Five Issues Faced By Women
- PowHERup Staff
- Aug 14, 2020
- 3 min read
At a global level, women are often seen as inferior to men. This prevents women from getting the resources and support they need to expand their opportunities and grow. Here are 5 problems women face because of the way society views us.
Access to Education: Young girls all over the world do not have the same access to education as their male counterparts. Many times, girls are viewed as homemakers, so education isn’t seen as important. Also, education is very expensive, so if a family can afford an education, they tend to send their son(s) to school. Since males tend to take care of their parents when they are older, and the females usually join another family through marriage, education is seen as a better investment in males. This lack of education prevents females from being able to read and write and do basic math. These skills are necessary to trade and make money, so lack of education prevents women from having financial stability. Being an illiterate and uneducated woman leads to increased reliance on male members of the family, so women are less independent if they don’t have access to education. Educated women also have kids later in life which is better for maternal health and increases life expectancies for mothers.
Employment Inequality: The pay gap is apparent everywhere in the world. Women make approximately $0.77 for every $1 that men make. Despite having the same skills and education, women make less than men because of their gender (read our Gender Pay Gap post to learn more!). It is also harder for women to get employed because they are seen as a liability to businesses. Women tend to take more leaves to care for kids, and since businesses want workers that will be present and working 99% of the time, women usually don’t make the cut and get rejected from the job posting.
Gender-based Violence: In many countries, there is gender-based violence. This means females are in more danger just because they are a female. According to the World Health Organization, 1 in 3 women are assaulted in their life. This can take a mental and physical toll and prevents women from fulfilling their dreams and living a happy life. In addition, in many 3rd world countries, women that have been sexually assaulted are seen as “impure” and are shunned in society. This prevents women from being able to get married, hold a job, or live on their own. They are discriminated against and oftentimes made to feel insignificant.
Child Marriage: Child marriage occurs everywhere in the world. Young girls are married in their teens so that their family can “get rid of some burden” and get a dowry. Child marriage has many negative side effects. It prevents girls from being able to get a strong education because they now have to care for a household. They also aren’t as educated about reproductive health and their bodies are weaker so they are more likely to have complications and even die during childbirth. Finally, young girls are seen as weaker, so they are more likely to experience domestic violence in their home.
Poor Healthcare Services: Women lack access to quality healthcare services and education. Many women are not educated on reproductive health and rights so they are likely to have more children. This leads to increased risk of disease and death during childbirth. Women are discriminated against in many healthcare systems as well. Women aren’t able to receive or pay for the correct medical treatment leading to higher mortality rates among women in many developed countries. In some communities, seeking medical help might be a taboo activity.
As you can see, being a woman in many parts of the world leads to an automatic demotion to a life as a second-class citizen. We must raise awareness for the thousands of women who are suffering in silence. Have you ever faced any of these problems or something similar because of your gender? Let us know in the comments below!
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