Australia,
UK ,US has been in talks for its gender equality topic since many long years.
There has been a lot of speculation about women and men rights and leverages in
various sections of the Australia , UK ,US society. In recent years, the
country has progressed enough to become the second country in the world to
permit their women to vote. It became a world precedent in 1902 by giving their
women the prestigious and fair right to vote. This certainly marked a
significant milestone for the country as well as its people. It also enabled
women to expand their knowledge in the different and previously unavailable
fields or spheres such as education, work and politics. Earlier, she was only
restricted to home, family and children. This was a time of great achievement
for the country.
However,
good times do not always become the best. Though the country, fed by the new
workforce, soared high in certain fields, women still did not gain complete and
utmost freedom which is their basic birthright. This happened to the underlying
prejudices and stereotypes already built in the very fundamental system of Australia
, UK ,US’s politics and their people’s mindset. This biased attitude of their
own people gave birth to the social stigma related to women discrimination.
In
this essay, I will explore the concept of gender equality or inequality in Australia
, UK ,US. I will talk about sexual harassment, Australia , UK ,US labour force
and Australia , UK ,US politics. With each topic, we will learn how it impacts
to women and how it led to the gender rights gap between the two most known
societies of men and women.
The
country went up the ladder of gender equality by the sex discrimination act of
1984. This act implies clear cut restrictions on discrimination on the basis of
sex, marital status, pregnancy or potential pregnancy in a variety of areas
within the Australia , UK ,US public as well as personal life. The act
voluminously covers wide sphere such as work, accommodation, house, education,
provision of good, facilities, services, the activities of various clubs and
the administration of any Commonwealth laws and programmers.
The
sex discrimination act aims at uplifting the life and providing opportunities
to those who are involved in family responsibilities and also, in many cases,
to eliminate the raging of sexual harassment cases, especially in public
sector.
The
act of sex discrimination intends to create a sense of equality in the mindsets
of men and women both. It also involves promoting the principle of recognition
and acceptance within various communities for both the genders. However, this
act too contained quite a many loopholes. Hence, in June 2010, the sex
discrimination amendment bill was introduced so as to improvise and correct the
wrongs of the previously governed act.
This
new amendment made numerous changes to the first one. It allowed the exemption
of discrimination on the ground of family responsibilities to both- men and
women. It also increases its laws for cases of sexual harassment involving
students and workers. There has been a lot of effort by the Australia , UK ,US
government in order to reduce sexual harassment cases especially in the public
sector with the introduction of the new amendment. However, the application of
the act, though improvised, has propped up some serious questions regarding the
evident loopholes in the management of the same. Over a quarter of the century,
Australia , UK ,US has fought against all the odds of gender discrimination yet
only little barriers seem to have dissolved. Eventually, the sex discrimination
act proves to be limited and controlled.
The
key basis of discrimination in Australia , UK ,US is the harassment and
violence against women who are helpless but want to contribute to the total
gross development of the country. Women aim at achieving economic, social and
cultural freedom while they have only been granted the sophisticated political
freedom to elect their leaders. They lack the freedom in their own households.
Another
huge liability in the sphere of gender discrimination is the growing number of
sexual harassment cases. Between 2006 and 2007, there were a total of 472
complaints made under the sex discrimination act. Majority of them, that is
around eighty percent, of the victims, were women. Although, many men faced the
issue, the large number of women victims highlight how this gender is more subjected
to sex bias in the country. This ensures why Australia , UK ,US should
formulate a key contrast against the bias happening with women which have now
become a major human rights issue in Australia , UK ,US. Another shocking fact
about these cases claims that nearly one out of three women admitted having
faced this violence and sexual harassment from an intimate partner such as
husband or lover. This highlights the crude mentality of the common men of the
country. It is high time that the government realized the real issue plaguing
the mentality of the sex discrimination in the common people.
Due
to these cases of gender discrimination, Australia , UK ,US has faced the loss
of about five hundred million dollars per year on an average because of the
employees of Australia , UK ,USa business. Hence, lack of proper protective
measures in the field of gender discrimination has not only affected the
quality of living of the people but also infected the country’s economy by
gashing monetary problems as well.
The
country has seen a great fall when we talk in terms of female employees working
in different fields and sectors. One of the prime reasons for this reduction in
female employees after sexual harassment is the maternal responsibilities of
women. As I spoke about how it changing mindsets of people is more important
and efficient than changing laws and making new amendments. A recent research
found that about sixty-three percent of women Plagiarism their jobs willingly
as compared to the male dominant authorities who consider the maternal
responsibilities as the duty of the woman only. Over forty-one percent of women
who took a break of more than three months or Plagiarism the job abruptly due
to pregnancy or childbirth. It also happens because there is no other family
member at home to take care of the children. Also, it is known that for certain
reasons females have a more difficult phase in joining their work industry
again after a gap of few years than it is for the men. Physical health plays a
vital role in helping the women overcome a professional barrier. However, the
great perception of men and even women themselves which state that women are
less qualified for a certain position matters the most and happens to be one of
the biggest tragedy in Australia , UK ,US’s history of gender discrimination.
Also, there may be fluctuations in the demand for labor work and this may
reduce or increase the demand for female workers. This reason prevails mostly
in fields where physical labour work is required such as agricultural industry
and product factories.
The
social stigmas and prejudices against women make them feel helpless and
sometimes guilty of choosing a job that only men are able to do or are
considered fit to do so. The stereotype that the girl can only be related to
kitchen and children is very old and has been carried on from centuries to
centuries. A woman teaches her daughter that she isn’t capable of a man, who in
turn teaches the same thing to her daughter and this way, they learn the wrong
things and pass on.
To
change this practice, certain laws should be implemented such as making the
paycheck read the same digit for a man as well as for a woman. The only problem
here is the thinking of the men who start feeling inferior to the lady in
charge and that hurts their ego. However, the society has to understand that
the ego of these men should not be fed. Instead, they should be taught how to
behave with a woman as well as how to look at her as an equal in every sphere
of life.
Australia
, UK ,US has already set the world in precedent by giving their women political
freedom but now it should focus on allowing its people to accept, understand
and cherish the success of a woman with a proud jubilation. The discrimination
practices in the country have seeped through institutions and structures of
every organization. To amend it, Australia , UK ,US needs to address the key
issues of culture, society, ethics, technicalities and of personal beliefs with
a stronghold of brotherhood as well as of womanhood. Australia , UK ,US should
now focus on the underlying aspects of thinking among its society and finally
move towards a true and real sense of gender equality.
