Things You Can Do To Promote A Gender

Equitable Society

There is a need to be more aware of the challenges women and girls in our
country still face, and what we, as a society, can do to make a more a
gender-sensitive environment, bust stereotypes, and make our children,
whether boys or girls, more gender-friendly. Some insightful tips on how to
gender sensitise children:

1. Fight Gender Stereotypes

Children learn a lot from their immediate surroundings — families, friends,
school, neighbourhood, media and books. Stereotypes based on gender and
its internalisation starts at an early age. Children, who grow up in gender-
equitable environments, tend to believe in gender stereotypes less than
their peers, who grow up in a gender-inequitable environment.

2. Promote Gender Equality At Home

It is important for parents to treat girls and boys equally (food, sports,
education, equal celebration at birth, etc.). Parents are the first role models
children have. So, if they grow up seeing gender inequality being exercised
or tolerated in this relationship, they are more likely to be exposed to
negative gender role stereotyping. It is important for parents to share
household chores as well as outside chores, participate equally in financial
matters, exhibit joint decision making and treat each other with respect.

3. Talk About Gender Issues With An Age

Appropriate Lens
Often, parents try to shield children from incidents related to gender-based
violence, but children still get to know of these issues through friends or
media exposure. It is important for parents to talk to children about
gender-related issues in an age-appropriate manner so that they grow up to
be more gender-aware, gender-responsive and respectful.
4. Imbibe Gender Equality And Respect As Core
Values
Mutual respect for all irrespective of their sex, caste, socio-economic status,
religion, region and educational status. These are core values which start
getting ingrained in young minds from an early age. Hence, it is important
to imbibe mutual and unconditional respect, equality and opportunity
amongst all to lay a strong foundation for a gender-equal society.

5. The Right Gender Messaging — Gender Is Not

Synonymous With Women And Girls
Gender is often misrepresented as pertaining only to women and girls. It is
important to create awareness that society creates gender norms and
stereotypes. Gender stereotypes impact all of us, yet affect women, girls and
the ‘third gender’ more.
Ways You Can Promote A Gender
Equitable Society

1. Tap Into Girl And Woman Power

Through knowledge, skills and leadership development of girls and women, we can
build a resilient, empowered, and motivated generation. Such a generation will have
high aspirations for self and a commitment to gender equality and equity.

2. Engage With Men And Boys

We all must share responsibility and commitment towards gender equality, not only
women and girls. It also should not focus only on women and girls. Engaging with men
and boys is equally important and helps in creating an enabling environment for an
equitable society.

3. Gender Sensitise Service Providers

Service providers – whether education, health, financial, or legal – play a significant role
in reinforcing gender stereotypes. If we sensitise this group on gender, they can promote
positive gender roles and norms, leading to a wider impact. They can also provider
gender-sensitive services such as separate toilets in schools for girls. Further, specified
areas in public places for young mothers to feed their infants would help a lot. Also,
there should be discussions about crèche facilities at workplaces for young mothers who
lack support systems.

4. Celebrate And Promote ‘Positive Deviants’ In

Society
Breaking barriers require bold steps by both women and men, paving way for an
enabling environment. Recognising the ‘positive deviants’ in our society like Mary Kom,
the Phogat Sisters and their father is important. We must promote their stories to
motivate others for progressive change.

5. Media As A Game Changer

All forms of media must promote positive gender role models and equitable gender
norms through movies, shows, documentaries, and articles. They can communicate to
the masses and have an impact due to the depth of messaging and the reach.
Ways to Promote Gender Equality
in Daily Life

1. SHARE HOUSEHOLD CHORES AND CHILDCARE EQUALLY

Household chores and children’s care are every adult’s responsibility. Ask
yourself if there is an equal division of labor in your home. The work of caring for
children is still done mainly by women in much of the world. A report released by
the UN in 2015 points out that women from developing countries do over three
hours more of daily unpaid work (household chores and childcare) than men,
while in developed countries, they do, on average, two hours more.
According to studies, the overload of household chores can increase women’s
chances of mental illnesses, besides depressing their productivity at work,
consequently affecting their salaries.

2. WATCH FOR SIGNS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Get some help and support if you know a friend or acquaintance is suffering from
domestic violence or other abuse. This type of violence is not restricted to
physical aggression. Verbal attacks (curses and threats) and psychological
abuse (controlling, manipulative and intimidating behavior) also affect women.
Often, all these things occur together. If you experience domestic violence, be
aware that you are not alone. Report it!
The same UN report quoted above points out that in most countries with data
available, less than 40 percent of women who experience violence seek help of
any kind. Among those who do, most seek out family and friends, and few use
formal institutions and mechanisms, such as police and health services. Less
than 10 percent of women went to the police after suffering violence.
3. SUPPORT MOTHERS AND PARENTS
Those responsible for children and teens need support in every society. Offering
the bus seat to a pregnant woman, advocating the installation of children’s
changing rooms in all bathrooms in shopping centers (not only in the women’s
facilities) and asking that companies guarantee maternity and paternity leave are
all necessary actions. The latest UN data, released in 2015, shows that only 53
percent of countries offer at least 14 weeks of maternity leave. Even worse, only
48 percent of countries offer any paternity leave.

4. REJECT CHAUVINIST AND RACIST ATTITUDES

Do not make comments that ridicule, demean or humiliate women, black people,
indigenous people, members of the LGBTQI community or any other historically
marginalized groups. And don’t keep quiet if you hear such comments. Talk to
your colleagues, friends and family frankly and tell them to stop with the
chauvinist, racist, homophobic and transphobic insults.

5. HELP WOMEN GAIN POWER

According to 2017 data from UN Women, only 17 countries have female heads of
state and/or government. The overall average of women in legislative bodies is
only 23.4 percent. Find out who the female candidates are, especially women
from underrepresented communities. In addition to politics, consider ways to
support the promotion of women and LGBTQI in the arts, sciences, sports, and
other fields.