all citizens, still, there are remaining challenges that hinder social justice and equity in UAE. The laws still reinforce traditional gender roles. For example, the law still identifies women as mothers and wives, which limit their progression in the work area and confines them to the homes (Social Institute & Gender Index, 2014).

Self Reflection

There have been great social-cultural and legal changes that have been witnessed in UAE; as a result, there has been an expanded space where all young people regardless of sex have access to social, economic, and political positions. The legal measures that uphold the equality of all citizens have reduced gender stereotypes that in the past affected women negatively. As a young person growing up in UAE, I feel that this has had a positive role in my progression and self-identity. Looking at the future, I feel that society will not describe me based on my gender orientation; I see a liberated society in which the autonomy of either gender is respected. Thus, I feel more like the other young people, than we are unalike.

References

Banda, F. (2015). Achievements and challenges in gender equality in international human rights law: The last twenty years. Geneva: United Nations Research Institute for Social Development.

Holtmaat, R. (2012). The UN convention on the elimination of all forms of discrimination against women: A commentary. Oxford: University Press.

Samir, S. (2016). UAE leader in gender equality in region. Gulf News. Web.

Social Institute & Gender Index. (2014). United Arab Emirates. Web.

The article highlights struggles which female icons had to go through in the past as they advocated for gender equality. The article highlights Mary Wollstonecrafts achievements, a British writer who was a strong defender of womens rights.

She was a strong advocate for female emancipation in Britain and other parts of Europe. The article reveals how she experienced domestic violence and depression, which strengthened her resolve to fight against gender injustices.

She was among the first crop of feminists who used their writing skills to fight against gender inequality, in a patriarchal society in the eighteenth century.

She made many women realize the importance of challenging oppressive systems that made it difficult for them to achieve their dreams (Zellinger, 2012, p.23). She encouraged women to be more independent, which enabled them to work hard to overcome repressive situations.

First wave feminists advocated for women to be granted the right to vote in the U.S. They wanted to influence political governance systems to make them more involved in crucial public affairs.

They advocated for gender equality in all spheres of life to allow women to access all opportunities in societies they lived. Their efforts made it possible for future generations of women to enjoy more freedoms, even though they had to overcome a lot of challenges.

Frances Fanny Wright argued that men stood to benefit more if they allowed gender equality to take root. She advanced the notion that men need women who are more enlightened to bring more progress and prosperity to the society (Zellinger, 2012, pp. 26-27).

Together with Sojourner Truth, she spoke out against slavery and other acts that justified sexist attitudes against women in the eighteenth century.

First wave feminists played important roles which helped to improve the lives of other women in different societies. Susan B. Anthony encouraged women to vote by registering as a voter in the U.S, an act that resulted in her imprisonment.

Voting rights were crucial in helping women participate effectively in various political issues that affected them directly.

Anthony together with other suffrage advocates argued that equal voting rights for women would help them scrutinize political candidates running for different leadership positions.

Their persistent pressure made the U.S. government to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment of 1920, which granted women the right to vote. This milestone paved the way for more gender reforms in the country that improved the lives of many women (Zellinger, 2012, p. 29).

It had taken more than 100 years before the U.S. government allowed women to participate in universal suffrage.

First wave feminists also advocated for equal education opportunities for both boys and girls. Many girls were unable to go to school which made it difficult for them to realize their true potential.

At that time, womens roles were mostly domestic which made most men to argue that education was not necessary for them. Frederick Douglas, a freed slave, was among visionary black men that advocated for gender equality in the nineteenth century (Zellinger, 2012, pp. 30-31).

Douglas was a notable advocate for womens rights because he had witnessed the evils of living in a society where racial and gender inequality was used to justify unlawful acts.

Sarah and Angelina Grimke were among the few women that were allowed to study by their parents in the nineteenth century.

Some feminists advocated for women to be given full reproductive rights, to give them more control over their own bodies. Margaret Sanger advocated for increased sex education, to allow women access to contraceptives to regulate their reproductive functions.

She encouraged women to practice birth control to enable them conceive fewer children. She was among the first feminists to make women understand that motherhood places an extra burden on a woman, which makes it difficult for her to achieve personal dreams (Zellinger, 2012, p. 34).

The Married Womens Act of 1848 was one of the key milestones achieved through first wave feminism. The act granted women rights to own property in the state of New York, with or without the consent of their husbands.

This law made it possible for more women to own property as individuals which encouraged them to participate in meaningful economic activities.

The article chronicles different milestones achieved by various feminists which brought about gender equality. Their efforts enabled women from all backgrounds enjoy more freedoms in a society dominated by masculine ideals.

The article shows how first wave feminists inspired generations of young women who were born many years after them to value themselves as equal human beings.

The article shows how these feminists challenged stereotypes perpetuated by masculine systems that made it difficult for women to advance. Their efforts brought positive changes in different societies which allowed women to compete on an equal footing with men.

However, the articles author uses a lot of profanity to convey her arguments which undermines the accomplishments made by first wave feminists. The tone and writing style used by the author is confrontational, which waters down the importance of the message conveyed to readers.

Reference

Zellinger, J. (2012). A little fd up: Why feminism is not a dirty word. Berkeley, CA: Seal Press.

The article highlights struggles which female icons had to go through in the past as they advocated for gender equality. The article highlights Mary Wollstonecrafts achievements, a British writer who was a strong defender of womens rights.

She was a strong advocate for female emancipation in Britain and other parts of Europe. The article reveals how she experienced domestic violence and depression, which strengthened her resolve to fight against gender injustices.

She was among the first crop of feminists who used their writing skills to fight against gender inequality, in a patriarchal society in the eighteenth century.

She made many women realize the importance of challenging oppressive systems that made it difficult for them to achieve their dreams (Zellinger, 2012, p.23). She encouraged women to be more independent, which enabled them to work hard to overcome repressive situations.

First wave feminists advocated for women to be granted the right to vote in the U.S. They wanted to influence political governance systems to make them more involved in crucial public affairs.

They advocated for gender equality in all spheres of life to allow women to access all opportunities in societies they lived. Their efforts made it possible for future generations of women to enjoy more freedoms, even though they had to overcome a lot of challenges.

Frances Fanny Wright argued that men stood to benefit more if they allowed gender equality to take root. She advanced the notion that men need women who are more enlightened to bring more progress and prosperity to the society (Zellinger, 2012, pp. 26-27).

Together with Sojourner Truth, she spoke out against slavery and other acts that justified sexist attitudes against women in the eighteenth century.

First wave feminists played important roles which helped to improve the lives of other women in different societies. Susan B. Anthony encouraged women to vote by registering as a voter in the U.S, an act that resulted in her imprisonment.

Voting rights were crucial in helping women participate effectively in various political issues that affected them directly.

Anthony together with other suffrage advocates argued that equal voting rights for women would help them scrutinize political candidates running for different leadership positions.

Their persistent pressure made the U.S. government to ratify the Nineteenth Amendment of 1920, which granted women the right to vote. This milestone paved the way for more gender reforms in the country that improved the lives of many women (Zellinger, 2012, p. 29).

It had taken more than 100 years before the U.S. government allowed women to participate in universal suffrage.

First wave feminists also advocated for equal education opportunities for both boys and girls. Many girls were unable to go to school which made it difficult for them to realize their true potential.

At that time, womens roles were mostly domestic which made most men to argue that education was not necessary for them. Frederick Douglas, a freed slave, was among visionary black men that advocated for gender equality in the nineteenth century (Zellinger, 2012, pp. 30-31).

Douglas was a notable advocate for womens rights because he had witnessed the evils of living in a society where racial and gender inequality was used to justify unlawful acts.

Sarah and Angelina Grimke were among the few women that were allowed to study by their parents in the nineteenth century.

Some feminists advocated for women to be given full reproductive rights, to give them more control over their own bodies. Margaret Sanger advocated for increased sex education, to allow women access to contraceptives to regulate their reproductive functions.

She encouraged women to practice birth control to enable them conceive fewer children. She was among the first feminists to make women understand that motherhood places an extra burden on a woman, which makes it difficult for her to achieve personal dreams (Zellinger, 2012, p. 34).

The Married Womens Act of 1848 was one of the key milestones achieved through first wave feminism. The act granted women rights to own property in the state of New York, with or without the consent of their husbands.

This law made it possible for more women to own property as individuals which encouraged them to participate in meaningful economic activities.

The article chronicles different milestones achieved by various feminists which brought about gender equality. Their efforts enabled women from all backgrounds enjoy more freedoms in a society dominated by masculine ideals.

The article shows how first wave feminists inspired generations of young women who were born many years after them to value themselves as equal human beings.

The article shows how these feminists challenged stereotypes perpetuated by masculine systems that made it difficult for women to advance. Their efforts brought positive changes in different societies which allowed women to compete on an equal footing with men.

However, the articles author uses a lot of profanity to convey her arguments which undermines the accomplishments made by first wave feminists. The tone and writing style used by the author is confrontational, which waters down the importance of the message conveyed to readers.

Reference

Zellinger, J. (2012). A little fd up: Why feminism is not a dirty word. Berkeley, CA: Seal Press.