Imagine, if everyone was forced to wear the same clothes, pursue the same hobbies and have the same number of children, we will start thinking of it as something intolerable. However, we should not expel equality on this basis. It still has worth if we note in terms of certain areas. Equality before the law and equal rights to vote to seem to define the route to living together in peace and harmony. Here, inequality is treated the same as the dress, family or the hobbies discussed earlier.
Much before the first wave of feminism which arose out of urbanism and socialism for women suffrage, there were constant struggles for equality in terms of opportunity and needs for basic needs. Sadly, these got oppressed by the masks of misogyny.
Now that after the third wave of feminism, we stand in an economy that looks ahead for many equal platforms for both men and women. Undoubtedly, from a historical perspective, the world which has its roots laid on patriarchal, matrilineal, communal, socialist and democratic backgrounds has its overall movement of society towards greater equality.
Society Needs To ‘Progress’, Constantly
But the regressive elements are not something avoidable to mention, because the societal system is always in need of progression in terms of both “learning” and “unlearning”.Gender equality is not an issue that only affects women, it implies that half of the population has its potential wasted and at an enormous disadvantage. Despite an increase in awareness about issues affecting women, there are obstacles in front and the improvement continues to stall.
Having a law and its notification does not suffice the actual need for manipulating the societal mindset. Women undoubtedly prove to be not less than men in all spheres of economy and job, but they remain a question of thought about their further advancements in the industrial sector.
The Global Gender Gap Index conveys the differences between men and women in four key areas: health, education, economics, and politics. The women continue to experience a gap in pay, sexual harassment in workplaces and many more issues that solely belong to women.
Here comes our path-breaking intervention by technology, which provides us with tools to tackle gender inequality and bring about women empowerment.
In recent years, there has been this scenario of a sharp decline in women’s’ earnings after the birth of their first child, and that mothers are less likely to get jobs with significant travel and long hours due to negative perceptions about their ability to take up responsible jobs. This way, the role of women of being caregivers made them less privileged. This lack of work flexibility found a new way to counteract and that’s what is “contingent workforce”. The very own idea provided ways to overcome the geographic, physical, social and cultural barriers within any work platform. The work from home platforms like SheWorks! , PowerToFly allow women to access remote and exciting work opportunities. The companies also get to manage their work up to date and are found accountable.
Just like the way I mentioned about the various reasons for which women who wanted equality of opportunities struggled, some wanted even more basic requirements. Authorities and leaders, therefore, started using these tech platforms to showcase the concerns and the queries of the ladies in developing and high-risk areas. The use of blockchain technology for money handling made it easy for women entrepreneurs to have access and control over their money independent of the male members in their families. Diwali, Digital Grab Bag, VIP Cash are some examples of the abovesaid statement.
Bringing about equality, or more importantly equity in terms of gender, with or without the use of technology, ultimately lies on the effectiveness with which we recognize the different needs of the women in different parts of the world. A proper plan and its right implementation on the targeted issues remains crucial for any further enhancement of our societal structure, in terms of social, political and economic spheres.
For each global problem that we discuss, a series of solutions at local, national, and global levels in areas from healthcare to education is to be considered. Till then, the gender gap remains wide.
It’s also worth mentioning that the need to close the gender gap is not only about ethical or moral value but also economic incentivizing. Women empowerment and their advancement in the job sector could essentially contribute to about $12 trillion to the global market. This, along with technology, is a tool to be used wisely enough to tackle the global constrain.