Discrimination against Women - Research Paper Example

 Discrimination refers to the deliberate act of marking differences. Discrimination against women is one of the most serious social problems that are facing the society today. The world has progressed significantly, with advances in science and technology occurring at a rapid pace. Despite the fact that people have become more liberalized, discrimination against women still has not been rooted out not only in developing countries, but developed countries also face the same issue. Gender lines are sketched out between girls and boys in every arena that they compete in. This essay discusses the gender gaps that are inherent in the society today. Moreover it explores the gender discrimination that occurs not only at the domestic level but also at the workplace. The essay also highlights the steps that have been taken by governments and organizations to eliminate gender discrimination. Women are faced with challenges from a very early age. It is not uncommon to instill the belief in girls that they are only suited for certain careers, while other careers are the domain of the men. Most women in developing countries are not even given equal opportunities than men in the most basic of all necessities. In a male chauvinist society, one that is common in the tribal areas of many developing countries, girls and women are treated as inferior, and men are given the preference in every aspect of life. Boys are made to go to school and acquire education. They are favored over girls in terms of the food that they eat, the opportunities that they get and the love that is showered over them. This also follows that families are major culprits in fostering such an attitude. History is rampant with examples of babies being buried alive on the account that they were girls. The birth of baby girls in conservative families in various parts of the world still buttresses the same attitude. The UNICEF stated that in some countries, there is a clear preference of boys over girls embedded not only in the culture but also on the economic level. Furthermore, the UNICEF observed that the misuse of pregnancy diagnostic tools often culminates in the abortion of the fetus if it is a girl. This is relatively common in many parts of the world such as some parts of China and India. Parents will put up their children for adoption or will discard the fetus in early prenatal life on the grounds that it is a girl (“Background on Discrimination”). At the school level, discrimination against girls is promoted by the attitude of the teachers primarily. Teachers tend to give more attention to boys than girls in math and sciences (Wolfe). They focus more on girls in arts. As a result, there is a message being delivered at the subconscious level that arts is the preferred field for girls, whereas boys have the aptitude to excel at science and math. Statistics show that medicine, engineering and architecture are male-dominated fields (Wolfe). The discrimination at the school level further contributes to the maintenance of this disparity in the percentage of women employed in such professions. Education provided is not equal and this can only be countered if authorities acknowledge the fact that women are lacking behind and discouraged from utilizing their talents because they are not given equal opportunities. Education is the prime focus during the early childhood years and adolescence. Parents wish to see their children receive quality education and to proper into healthy educated adults. However, discrimination against girls continues at all phases of school life. In primary school, there is an increased emphasis on boys in math and science, and as children enter secondary school and the types of co curricular activities change, more girls seem to be discouraged from taking part in sports and debating competitions (Wolfe). On the other hand, boys are equally likely to participate in any activity of their choice. The attitude of the administration and the teachers tends to push the girls towards the arts side, as well as into social activities and community work (Wolfe). For professional studies, girls are often pushed into opting for more stereotypical female-oriented professions, such as teaching and nursing. Over the time, the trends have changed, with more women entering male-dominated fields such as medicine and corporate business. However, statistics by the Department of Labor show that the majority of people in fields that are stereotypically considered as female are women. The CNN Money in 2006 reported that only 10 women run the Fortune 500 companies, and only 20 that form the top 1000. This disparity in figures is representative of the gender discrimination inflicting societies today (Wolfe). Women are also more likely to be victims of sexual violence and other acts of violence. In the early years of their adolescent life and even further, they are subject to more abuse and exploitation than boys. Girls have lesser awareness of HIV/AIDS. Furthermore they are more vulnerable than their male counterparts to the mutilation of genitals and sexual abuse, along with greater number of girls being trafficked. Violence against women is deeply rooted in the society and is often not given due attention. This has been a major issue of concern for the UN, and many UN officials have adhered to the notion that the Millennium Development Goals should also incorporate the elimination of discrimination against women. It has been argued that the anti-poverty goal of the Millennium Development Goals should also inculcate the aspect of prevention and elimination of discrimination. Moreover experts are of the view that in order to achieve sustainable development in poor countries and to provide equal rights to both men and women, the UN and other organizations should work in concert to make the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals a possibility and to look closely at the risks and policies that tend to stop women from competing on level ground with men (Associated Press of Pakistan). In third-world countries such as Pakistan, discrimination is deeply rooted in legal, political, social, cultural and economic settings. The discriminatory laws that are part of the Constitution make women unequal before the law. There are myriad episodes that the annals of history are witness to, where women are treated unfairly. Not only they are disparaged and condescendingly looked upon by their male counterpart. In Pakistan the Hudood Ordinance is a discriminatory law that serves to belittle the credibility of the women. The law requires that a rape victim should be able to present the testimony of other witnesses in order to prove that she has been raped. If she is unable to gather witnesses to attest to her case, she can be punished for fornication. The laws are not the only derogatory practice against women in Pakistan and other conservative areas of the world. In India for instance, males are given food, education, health and other resources before girls. Women are not represented equally in decision-making circles and are subject to discrimination at home and work both (Franciscans International). Discrimination against women occurs at the workplace. This includes pay differentials that exist in the salaries between men and women. It has been observed that discrimination occurs against women not only before they enter the market for employment but also during the process of selection and further employment. Women come from different socio-economic backgrounds just like men are, but generally they are less well-prepared for the market than men. This is largely because they either have not had such a high level of education as men, or they have not attended vocational training programs (Brown 148). Men, on the other hand, are given more opportunities to progress and acquire education and training than women. It is also seen that when it comes to professional advancement, there are greater chances for men to pursue training programs out of the city and stay away from their family for the time period. This is because women are required to be there for their families, and to cater to the household along with their jobs. This attitude is also responsible for the division of labor between men and women, which puts the women’s duty at home. Furthermore, many families want that working women leave their jobs when they marry and concentrate on their husband’s household after marriage. This also serves to cause a discriminatory barrier in the recruitment and selection process, since employees want labor that is not likely to withdraw after serving for a short period of time. Moreover, families prefer to lavish their resources on their sons, since daughters are married off, and sons become breadwinners of the family. The restricted employment in a previous generation has an impact on the succeeding generation. If fewer women are hired in the previous generation, this tends to barricade the entry of women in the next generation (Brown 148). Wage discrimination can influence the wages of women in two main ways. Women may either be paid less than men or they may be pushed into taking up jobs that pay them less. Statistics from across the economy show that the average wage of women is lower than their male counterparts. This trend has been observed as early as the 1880s. Action was taken against the wage differentials in 1888, when the Trades Union Congress passed a motion that when men and women are performing the same job, they should get paid equally too. However, it was not until ninety years later when the Equal Pay Act made the pay for both the genders equal if they are involved in the same type of work. Since the enforcement of the act in 1970, the wage differentials have shrunk from 29.5 to 17.2 per cent in the US (Lipsey and Chrystal 235). Women are given less prestigious and influential positions in organizations. This could result from non-discriminatory reasons such as lack of advanced qualification like their male colleagues. It may also be a result of direct discrimination on the part of the employees in giving higher positions to men. Other discriminatory attitudes at the workplace include lesser promotions, lower starting income and stereotypical attitude from men at work (Dipboye and Colella 153). There are also fewer chances that a promotion or job transfer can be advantageous to the women. These attitudes and barriers are particularly seen in patriarchal societies. It has also been seen that the aforementioned stereotypical female-oriented professions, and other differences in the jobs and occupations held by men and women also account for differences in wages. The most obvious and blaring finding regarding wage differentials is present in the area of compensation. In 2001, women who were employed fulltime had a median weekly salary of $511 as compared to their male counterparts, who earned $672 per week (Dipboye and Colella 153). Thus, one can conclude that a gaping difference is present in the wages that are paid to men and women (Dipboye and Colella 153). In a study conducted on Norwegian manufacturing plants, 18 to 19% difference was present in the wages and productivity of men and women, with women earning and producing less than males. There was also no evidence that pointed out that equality in pay and marginal products of men and women existed (Rodgers 54). Pay differentials also arise due to the fact that more women are involved in part-time work than men. Discrimination against women working part-time can also arise due to the increased opportunities of training and professional advancement that men working full-time can avail (Blakemore and Griggs 167). Women are channeled towards careers that are more suited for them. Blakemore and Griggs (167) observe that regardless of the fact that women are working with men or not, discrimination against them is firmly rooted and is an important reason for the large pay differentials between men and women. The pay differential between the two genders is wide, with men earning £442.41 per week and women making £326.50 per week; these statistics represent a pay gap of 19%. It has also been suggested that over the years, the pay gap will gradually decrease, mostly due to the shifts in the market rather than endeavors by the government (Blakemore and Griggs 167). Arlie Hochschild is the author of the book, The Second Shift (Kuttner). In the book, she writes about her experiences of juggling her parenting with her profession, as well as the experiences of 50 other working families. She observes that the reason why a large number of women are not seen in demanding professions, such as lawyers and doctors, is because men do not take part in raising children with the women. According to Hochschild, working women work two shifts; the first shift is her paid employment whereas the second shift is her domestic role in housekeeping and raising the children. Hochschild states that a stalled revolution has occurred; it has dramatically moved women out of homes into the market for work. However, little change has occurred in the second shift of the women and they are still in charge of managing the household. As a result, in most marriages, the women’s first shift is not given due importance, which helps to rationalize her duty at the house (Kuttner). Where women are working extra hours at the workplace and then fulfill her responsibility of managing the house shows that little conceptual reform has occurred regarding the help that husbands give to their wives (Kuttner). Thus in conclusion, discrimination against women is still prevalent in the society. In many parts of the world it is still considered shameful if a girl is born in the family and so female feticide is common. Discrimination against women occurs during school years, with girls being encouraged to participate in arts and other female-oriented professions. There are laws in many countries of the world, such as in Pakistan, where women are not given the same rights as men. Furthermore, the lack of protection of women rights is responsible for the abuse, trafficking and ill-health of women in many conservative societies. Women are confined to their households, with the husband being the breadwinner. They are required to fulfill their traditional role in nurturing their children, looking after the house, cooking and managing the domestic needs of their husbands. In more advanced societies, there has been a change in the traditional role of the women; society has become more liberal, permitting women to work and support their family. Nevertheless, gender discrimination exists in the market too. Men are preferred over women due to the increased training that they had received or their higher level of qualification. There are also large pay differentials of as much as 19% existing in the market, with men being paid more than women for the same jobs. It has been predicted that discrimination against women will decrease in the future gradually, but it is necessary for countries to work with UN for the achievement of the MGDs and to take concrete steps to eliminate discrimination. These steps can include increasing the awareness amongst the population about human rights and by creating opportunities and laws to promote and safeguard the interests of the women. Works Cited Associated Press of Pakistan. Development efforts must check violence against women: UN expert. Associated Press of Pakistan Corporation, 2010. Background on Discrimination against Women. Dosomething.org, 2010. Web. 6 Dec. 2010. Blakemore, Ken and Edwin Griggs. Social policy: an introduction. 3rd ed. McGraw-Hill International. Brown, Sir Henry Phelps. The inequality of pay, Volume 1977, Part 2. University of California Press, 1977. Print. Franciscans International. Discrimination against Women. Franciscans International, 2010. Web. 6 Dec. 2010. Kuttner, Robert. She Minds the Child, He Minds the Dog. The New York Times, 1989. Web. 10 Dec. 2010. Lipsey, Richard G. and K. Alec Chrystal. Economics. 10th ed. Oxford University Press, 2003. Print. Mizzima News. INTERVIEW: Gender Discrimination in Authoritarian Burma (Online Dialogues & Blogs). Peace Women, 2010. Web. 6 Dec. 2010. Rodgers, William M. Handbook on the economics of discrimination. Edward Elgar Publishing, 2006. Print. Wolfe, Lahle. Gender Discrimination Against Women: From Cradle to CEO. About.com, 2008. Web. 6 Dec. 2010. Read More