Social Work: Worsening Gender Inequality

The issue of gender inequality has continued to worsen and the reaching consequences out of it are even worse. Despite the progress that is being experienced in many countries, gender inequality has remained to be multi-dimensional and significant. Most aspects of work are showing high levels of gender inequality countrywide (Madgavkar, 2015). This is especially in participation when the labor force is concerned, legal protections, leadership positions, violence, and political presentations among others. Women are being regarded to be inferior when compared to men. Having an experience of such things, I had to apply for a social work program because its a program that can mean a lot when it comes to eradicating gender inequality having in mind that it results to significant social problems.

I applied for the bachelor of social work program because I believe it can play a significant role in reducing the worsening gender inequality through various ways. For instance, when I become a social work profession, I will be in a position to reduce the worsening inequality by taking part in guiding women on how to access formal education. The liberating nature of social work education will be so important for me because I will be in a position to promote women and above all promote their capacity to act and challenge the capacity they have in fighting the conditions that impede them from enjoying all the social benefits (Runcan, P.-L, Rata, & Cojocaru, 2013). Through the social work program, I will be able to acquire relevant ideas and knowledge that I will pass to women and therefore, help them to fight whatever inhibits them from their progress. As a profession in social work, I will be able to introduce education programs that are non-formal. With such programs, I will be able to introduce and teach technical skills. With this, I will then empower women because I will impact them with practical skills and opportunities that will raise their courage and confidence hence enabling them to challenge the oppressive nature that has been brought by the social structure.

With a profession in social work, I will be in a position through empowerment programs, to enhance the capacity women have. Such programs are what will facilitate the removal of barriers that work against women. Women will be left with open platforms that will enable them to for instance take part in political processes and even in local decision making. Note that as a social worker I will be able to fight social barriers such as social, religious and traditional attitudes that act as barriers to the progress of women. I will endeavor to find out the root causes of subordination of women. I will then be able to start activities that will focus towards reducing gender-based barriers by for instance changing rooted beliefs in gender roles and fighting for gender equity across all operations in public institutions (Runcan, P.-L, Rata, & Cojocaru, 2013). A bachelor program in social work will as well impact me with the knowledge that I will use to raise gender awareness. Through participatory methods, I will be able to create activities that are related to both sexes and organize gender sensitization activities which will include film shows, workshops, cross-cultural exchanges, mass meetings among others.

With such exchanges, patriarchal biases that end up promoting gender discrimination will be overcome. Furthermore, after the program, I will be assured of taking part in gender training all with an aim of showing out the benefits that result from involving both genders in public life (Runcan, P.-L, Rata, & Cojocaru, 2013). Having in mind that majority of women get involved in agricultural activities, with the social work profession I will as well be able to focus on social projects and programs that will enhance productivity in the livestock and agricultural sector and with the expected payoffs, women would be empowered. Being a profession in social work I will as well carry out research roles that can result in a reduction of gender and sexual discrimination. You maybe be wondering how I will be able to carry out this but with a systematic gathering and analysis of information that concerns differences in gender and social relationships, I will be able to identify and understand and above all, resolve gender inequities.

The worsening gender inequality has resulted in a major global social problem of poverty (In Parkes, 2015). Different census organizations have impacted me with reasons to fight against gender inequality because it results and has resulted in a social problem of poverty. For instance, according to the united states U.S Census Bureau, in the year 2013, the national poverty rate was 15.8% (Lateef, 2015). Additionally, the women poverty nationwide had a percentage rate of twenty. Families that are headed by women only showed a poverty rate of thirty. The question is, what should be done to ensure that this comes to an end? What should I do to ensure that I take part in the reduction of such poverty levels? The answer I had was, take a course in social work and later make use of the impacted knowledge and reduce the worsening gender inequality that leads to poverty especially among women.

Having less money to an extent of not being able to meet basic needs that include shelter, clothing and food are what is referred to as poverty. Mark you, poverty has become more than having not enough money to meet such needs. The various organization has described what poverty is. For instance, the World Bank organization has described poverty in a manner that opens eyes to many. Poverty is becoming sick and having no power to access the doctor, is hunger, having no capacity to go to school and access learning, having no job, living just because one has to survive and have no hope for future. Poverty is characterized by many faces and it changes across time from one place to another. It is a situation that many people are willing to escape. Its therefore clear that poverty is a call to change the world for the better and ensure that there is enough food, shelter, access to quality health and education, protecting people from any kind of violence and having a voice to what happens under community levels. Organizations are struggling hard to ensure that they find a solution to poverty by, for instance, identifying social indicators that could track education, services access, social exclusion, vulnerability, health, among others.

The results of poverty are always different in every case. Poverty will continue to vary differently depending on given situation. For instance, feeling poor in Zimbabwe is much different from living poor in a country like Russia or Canada. Note that differences that exist between the poor and the rich are great when compared within borders that govern a country. However, with all this, one thing remains certain; poverty is a societal issue that is much complex. Regardless of how people, organizations among others have tried to define poverty, one thing is common that poverty is an issue that needs attention from everyone. It is paramount for all the members of a given society, act to ensure appropriate opportunities are provided to all members of a society in order to enable every one reach full potential. This includes me.

The issue of poverty and gender inequality are two things that are inseparable. For one to fight poverty, one has to ensure that there is a total eradication of gender inequality. Its not a wonder that in the year 2015, president Obama proclamation made a good recognition of how the contribution of women ended up contributing to the countrys economic growth (Lateef, 2015). He as well highlighted the benefits women had as far as the workforce in their families is concerned. This is a clear evidence that women need to be supported at all cost. Women need to be moved out of poverty with their children. Having women work at various levels is the best path that can be used to deliver women from poverty and delivering the entire country out of poverty as well. Gender inequality has to be fought by all means possible.

Conclusively, the issue of gender inequality has become a global thing and efforts need to be applied to ensure that it comes to an end. Social work as a profession focuses on eliminating all kinds of discrimination hence promoting equality between men and women. Social work accelerates the reduction of the worsening gender equality and therefore, I had no otherwise other than to apply for this program. Steps must be taken by individuals in order to fight gender inequality because the results will be a significant fight of social problems, poverty being one of the major social problems that are associated with the worsening gender inequality.

References

In Parkes, J. (2015). Gender violence in poverty contexts: The educational challenge.

Lateef, A. (2015, April 21). Gender Inequality and Poverty. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.com/asma-lateef/gender-inequality-and-poverty_b_7099856.html

Madgavkar, A. (2015, November 16). Why gender inequality is worse than you think. Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/11/why-gender-inequality-is-worse-than-you-think/

Runcan, P.-L, Rata, G., & Cojocaru, S. (2013). Applied Social Sciences: Social Work. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.