WAN NUR AHLAMI

 GENDER INEQUALITY IN EDUCATION

Gender inequality is the social phenomenon in which men and women are not treated equally. It can happen in biology, psychology or cultural norms prevalent in society. Some of these distinctions are empirically grounded, while others appear to be social constructs. Studies show the different experiences of genders across many domain including education, life expectancy, personality, interest, family life, careers and political affiliation. Gender inequality is still an issue in the world and according to the Papers Owl, there are 20% girls do not have access to an education.

 

For example, Mexico has been dealing with gender inequality for years because women are not given the same rights as men. Mexico is the second most populated country in Latin America with over 122 million inhabitants as of 2014 data, 52.2% are women and almost 79% live in urban areas. In Mexico, gender stereotypes and discrimination restrict women’s choice and just because of their gender and they are unemployed they have been murdered.

 

Next, the reason why girls do not have a good education is child marriage. Usually child marriage happen because of tradition or culture societies that is deemed more important for girls. According to a UN report, each year 15 million girls under the age of 18 become wives and an average of 40,000 underage marriages per day. Married girls face many practical barriers to education, including household responsibilities, stigma, forced exclusion from school and gender norms that keep them at home. That is why keeping girls in school is one of the best ways of delaying marriage because marriage usually interrupts and ends girl’s education.

In addition, poverty is the root causes of discrimination toward women. It happens because of poverty that the family will ignore women education and they do not have as many opportunities as men to receive an education and start missing out on opportunities to reach their full potential at a young age. If the family can afford only one then they preferred their son. As a result, the women are forced to work for earning for the family.

 

In conclusion, gender inequality in education is not new and has been on the research in almost every country. That is why we have to change our new generation’s mindset that women should receive same education as men and women also can be a leader. Sometimes women can be more responsible and intelligent than men in a few things.

BLUE FOR BOYS AND PINK FOR GIRLS

Harry is a 4 years old kid. He has a sister named Hailey. He still remember when the very first time he arrived at their new house. There is a separate room for each of them. Harry can still clearly recall going into his room for the first time. Dark blue stars of various sizes were painted all over the ceiling. His unwavering black eyes, which like those of his mother, were taking everything in. In the corner, facing the window, was a vivid blue cradle with bedding in those colours which is blue, yellow, and red. He could make out the tops of the trees and the sky above. The sky was blue with white clouds, similar to the colour of his room's walls. A miniature aeroplane model was suspended over the cradle. Even though the plane was significantly bigger, he had sat in one that was comparable this morning.

 

Next to his bed stood a mini car. He knew it was a car because he had driven home in one of the just now. However, this was somewhat smaller and the front sported a variety of odd lights. He assumed he would be driving this one. His mother was placing him in his cradle when he noticed a cabinet along the other wall. It was filled with toys and they all looked huge and strong, much like his daddy. He searched for a toy similar to the one his sister was holding in her hands, the one that looked like his mother, but he couldn’t find one. Maybe he could use hers instead.

 

It was their regular shopping trip to the supermarket. He was big now, hadn't he just started going to school. His mother called him as "her little gentlemen." He proudly pushed the cart around for her while she went shopping. Then went to get his stuff. He adored the little pink toothpaste tubes with a picture of a little girl on them. She reminded him of his little sister. But his mother always picked out the other one for him. He didn't like the guy on it. His eyes were too big, and his clothes were odd, like a spider web wrapped around his entire body. Some of his clothes featured the same person. He never understood why they all had such gloomy expressions on their faces.

 

He questioned why everything that he had was so dissimilar from his sister's. How come his room was blue? Why wasn't he allowed to have the lovely dolls that his sister played with? Why did he have to always use the toothbrush with the car on it or the water bottle that looked like a rocket, when he so loved the one that looked like a fairy? Why didn’t they let him choose? Was it all because he was a boy?