What Gender Inequalities in Education Entail - Term Paper Example

Gender Inequality in Education Student’s Name Code & Course Professor’s Name University City Date Abstract In this paper, we investigate what gender inequality is made of and how important it is for the educational, social, and development in the economy. Using the recent studies on gender inequality, the paper outlines more on the effects of this topic to the real world of economic growth and development. Through the study, it is evident that gender inequality is more common in the developing nations. Despite the education for all policy of 2000, education in most developing nations is still a challenge due to lack of financial capability to the poor people. There exist an evident gap in education in most countries in the world especially in the developing nations due to the widening gap between the rich and the poor in such countries. Education system is seen to have done very little in addressing the gender inequality problem, the existing gaps are thus predicted to widen in the future due high disparities in the wealth distributions. According to the paper, education is a key factor behind the increase in growth and development of the country’s economy. The role of the school in reducing inequality in education has also not been well articulated, this is a major challenge towards reducing inequality in education. The cause of most gender based inequalities according to this paper is violence based on gender differences and early marriages among communities. These two predicaments are mostly witnessed in African countries which rely on traditional beliefs where a girl child had no reason to be educated. Introduction Women in many countries are subjected to community’s burdens and denied access to equal rights. The paper outlines the issues that women across the globe face in their attempt to achieve their goals. Inequality in the overview section is widely looked at, not just affecting women in terms of education and job but also affecting people with disabilities who are also discriminated against (Ferreira & Gignoux 2014). The overview section of this paper outlines these issues showing the statics of gender inequality among women, how difficult they experience in getting basic education in most developing countries. In most developing countries, women are seen to be doing a vast majority of work and in terms of agriculture which is major economic activity in these countries. Despite this, women in these countries own very little in terms of assets compared to the men. Most non- governmental organization have come up strong in fighting for the equal rights of women in education (Ferreira & Gignoux 2014). The purpose of this organization being to reduce the inequalities that are seen, most of the organization have committed themselves through provision of financial support to young girls who are financially short to achieve their educational dreams (Klarsfeld et al., 2014). This has led to increase in economic development and social development among girls in developing countries. There is statistics that support the idea of development related to education improvement among the people. Education is seen to be the key behind development due to increased innovation and entrepreneurial activities which are the backbone of increased productivity and development. Despite all these efforts by the government and non-governmental agencies and the policy for education for all, education inequality is still highly witnessed. The problem inequality in wealth distribution and corruption is seen to be the stumbling block in the efforts to reduce education inequality in many countries. In the discussion section of the paper, education inequality is looked at in two major sections, that is in terms of gender based violence that is experienced in schools, and early marriages among girls in developing countries has been stumbling block to girls education in developing countries (Klarsfeld et al., 2014). The gender based violence in schools and early marriages among girls is evident in the case study of Kenya and other African countries like Nigeria. The two problems have caused the idea of gender equity in terms equal participation of boys and girls in education to become almost impossible to achieve. Overview of the study This section looks largely on the content part of educational inequality in society. It is concerned with the importance of education to the society and the public at large, how it leads to economic development of the country. The section further looks at the challenges facing the achievement of education inequality thus poor development in the country. Despite the policy proposed by the UNESCO IN THE 1990 the conference for education for all, this commitment has not been well advocated for by many countries and organizations. Education has long been viewed as the hub for economic growth and development. Many governments have taken education system in their countries more serious with an aim of improving its economy (Psacharopoulos 2014). Education is the mother of labour in the country, it increases the labour force in the country in effect increasing the productivity in the country, and increase in productivity will automatically lead to increase in exports to other countries thus increasing the country’s financial package. Exports leads to favourable terms of trade which in effect shows increase in growth of the country’s economy (Ferreira & Gignoux 2014). Education also leads to entrepreneurial and technical innovations in the country. Education provides adequate cognitive skills necessary to understand and be able to deal with new innovations in practice for economic growth and development. Countries have in the recent past increased their spending on education more than before in a bid to increase their economic productivity and growth. Despite the increase in interest to increase education for productivity by many countries, the issue is not equal for all. States education funding are non random as those which are economically stable have the ability to spend more on education in comparison to developing countries which have little to invest on education (Owano 2014). This disparity has led to what is called brain drain where the best brains migrate from developing countries to developed ones where education is of high quality and the available jobs are well paying. Thus the relationship between economic growth and development becomes positive to developed countries that are able to invest more in education compared to less developed ones. To reduce gender inequality in education globally, united nation organization committed itself to achieve education for all globally. Education for all was drafted at the 1990 conference for education for all, it was later reaffirmed 2000 to be achieved by the year 2015, this has not been fully implemented by many countries across the world (McLaren 2015). The target for gender parity is yet to be achieved many years after the commitment, this due to lack of finances or poor leadership that is lacking commitment to achieving these goals. Gender disparities are evident across the world as men are favoured than women, this is seen bellow: In terms of employment, women work in low positions compared to men. As per the 2014 figures, in developing nations specifically about 52% of women were reported to be working in low positions unprotected by the labour laws compared to men who were about 40%. Women are paid less in the labour market compared to men. In many countries, women are reported to average about 70% of the men’s salaries. Most of the women are likely to participate in family jobs where they are not paid or rather paid less compared to men. As per the world bank data base, firms with female managers stood at 18% globally. The table below shows the disparities that exist between male and female globally according to the World Bank statistics; Statistics Female % Male % Infant mortality 33 37 Primary school completion rate 73 69 Secondary school education 47.7 52.7 Secondary school gender of teachers 52 48 Unemployment 15 13 employed in industries 24 32 As per the table, the inequality in terms of education has in the recent years reduced in primary in favour of girls and in secondary is favouring boys. Disparities in employment also favour men than women. Discussion of the study Gender disparities are problems that are affecting both the developed and developing nations across the world (Lillian et al., 2015). This section discusses in detail some of factors that affects gender disparities, it looks at only two sections that is gender based violence at school and early marriages for school going children which prevents the girls from achieving the equality goals in education. The sections looks at the case studies regarding gender based violence in schools; it further explores the measures and policies taken by the government on reducing inequality in education in different countries. Gender based violence at school Gender based violence in schools is a global problem that is affecting school going children especially more specifically girls. Violence in schools may be in form of acts or threats of sexual, physical or psychological torture that occur in or within the school compound led to by social norms and gender stereotypes in the society (McLaren 2015). The violence may also be due to the differences that occur between boys and girls ability to deal with violence. Verbal violence may be caused by the teachers or between the students themselves, it seen to psychologically affect the student’s performance and their desire to go to school may diminish (Kerry 2014). Students in many countries are also reported to be having challenges in being able to deal with punishment; almost half of school going children in the world attend schools where they are not protected against corporal punishment. This is witnessed to cause many dropouts in schools as students fear to attend to school due to harsh punishment. Sexual violence is a major problem specifically affecting girls across the globe. This type of violence may be seen in form of verbal expression, sexual assault, coercion, rape, or sexual discrimination among the students (McLaren 2015). For the girls, teachers may make sexual advances at them, this makes them to fear going to school if they are not in a position to accept or deny. In poor countries, girls who cannot meet there schooling expenses and other personal expenses are coerced into sexual relations with teachers; the girls may not be able to finish school if they are not in a position to deal with these sexual relationships. Though girls are seen to be the most affected, boys are also reportedly affected sexually. Many students are reported to have been touched inappropriately by their teachers according to the global education monitoring. Bullying especially in boarding schools across the world is a major type of violence experienced in schools. As per the 2014 report, about 22% of the students in about 40 countries have experienced bullying in schools (Kerry 2014). Teachers sometimes act as bullies by beating students and calling them names, this is the worst form of bullying as the teacher who is supposed to protect the student turns against them. Bullying affects students with disabilities most, they experience alienation by other students and stereotyping which makes them to fear attending school. Children that live in conflict areas are more affected as they are not under any government protection. Violence in schools is a major shortcoming in the bid to achieve the commitment of education for all according to the United Nations report. In Africa, violence is seen as a form of maintaining partrachial power in society. Such is a case in South Africa. The country according to the United Nations report has the highest sexual related abuse in schools. The case study of South Africa recognises that violence in society is caused by gender based disparities; the men are more valued than women when it comes to education (Ferreira & Gignoux 2014). The country has lived through the traditional acts for a long period of time; this case outlines the nature of the true African society where men are valued higher than women. The schools in the country are unable to combat this violence since the teachers are also affected by the societal beliefs (de Lange, Mitchel & Bhana 2012). Early pregnancy in school going children is high in the country; the law in the country has failed in combating this behaviour as it is considered normal for men to be powerful in the society. In schools, most of the best teachers especially the science teachers are male teachers, the society views science subjects to belong to by child, and this increases the ideology of gender inequality in this society. Early child marriage Child marriage can also mean an end to a child’s education life. It is a common activity to communities from poor countries who do not value education for girls. Girls who marry early are possibly vulnerable to marriage abuses and possible risk of being infected by HIV and other sexually related diseases. Early marriages prevent girls’ education which means they become less productive economically, they become poor and their children also continue with the cycle of poverty, this reduces economic development in such countries (Fägerlind & Saha 2014). Due to lack of adequate education, such girls become vulnerable to health problems, their children are not in a position to receive quality care and medication and this leads to high infant mortality rates. The need to ensure that girls stay in schools is a major remedy to ensure that early marriage is reduced. Poverty is another cause that leads to early marriages in girls. Most developing countries face the problem of early marriage especially in poor families. Girls in African communities are viewed as a source of wealth in society, which is through dowry payments. Parents in poor countries prefer there to marry their children to rich people as second wives to get dowry that they believe will reduce their poverty status (Fägerlind & Saha 2014). Most parents also view girl education as a waste of money and end up discriminating their children on gender status by paying for the boys and leaving the girls home, the girls thus end getting married as the only option for them. Marriage of young girls is another form of financial survival in the short term for families that are living in poverty. Such girls will end up lacking the opportunity to achieve their educational dream as there is no chance of them going back to school. Early marriage is a cause poor achievement of education for all globally. Also parents from war zone areas prefer marrying their girls at an early age as the only possible way for them to protect and provide basic needs for their daughters. Child marriage is against the human rights as it prevents achievement of education for all. Many countries in Africa have experienced the problems of early marriage up to this 21st century. According to a case study in Kenya in Migori County, the practice is still practiced and is blamed on the traditional beliefs of cattle ownership as a source of wealth and girl child as the only best way of achieving this (Lillian et al., 2015). Further the practice of female genital mutilation practiced in the county is another cause of increase in early marriages. Early marriages deny the girl child and opportunity to choose who and when to marry, this increases the level of illiteracy levels in the region and economic underdevelopment. Minimal parental and community support has led to families not being able avoid goodies that come from the suitors who want their young girls for marriage. Illiteracy level in Migori County in Kenya is high among the women due to the forced marriages; there is also violence in community due to early marriages which makes the women vulnerable and unable to protect themselves (Misaro et al., 2014). Early marriages in many countries lead to increase in poverty due to increased ignorance and illiteracy in women. Government policies in fighting gender inequality Gender inequality as seen is a predicament that many countries suffer. Inequality in education is seen to affect much on the development sector of a country, many government across the world have teamed up with non-governmental organizations to fight the problem of gender inequality (Benería, Berik & Floro 2015). In Sweden the idea of gender equality has been improved more than other countries, the government of Sweden has expressed itself as a feminist government. The government is much concerned in eliminating all kinds of gender based violence; the issue of gender mainstreaming is highly looked at large. Women activities in Sweden are almost equal to those of men; there are equal employment opportunities for both men and women in the country (Moore et al., 2015). The country is struggling to come up with a reconciliatory measures between family matters and the professional life. Some other policies put across by the government of Sweden include; Equality in division of power and influence. Men and women in Sweden are to be viewed the same and given a level ground for equal rights and opportunities to be able to contribute to growth and decision making in the society. The government of Sweden has what is called positive action which ensures that people should be treated equally in both education sector and the government side. The government has laid level grounds in terms of housing. There is equality in getting of unpaid houses and care for both men and women, this ensures equally responsibilities in the society across the gender board. There have been strong measures put across by the government to reduce on gender based violence. The government has provided equal rights to both men and women concerning physical security. Just like Sweden the government of other countries like Kenya have made tremendous achievements towards reducing gender inequality. Kenya through its government has enacted the rule of basic education (Misaro et al., 2014). This has led to increased enrolment for the girl child leading to equality in education in the country. The new constitution of the country which was enacted in 2010 has provided greater hopes in achieving gender equity in the country. The government has also come up with ministry of gender, sport and culture which looks at the issues related to gender equality. Conclusion In summary, although many countries can be said to have improved the ability to reduce gender inequality, it is still a major problem in education. Education throughout this paper has been viewed to be the backbone of development in many sectors of the economy, there has been arguments that education cannot be separated from economic development. This has been seen through innovations that are borne by educational skills and knowledge which are productive to the country in large measures. Despite this, education has faced challenges related to gender discriminations in many countries. Boys education has been considered to be more important leaving the girls behind, this has affected the dream of achieving education for all policy for many countries (Misaro et al., 2014). In the paper, issues such as gender based violence and early marriages especially in most developing nations have a stumbling block to the girl child education. This has been blamed on ignorance and poverty among the people. Looking at the case studies of both Kenya and South Africa, the regions show the effect of school based violence and early marriages to the girl child education (Owano 2014). However many governments have come with policies like free education for all and equality in positions in public sectors in order to reduce the gender inequality in the society. References Klarsfeld, A., Booysen, L.A., Ng, E., Roper, I. and Tatli, A. eds., 2014. 9.78 E+ 12: Country Perspectives on Diversity and Equal Treatment. Edward Elgar Publishing. Ferreira, F.H. and Gignoux, J., 2014. 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