The future is female, is one of the most used phrases in today’s feminism journey to achieve gender equality. But, what does that mean?
When someone says the future is female, it doesn’t mean women will take over the world and men will stand behind, held hostage, and taking no action. What it means is that the actions taken today will have exciting consequences for little girls worldwide. They are the future.
These actions that are making women’s equity more and more reality will lead to an equal future, ergo, more socially acceptable and expected for girls to grow up wanting to be CEOs and entrepreneurs.
When a company takes the initiative to fold in women’s equal participation and leadership, it does fair and honest work. Still, they are too meeting the challenges of the twenty-first century to go against the tide.
"Gender equality means that all genders are free to pursue whatever career, lifestyle choice, and abilities they want without discrimination. Their rights, opportunities, and access to society are not different based on their gender. Gender equality does not necessarily mean that everyone is treated exactly the same. Their different needs and dreams are valued equally." - According to Human Rights Careers.
In 2018, various studies evaluated how many women were in positions of power globally; State, CEOs, Assemblies, etc. And the final countdown found that only 24% of parliamentary seats were women, and in Fortune 500 companies, there were only 24 CEOs, and 12 big influential companies had no women on their boards at all!
The General Assembly of the United Nations “… expressed its concern that women in every part of the world continue to be largely marginalized from the political sphere often as a result of discriminatory laws, practices, attitudes and gender stereotypes, low levels of education, lack of access to health care, and the disproportionate effect of poverty on women.”
Studies reveal that as many as 2.1 billion, that’s more than half of the world’s girls and women, will not reach the gender equality targets set by 2030. The gender gap continues.
What is the gender gap?
The gender gap is when there is a difference between a woman’s and a man’s earnings while doing the same labor.
What causes the gender gap? There are many reasons why the gender gap exists. Yet, the most common, or a generalized answer, is that a cultural mindset set for many generations claims that man can, or is made for, specific jobs because they can do them better. Women can only or should be only doing another set of jobs due to their capacities or lack of them.
Which is a misconception.
Two other pillars of the wage gender gap are:
- Years of experience. Driven out of work by caregiving or other unpaid situations tend to shave experience out, way more than the men with obstacles to have an education. Also, years of opportunities, rights, and learning options are limited to women through history, and geographically it still is.
- Legal discrimination. Since 1963 the decisions to pay women less than men have been made based on legal terms due to a conception and perspective of what a woman can do.
How can gender equality be a reality?
The way to make gender equality, both at work and daily in any personal aspect, demands to consider a few things. Either for a woman or a man,
these elements can make a change:
Education.
Break the limitations for girls, encourage the same opportunities and learning possibilities for women.
Consciousness.
Be aware of gender discrimination and reality. Acknowledge and make small changes in everything you do until it becomes a natural part of your mindset.
Support.
There are many ways to break old habits, to change laws and business ideas. Raise your voice and become part of the change.
What is the 50/50 policy?
The UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is a roadmap for the future, both the planet’s people and its environment. It was declared that the empowerment of women would be part of achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.
Why? For the simple reason that having more capable people in charge of business and countries is more favorable no matter their gender.
It sounds simple, but it isn’t.
The stereotypes in most cultures around the world hold women hostage of their potential. The global view of them being delicate, soft, and fragile figures made for naturing and sensibility matters has complicated women’s lives and made them a constant target of violence and discrimination.
However, that doesn’t mean some women can’t or don’t have these characteristics, but it is incorrect and insulting to generalize women this way.
Further research proves that women and men are primarily similar in their psychology, counting their personality traits and behavior. Yet, the concept stereotypes established have made the gender-blind future slower than wanted.
Reaching a workplace where the employees are acknowledged for their achievements alone is aimed by this 50/50 policy.
This Project began as a BBC London newsroom initiative back in 2017, which grew to 670 BBC teams and over 100 organizations in 26 countries worldwide, working towards equal representation of women and men in the business. But it wasn’t only a project. It became a challenge.
It was introduced with March 2021 as a deadline, and businesses were encouraged to show how many could strike 50% women collaborators in high seats.
The percentage of female leaders now stands at around 47% approximately in the organizations taking part.
A last reminder for all women out there:
“Change power from a noun into a verb. Instead of a trait, or a possession, turn power into an act: Someone doesn’t “have” power; they “do” power.
The advantage is to turn power into a baton that passes from hand to hand, a temporary action that comes and goes and doesn’t have to define you. The aim is to break our addiction to mystical qualities like “genius,” which we still associate almost entirely with men.
The hope is that women can move past their ambivalence one act at a time; do a power on the senator in the elevator and call it what it is, revel in it.”
A Mary Beard’s quote in The Cut article Powerful Women Talks About Power — winning it, wielding it, losing it, fighting for it.
Reading recommendations or where to learn more about gender equality
international womens day – theme
globalhealth5050 – resources for tackling power and privilege
