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Awareness of gender equality heightened but a long way to go

Zafar Bhat. Dated: 3/8/2018 11:08:55 AM

Zafar Bhat
Jammu, Mar 7
Categorically, the second most populous country faces many developmental challenges, one of which is women's employment. Although the public has attached more importance to eliminating discrimination against women, unemployment among females has apparently posed a greater challenge to gender equality in India. Finding a solution to the problem is essential for improving women's social status in the country.
However, a dispiriting amount of evidence released around International Women's Day shows we have a long way to go before equality is something applied across the sexes. However, there may be reasons for cautious optimism.
Whereas, March 8 was suggested by the 1910 International Woman's Conference to become an "International Woman's Day" and since then, it has been an annual moment to collectively condemn discrimination against women.
Certainly, such injustice – in the home, the workplace, the economy, the parliaments, in religious and other community organisations - has been reduced over the 100-plus years since the day was settled upon. But the battle for equality requires daily effort and attention, not just annual recognition. Particularly, women and men alike should not only exercise zero tolerance of sexual harassment in the workplace and elsewhere, they should denounce it when they see it. The global #MeToo movement has led to some recognition that behaviour repeatedly ignored or condoned over the years must finally lead to consequences. Increasing the number of women in leadership positions has shown to improve business' success - both financially and culturally.
Pertinently, Gender fairness is being openly discussed around the world, and we've seen women, children, boys and men marching in the streets. The issues have arguably established a higher profile than ever in mainstream and digital-age media operations.