The Revolution for Gender Equality

The central point of this article is that "human development, if not engendered is endangered." This paper was stating that human development involves enlarging the choices of all people. It doesn't involve enlarging the choices of only a select few (based on gender, sex, economical background, ethnicity, religious beliefs, race, etc.) or select societies (developing countries, industrialized nations, etc.). If the advancement of human development was based on this criteria, then it becomes unjust and discriminatory. Individuals are held back through the process of selection, and that is exactly what is happening with women across the globe.

It is believed if a country is developing and experiencing progress, then every group of people from every economical level and sex were experiencing the fruits of the labor. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Women are not experiencing any fruits of labor. Instead they are experiencing discrimination based on their sex instead of natural ability. The paper sites examples where 70% of women live in poverty out of 1.3 billion people. That is more than half of the population. Another example of the outcomes of sex discrimination is that although the amount of women in the workforce has increased (from 36% to 40% from 1970-1990) that amount doesn't even compare to the number of women who are literate and school enrollment.

In some ways I am astonished and in other ways I am not. It is very obvious living as a woman in this country that discrimination still exists. And living as a woman of color in this country only strengthens my belief that discrimination exists. I can personally share a number of experiences where I was discriminated against because of my ethnicity and sex. There was one incident not too long ago when I went to the learning center to request assistance with preparation for the GRE exam. Instead of receiving some form of positive reinforcement and assistance I only received negative reinforcement and a look of "why?" from a Caucasian, middle aged woman. Woman of color are not suppose to be educated, sophisticated, or knowledgeable about subjects or events. We are suppose to be pregnant, stoned, on welfare, and uneducated.

Reading this report raises important issues of when (especially since it is listed in policy) will equality exist between man and woman across the globe? When will nations take a look at those who have succeeded (Sweden, Finland, Norway and Denmark) in achieving gender equality by allowing women's empowerment and gender equality remain as conscious national policies on their political agendas? Why are some nations serious about this issue and others are not?

What really rattled my mind was the parental leave enforced by the Nordic countries. I am in love with the alternatives that men and women have in balancing work and family! Reading that piece shows how family is placed first and not second, something that this country has not truly recognized. The options that we have for raising a family and balancing work are not great. In reality, our only choices are to either work, or quit your job to start a family. Our choices doesn't include staying home after a 12-month Faith OtienoPage 2

maternity leave until the child is three with monetary compensation and job guarantees, or arranging child care so that the parent can return to work. This shows me that family doesn't come first in this country because if it did, we would have better policies to allow a parent to stay at home for a better length of time to raise a family and not be penalized for it through the loss of job stability.

It has been made evident that excluding women from political, educational and economic opportunities has been in the past, and the present, a hindrance to women from all backgrounds. If society continues to exclude women from opportunities that are a given right, it would then become a crime against humanity and to modern progress. We, as a whole, have to continue to become educated about the condition of women everywhere, not only in the United States. By doing so, it will empower us as a people to fight for equality on every level and across every border. If women continue to remain silent and allow subtle, but obvious, mistreatment of this nature, it will only destroy and silence us forever.