Types of Equality - Essay Example

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Equality

Equality is a diverse word which has many definitions and meaning as well as features. Democracy entails the two fundamental principles, which include equality and liberty, and they are the most valuable rights of people. The term can be used to mean full treatment and reward for all the individuals. In this way, individuals are usually exercising natural equality. It should be understood that absolute and natural equality cannot be achieved or realized for all individuals. For instance, men can neither be equal concerning their mental abilities nor concerning their physical features. Some men are indeed more intelligent and stronger than others, and also their capabilities differ as compared to others. In this aspect, the equality of treatment and reward is established not to occur. Rewards usually rely on actual abilities, and thus we are made to comprehend that equality does not mean total and absolute equality. It is, therefore, taken to mean equal opportunities granted to all individuals for development.

It should be noted that when we talk of equality for all individuals, we are not referring to absolute equality but fair general equality. To understand equality, we must be able to comprehend the inequalities which generally exist in contemporary society. These inequalities include natural and human-made unnatural inequalities. The former is made to refer to differences which naturally occur among human beings. These differences have to been recognized and accepted by all individuals. The human-made unnatural inequalities are a result of socioeconomic environment and usually result from the social system's operation. They include all the discriminations and inequalities practiced in the name of colour, religions, caste and also the place of birth. This paper is going to explore the various types of equality, importance and also the factors influencing the practice of equality.

Types of equality

There are various types of equality that can be exercised by individuals. These equalities vary according to how different countries and states or socioeconomic environments view and treat their citizens. They include; sexual equality, gender equality, political equality, racial equality, economic equality, and social equality.

Sexual Equality

There are several types of identity which define an individual and differentiate them within their peer groups. For instance, some individuals have identified themselves as gay, lesbians, bisexual, and also asexual. The person one chooses to love or have relationships with should not be restricted or limited at any given a chance. However, these identities should also not be considered to affect one's abilities to undertake a specific task or pursue your interest. People should be treated with equality irrespective of their identities.

Gender Equality

Gender can be viewed as the ability to distinguish an individual as either male or female. There are various stereotypes about females and males' abilities in areas like jobs and hobbies. For instance, sports have limited the abilities of women to participate in the activities of nurturing their talents. Women are generally viewed as weak and not able to show their talents and capabilities. There is no equality in the recruitment of employees in jobs, and the majority of workers are usually men. The women are not also able to get leadership roles in workplaces due to the assumption that men are the only gender that is viewed as capable of securing these posts than women. Political equality is also championing gender equality, as women should be allowed to vote and participate in politics.

Racial Equality

Another identifiable class of discrimination is concerned with an individual's race when equality is not offered. People can be categorized or identified as per their skin colour or their historical racial groups. This should not be the basis to determine the abilities of an individual. Regardless of race or racial backgrounds, individuals should be granted equal opportunities, benefits, and rights to secure jobs and enjoy their lives.

Economic Equality

This implies that all individuals need to be treated the same despite their financial status or wealth differences. For example, an unemployed person should be allowed to enjoy and use services like the public road system of their particular country just the same way the rich are doing. Economic equality can also be viewed in the same efforts to eliminate poverty and provide every person with the same level of acquisition of basic needs, such as shelter and food.

Social Equality

All people should be allowed to achieve the same social status in society, and this does not confer special privileges granted to them. For instance, the laws in a country should be applied with equal measure to all members of a society irrespective of their race, political affiliation, and economic status. Different individuals in a society can also be entitled to different roles, like becoming elected officials. All the individuals should be granted equal rights and opportunities for the development of all classes of people without discrimination, such as freedom of speech, civil rights, property rights, and equal access to services and goods.

Importance of equality

The benefits of exercising equality can be realized in different areas, for example, in the workplace, education, politics and also society in general. For instance, equality and diversity in the workplace are crucial in creating a more positive working relationship among the employees. A team that is treated equally in the working environment will tend to be more productive, focused, and engaged. It will also encourage togetherness and make an excellent working place for everyone. The type of culture initiated to everyone is crucial to ensuring that the team is motivated towards the assigned tasks. Equality also provides that there is increased performance by workers. Organizations with diverse and equally treated teams help the employees feel appreciated and given room for innovation and invention, hence leading to productivity and growth of the organization.

In society, equality is essential because it helps us to understand one another. A society is usually made up of people of different social status and class. There is increased growth and development in a society that appreciates the worthiness and existence of each irrespective of their living standards. There should be no discrimination in access to social services as well as public utilities for all individuals. A society should also do away with some of the traditional stereotypes against a particular gender and give each individual an equal opportunity to develop themselves.

Another importance of equality can be viewed in the area of education. There are many campaigns for equality in education, meaning that each individual should be allowed access to primary education. These programs have helped many children from minority groups and races acquire education and shape the future in society. Equality has also enabled certain genders like the women to participate in politics and helped enlighten people on the rights of women and their potentials towards nation-building.

Challenges to the promotion of equality to individuals

Various challenges are affecting the campaign towards equality for all persons in all aspects. Most of the challenges are experienced in the initiation of equality programs for the women and the girl child and need to be addressed. They include impunity, which is the lack of state accountability in addressing issues affecting the girls and women; for example, violence hence been a significant problem in ending gender inequality. This impunity includes inadequate legal protections, lack of political will, and insufficient resources for the programs. This is experienced particularly by countries with weak justice systems and where customary law practices stand to contradict with the international standards for human rights.

Another challenge is that of weak coordination and supervision mechanism initiated at the national level. Addressing inequality issues need an approach which is multisectoral approaches, for example including sectors like education, health, social, security as well as the legal sector. The government should not stand alone with a sole entity to stop these injustices but work hand in hand with the above different sectors to end this problem.

Inadequate technical, human and financial investment is another problem affecting the implementation of equality programs in different countries. Various countries have adopted relevant policies and laws capable of promoting equality in different areas, but inadequate budget allocations accompany them. The countries also lack the right infrastructure, staffing, requisite institutional, and other support that might be needed both in the national and sub-national levels to implement the equality programs.

Conclusion

Equality is a diverse concept that is applied in many areas. Embracing it has a more significant impact on the growth of both the individual, the society and the nation. People need to be treated with equality to realize their sense of wellbeing and purpose. The government has the mandate to initiate various programs which aid in championing for the different types of equalities. All persons at the individual level have to establish the importance of equality and treat each other with equal measure and give them a chance to develop themselves.