Wiping out biases

We all have these prejudices rooted deep down in our minds. They are not innate. Rather they are the result of how society has shaped us: specifying norms to each sex. It’s not a surprise to hear that girls are not supposed to play with monster trucks, or boys should go out while girls stay to cook. These distinctions weaken us as a society and should be phased out.

Women endure exclusionary, even dire, behaviors both in their households and politics. Family decisions are practically exclusive of women’s opinion. Young girls are shunned during their menstruation, a time when they need their family the most. In the Tarai many women are viewed as nothing more than a once-in-a-lifetime shot at getting a new 52” plasma TV, a Mercedes, or a couple hundred acres of land as dowry.

Also, one half of the population is practically secluded from any right in the political system. Only 30% of the entire parliamentarians of Nepal are women. Consequently, this apparent majority of men in political system starts a vicious cycle: the more men in government, the more they will favor men for next governmental positions, and this leads to additional reduction in the women’s percentage in government. Besides, among the 1.4 million people all over the world who are living below $1 a day, about 70% are women and girls. Women account for around two-thirds of the world’s working hours and earn only 10% of the world’s income. And of the 900 million adults worldwide who cannot read or write, about two thirds are women.

Today, the need to empower women is paramount. Lack of women in the work field has resulted in a relatively inferior economy; it would be better if women had joined the workforce in huge numbers.

It is possible, however, to avoid such situations. First, education is crucial. This might sound overly generic, but education is our .44 magnum when it comes to empowering women. Educated women are more likely to understand traditional gender norms are plain unjust and are likely to make an effort to break through them.

After they cut out the prejudices from their own lives, they can make other women aware about education and equality. Another way to provide women empowerment is to allocate responsibilities to them that normally belong to men. When women have economic empowerment, it is a way for others to see them as equal members of society.