The fight for equal rights

Dominance for one sex or the shared equality for all

The constant fight and struggle for rights between the two genders, female and male, has been
ongoing throughout human history. Gender equality, commonly referred to as the equality
between sexes, a term created to show that both males and females should have equal access to
resources and opportunities, regardless of their gender. Unfortunately, this crucial concept is
sometimes misunderstood into thinking it's a way women attempting to assert dominance over
traditionally male-dominated fields rather than seeking true fairness. Across the globe, women
have engaged in countless battles, enduring significant hardships to secure their rights. It is only
in recent decades that we have begun to see meaningful progress toward equality, we are entering
a significant time in our ongoing efforts to achieve justice and fairness between genders,
campaigning to change laws or taking to the streets to demand their rights are respected.
Women are entitled to live in dignity, safety, and security, free from violence. These include the
rights to enjoy the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health.

Understanding is gender equality

Gender equality is all about creating fairness for everyone, regardless of their gender. It's about
ensuring harmony between men and women, and sharing equal access to valuable resources,
opportunities, and rewards. Embracing gender equality means breaking free from outdated
societal norms and striving for a brighter, more equitable future. It’s not just about lifting
women's rights, it’s also about allowing both genders to thrive on equal footing and experience
the same rights without discrimination. When opportunities are seen based on skills and talents,
rather than gender, it's a way of showing that both men and women can live without feeling
discriminated against. Feminism is a term that is not meant to be seen as woman dominance, but
it's a meaning that allows people to fight for equal rights, levelling the playing field between
genders, and ensuring that diverse women and girls have the same opportunities in life as
available to boys and men.

History of women’s rights, and what are we fighting for

Gender equality is as old as we have lived. During the early 20th century, people began to allow
for the right of women to vote. New Zealand became the first country to give women the right to
vote on a national level. Later on, each country caught on to that and this movement began to
spread all across the world, thanks to the efforts and the protests of everyone involved in this
struggle.
Everyone has the right to make decisions about their bodies, and every woman and girl should
have sexual and reproductive rights. This includes equal access to health services like
contraception and safe abortions, the ability to choose marriage, and the decision to have
children. Women must live free from gender-based violence, including rape, FGM, forced
marriage, and forced reproductive actions. Freedom of movement is essential, yet many women
face challenges such as needing permission from male guardians to travel.

How is gender inequality affecting us today?

From an early age, many parents claimed that "football is not for girls" and discouraged interest
in activities deemed "male," despite some girls participating. While seemingly innocent, these
stereotypical divisions in children's interests can shape how they perceive themselves and their
choices as they grow, influencing their behavior in society.

Later on, these gendered ideas continue to influence a society which unknowingly promotes
values linked to toxic masculinity, which is bad news for all of us, however we identify. So how
exactly does our obsession with gender have such a lasting impact on our world?

For men and boys, pressure to conform to some stereotypes of masculinity can impact physical
and emotional health. Such stereotypes include having to be tough, stoic, dominant, and
aggressive. Women and girls are expected to be “lady-like” and serve their significant other.
Stereotypes such as they are more fragile, weak, perfectionist, and better at housework. This not
only causes terrible mental health issues to girls and boys at a young age, but also affects their
personal adult life. These stereotypes can cause severe scars on the mental health, including
OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder), PTSD (Post traumatic stress disorder), etc.

How are women’s rights being violated?

Gender-Based Violence​​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Violent acts that are committed against women and LGBTI people based on their gender identity,
or sexual characteristics, is a major human rights violation. It is the responsibility of a state to
protect women from gender-based violence.

Sexual Violence and Harassment​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

Sexual harassment means any unwelcome sexual behaviour such as demanding or requesting
sexual favours, or using inappropriate sexual language. Sexual violence is when someone is
physically sexually assaulted. Although men and boys are also victims of sexual violence, it is
mainly women and girls who are most affected.

Workplace Discrimination​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​
Often, women are the subject of gender based discrimination in the workplace. One example of
this is to look at the gender pay gap. Equal pay for the same work is a human right, but time and
again women are denied access to a fair and equal wage. Recent numbers show that women
currently earn around 77% of what men earn for the same work. If this continues, women will
have substantial financial problems, preventing them from earning enough money for themselves
and their family, and have a higher risk of poverty later on in life.​ ​ ​

Discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity ​ ​ ​

In many countries, women experience rights violations because of their sexual orientation,
gender identity, or sex characteristics. Lesbian, bisexual, trans, intersex women, and gender
non-conforming individuals face violence, harassment, and discrimination. This can include
serious acts such as sexual violence and “honour killings.”

How can we promote gender equality?

There are no promises in saying that doing this will show significant changes for women's rights.
Still, it would help decrease the chances of discrimination against women. Everyone can help to
make sure that we meet the global goals, following these targets:

●​ End discrimination against women

●​ End all violence and exploitation against girls and women
●​ Eliminate forced marriages and sexual harassment
●​ Value unpaid care and promote shared domestic responsibility
●​ Ensure full participation in leadership and decision making
●​ Universal access to reproductive health and rights
●​ Equal rights to economic resources, property ownership and financial services

Gender equality in Cambodia

In Cambodia, gender equity remains an issue that requires attention as the nation works toward
providing equal opportunities for all. While I have seen progress has been made in areas such as
reducing violence against women and girls, promoting gender equality in education, empowering
women in the economy, achieving the MDG target on maternal mortality, although there are still
problems, like gender pay gaps and women in political space, it is more likely to be fixed in the
future aiming for the full and equal participation of women in decision-making at all levels.

Gender equality differences between Iceland and Afghanistan

Iceland has ranked first in the World Economic Forum‘s Global Gender Gap Index for several
years because it has made significant progress towards gender equality. This includes more
women participating in politics, high levels of education, and equal access to health care. The
country also has one of the highest rates of women in the workforce in Europe. Despite these
achievements, challenges still exist. There is ongoing gender segregation in the labor market, and
men and women often make different choices in their careers and education.

Afghanistan ranks very low in gender equality, sitting at the bottom of the World Economic
Forum’s Global Gender Gap Index. It is one of the most dangerous countries for women,
especially during the Taliban's rule from 1996 to 2001, when women faced severe mistreatment.
Although there were some improvements in gender equality after 2001, many gaps still exist.
Women’s participation in the workforce is low, even though there were advances in education
and health care before the Taliban took power again in August 2021.

Conclusion
Gender equality is a basic human right that helps everyone, no matter their gender. While we
have made some progress globally, we still face challenges in providing equal opportunities,
access to resources, and protection from discrimination and violence. History shows that change
is possible when we work together, as seen in the suffrage movement and advances in women's
rights around the world. And for the reason why I chose the two specific countries is because of
their high difference in gender rights, with Iceland having women in political parties, Afghan
women are experiencing suffrage and terrible rights that barely allow them to do anything for
their independence. To create a fair society, we must keep advocating for equal rights, challenge
harmful stereotypes, and make sure that policies support both men and women equally.

+ Personal perspective
Gender equality has improved in many countries, but challenges remain. As a feminist, I witness
the heartbreak of talented women facing discrimination in our unfortunate harsh society.
Discrimination against any gender is a human rights violation, we shall take more action towards
it. I have seen many talented and skilled people suffer from the trauma of sexual abuse,
impacting their futures, and have mental health issues. Your interests shouldn't be judged based
on gender, both men and women can do great in diverse activities like football and ballet, etc.
Your gender or sexuality should never define your skills or job capabilities.
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