Gender Discrimination

Do we still see gender discrimination around us? The answer is, yes. This is observed a lot across the world. There are a number of examples across the world which shows the discrimination faced by girls. Male choices and decisions are given a lot more importance over women in most of India even today. In most of the rural areas of India, sons are expected to be the bread earners in the family. This is a critical reason why more importance is given to the sons than daughters, and hence continues the issue of gender discrimination. Adding to this disparity, we also see female infanticide in India, which arises due to existence of dowry. Girls across the world, while growing up, hear from everyone that they can do whatever they want; they can be whatever they like. Girls in the rural areas of India get a very different message. They are constantly reminded about the things they are not allowed to do. Therefore they end up playing the role of a household servant in their own houses and the same role after they get married. This is the reason why girls born in circumstances feel worthless about themselves. A girl’s identity is washed down the drain when she realizes that her education, her freedom, her entire being will forever be compromised. All these create a remorseless system of gender discrimination that keeps girls from a lot of things in life including the most important of all, education. All this leaves these young hearts very vulnerable to physical abuse and severe pain. Gender discrimination is a painful reality and there is no getting away from it. Most of you reading this article will be able to give at least one example of either you being a victim of this or having observed discrimination once, in the course of your life. Human rights advocates and many NGOs come forward to help eliminate these issues. Why should anybody be denied of anything based on gender? Literate families favour their sons and treat them as more valuable than their girls; leave alone the illiterate ones. Gender discrimination is not just a bad patch on a country it also affects the economy to a great deal. Leaving out a greater portion of the society uneducated, untrained, unattended and in emotional stress reflects on the overall growth of a country.