Rights are fundamental principles that cannot be taken away. The topic of equal rights has sparked much debate and controversy in the past. Many believe that men are superior to women as they can act in ways women can’t, while others believe that equal rights should be given to both genders. Equal rights can be defined in several different ways. The basic concept of the word details that men and women should exist equally without discrimination towards the opposite gender. Both genders should be able to have the right to equal opportunities regardless of their sex. Although laws state that men and women are equals, men are still treated as superiors and with more respect in society. It is argued that men and women should possess equal rights to prevent violence, stimulate economic growth, and provide stability.
Fundamentally, women should possess equal rights as men to prevent violence throughout the world. The rates of discrimination and violence toward women increases with every growing day. Gender inequality and male entitlement leads men to believe that they are superior and that there will be no consequences for their actions toward women. Violence towards women include physcial assault, sexual assault, child marriage, and many more. Nowadays, women must be aware of the type of clothes they wear in order to protect themselves against harm designated by men. Women are vulnerable to violence everyday because of the idea in society that women are less superior than men and patriarchal views. Reports were made by survivors of violence to calculate the most accurate estimate of the generality of violence towards women. The analysis was made in 2018 across 161 countries and areas by the world health organization, an organization that works to promote health and serve the vulnerable. The study shows that 1 out of 3, or 30% of women have been victims of physical or sexual assault, or both. 38% of all deaths of women made globally are shown to be committed by intimate partners. Especially during COVID-19 and the quarantine lockdown, women have been more vulnerable to violence and risk factors while limiting their access to resources that provide help(who.int). The amount of violence that is targeted towards women is increasing everyday. The ultimate cause of violence towards women is this; the idea or thought that a perpetrator believes he has a right to abuse women and escape consequences. Gender stereotypes allow men to believe that women are weaker than them, and consequently allows women to become victims of violence.
Subsequently, equal rights for men and women can achieve greater economic growth and reduce poverty. Poverty rates are the highest among women compared to men. This is because women don’t have access to the same jobs and opportunities as men do. When it comes to senior positions in firms, women are usually underestimated for their talent and skill, whereas men aren't. Women’s salaries are also much lower compared to men, even if they work jobs that complete more work in less hours. YouGov, a market research company and data analytics firm, carried out a survey in 17 different workplaces. They surveyed men and women about how they felt about the opportunities they were given in their workplace. The results show that while about 60% of men speculated that they had the chance to take charge on a project, less than 50% of women revealed the same. Over 50% of men also proposed that they have experienced a pay or bonus not connected to promotions while less than 40% of women said the same. Not only that, but when asked if they felt they had been “rewarded” for their work in the past, 65% of men said they had while only half of the women agreed (YouGov.com). The distinction between men and women in workplaces is transparent. Although women sometimes possess better talent and skill than men, they continue to be treated as inferior. If women are given the same education, opportunities and jobs that men are able to receive, it is safe to say that they would be able to thrive. In India, which experiences major gender inequality, women could grow the economy by up to 60 percent. Furthermore, the global GDP could grow by over 26% just by adding women to the workforce ( McKinsey Global Institute). Women should be able to receive the same opportunities and education as men. The economy can benefit from it as a whole. The economy would thrive and poverty rates would be reduced. Women and men should have equal rights to improve the economy and poverty rates.
In a society that continues to grow and thrive everyday, it is impactful to remember the benefits of gender equality. Injustices are made toward women that need to be heard and corrected. If we want to live in a society that seeks to be economically successful and peaceful, equality is the key. Gender inequality is only implementing harm to our society. If we do not recognize this fault in our society, women will lose their voice to oppose injustice and society will crumble.
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