Monday, August 11, 2008

blogging about Gender Equality

Hello to all other bloggers, and I’m glad to already see strong feelings expressed about gender equality.

Anything relating to gender roles and gender quality is not an easy subject to blog about. Despite the reality that women are affected in far greater numbers by poverty, climate change, lack of health care, unemployment and lack of education, there are many who will claim that women’s discrimination is not really a problem. How does that make you feel, to hear people deny that women are discriminated against?

Another reality is that many development programs, when focused on men, improve the health and quality of life for men, but when these programs are focused on women, the health and quality of the entire community—men, women, children, the elderly—is affected positively. Why do you think this is? Why do you think focusing on women’s equality actually ends up helping everyone?

Finally, can you talk a bit about your own experience regarding gender equality—when you have observed discrimination based on gender, when you have experienced it yourself, and how it has affected you?

I will answer these questions as well, for myself, but first I would like to hear from others. And if you disagree—speak out!