Meaning of Gender Discrimination | Causes of Gender Discrimination b.ed notes

 

Meaning of Gender Discrimination 

 

Gender bias refers to gender inequality found between boys and girls. Boys and girls are discriminated on the basis of their gender, due to which girls are placed in a lower status than boys in society, education, and upbringing. Due to which they get separated. There is discrimination between boys and girls on the basis of their gender. This type of discrimination on the basis of gender is called sex discrimination or gender discrimination.

 

Causes of Gender Discrimination / Causes of Gender Bias 

 

The reasons for gender discrimination can be explained with the following points :-

1. Beliefs and Traditions

One of the main reasons for gender bias is the Indian beliefs and traditions. There is a description of the attainment of virtue by seeing the face of a living son. And there has been a belief that the work of reverence and body etc. should be done by the hands of the son. Women have not even been given the right to offer fire to their father. Because of which the son is given importance. Even in running the family, men are considered prime. As a result of which boys are given more importance than girls and at some places girls are killed in the womb itself.

 

Most of the girls are brought up as a burden and they always have to live under the control of men. It is described in the Atharvaveda that a woman should be under her father in her childhood, her husband in her youth and her son in her old age. Thus beliefs and traditions are a major reason for increasing gender discrimination.

2. Narrow stream:

One reason for the discrimination between boys and girls is the narrow mindedness of the people. The boys will become the support of the parents in their old age, they will run the dynasty, the house will progress by making them educated.

 

There is an atmosphere of mourning when a girl child is born because dowry has to be given for her and a groom has to be found for marriage. And they have to provide security. And money will be spent in teaching and writing, or people think that the work area of ​​girls is limited only to the stove. And their participation in extraneous actions is not accepted. Because of which girls are given less importance than boys, due to which gender discrimination increases.

3. Illiteracy

The role of illiteracy is important in gender bias, uneducated people persist only on the superstitions going on in the family and society. And follow them without thinking. As a result, the importance of the boy is considered more than that of the girl. The first right on all things and facilities is given to the children.

 

On the contrary, the educated person has started discussing that like boys, girls are playing an important role in every field and boys and girls are equal, if girls are given proper encouragement and opportunities, then they can play a leading role in every field. Thus gender development is the result of illiteracy, thus gender differences are the result of illiteracy and ignorance.

4. Lack of Awareness

Gender discrimination also increases due to lack of awareness, there is still a lack of awareness on the issues of gender discrimination in the society, due to which discrimination is done at these levels of child care, education and nutrition etc. In the absence of awareness, it is believed that Women's work area is limited to the four walls of the house, so there is no expenditure on their education and upbringing.

 

People believe that girls are educationally weaker than boys. Due to gender discrimination, the development of girls is not properly managed and girls are considered less in every field. Therefore, boys are given more importance than girls.

5. Financial Scarcity:

The number of economically weak families in India is very high, in such a situation, they give priority to boys as children rather than girls, so that they can help in their work and help in sharing the burden of economic responsibility. But the girls are neither able to ensure their participation in the work nor are they able to bear the economic responsibilities, considering the girls as someone else's wealth, the parents do not want to spend much in their upbringing, while they do not have to do the same with the boys.

 

In this way, boys are given more importance than girls in families struggling with financial constraints, due to which the gender gap increases.

6. Government Apathy:

Government apathy is also a reason for increasing gender discrimination. The government does not take strict action against those who do gender discrimination and the work of fetal examination and female feticide is happening fast in secret clinics and private hospitals.

 

Even in public places and government offices, women are seen as inferior to men and instead of eliminating the sense of insecurity expressed in them, work is done to increase it, which increases gender discrimination.

7. Cultural Practices:

Indian culture has been male dominated since ancient times. In Indian culture, priority is given to men in religious and sacrificial works and women do not have any right to participate in such works, in such a situation the place of man becomes prime or first, while the place of woman is considered secondary. The problem of gender discrimination takes the form of a woman of a class or community, not of a man, but of all women.

 

8. Social Malpractices:

Indian society is full of various types of evil practices and superstitions even in the present technological age, such as dowry practice, female feticide, child marriage, witch practice, Prada practice, etc. Due to all these evil practices, the importance of girls in the society is decreasing. And despite being educated, people still wish for boys. Due to which instead of reducing the problem of gender discrimination in the society, it is increasing further.

 

9. Defective Education System:

The Indian education system is flawed, due to which education is not related to the practical life of a person, so the planning of the education system in relation to girls is not done for sure, due to which both time and money are not used properly in schools. The prevalent curriculum is theoretical and flawed and the interests of the girls are not taken care of in the curriculum, which creates a feeling of disinterest in the girls towards studies.

 

The objectives of education should be in accordance with the Indian society and needs. The objectives of education for girls are different. It is believed that teachers are inactive due to which girls are not interested in education.

10. Psychological Reasons:

The role of psychological factors is also important in gender bias, from the very beginning it is instilled in the minds of women that men are better than women and that women should obey their every command. Without a man, there is no identity or existence of a woman. Only men protect women, so the society also gives women the status of ideal women.

 

Those with whom men are with are considered happy women, in this way, this psychological inculcation takes place in women that men are superior to them and she opposes the birth of girls and their development even though she is a woman herself.

 

Remedy for Gender Discrimination

 

Growth in education and literacy is being recorded in India, but the situation regarding gender discrimination is still worrying. There are many differences between boys and girls. Due to which the complete development of the society is not possible, efforts are being made at present, such as being done by government, private, semi-government and social organizations. Which can bring awareness on gender issues. Due to gender discrimination, the gap between men and women is continuously increasing.

Therefore, the following measures can be taken to reduce and eliminate gender discrimination- 

 

1. Spread of mass education:-

The situation of discrimination between men and women will remain till the effort is made for education among the general public. In real sense, the vast masses of India have to be educated. Due to which boys and girls have notions about gender, they can be free from them. Awareness has come among the people through education. By which people can understand that being a man or a woman does not matter but the work of the person matters. In this way gender discrimination can be reduced by spreading mass education.

 

2. Creating awareness:-

There is still a lack of awareness in the Indian society. For this reason, the feeling of discrimination between men and women, which has been going on for years, is still alive. Which can be ended by bringing awareness. At present, there are many means of bringing awareness such as TV, Radio, mobile, internet, street plays, movies, wall writing, letters, magazines, newspapers, etc., by which people can be made aware of the decreasing ratio of boys and girls and its evil consequences, which will create awareness in the society and The problem of gender discrimination will gradually end.

3. Spread of girl child education:

 

Gender discrimination can also be reduced by spreading girl education where the literacy rate of girls is high. The girl child sex ratio is also high. It is clear from this that education has a special role in the sex ratio. An educated girl is not considered a burden on the family, but the girls get educated and also perform family responsibilities. Due to which gender discrimination decreases.

4. Reforms in the Education System:

 

The Indian education system is still following the British era education system, due to which Indian education is proving incomplete in fulfilling the objectives of the Indian society. In which the purpose of girl child education is not being fulfilled. There are many defects in the education system. Such as discrimination with girls in incomplete teaching schools, non-availability of curriculum according to the needs and lists of girls, distance from schools and absence of separate girls' schools, lack of quality education, lack of proper arrangement for vocational education of girls, lack of real education Lack of connection with life etc. Only by properly solving all these problems, the education system can be improved and gender discrimination can be removed.

5. Establishment of separate vocational schools for girls:

 

Vocational education should be arranged to make girls self-reliant and to maintain their existence in the male-dominated Indian society. Improvement in the condition of girls cannot be brought about by literacy alone. But to make them self-reliant, vocational courses should be arranged. In which special attention should be paid to their needs and interests. To fulfill this need, vocational schools should be established, which are only for women. Economic self-reliance plays a major role in ending the gender gap between women and men and can be possible only through vocational education.

6. Stopping Social Malpractices:

 

There are many bad practices in the society. Which has both direct and indirect effect on women. Child marriage, witch practice, female feticide, prohibition of widow remarriage etc. are prevalent in the society. Because of which women have to be harassed physically and mentally. Therefore, these bad practices should be banned. Many efforts are being made in this education, such as prohibition of child marriage by the Sharda Act, as a result of the efforts of Raja Ram Mohan Roy, the abolition of sati system, the minimum age of marriage of girls by the constitution, the condition of women improved by determining 18 years, etc. By stopping these bad practices, by giving them a place in front of men, gender discrimination can be removed or eliminated in the society.

 

7. Protective Environment 

There is also a distinction between the gender of the boy and the girl because as the age of the girl child increases, the parents start worrying about their safety because the society is still not safe for the girl child. Along with the police and the administration, the society should also create such a protective environment so that when the girls leave the house, their parents and guardians do not have to worry about their safety. The role of social participation is very important in creating a protective environment. Due to having a protective environment at home and outside, girls will do their studies and employment fearlessly and will become self-reliant in the future. Due to which they will be able to come into the mainstream equal to men, gender discrimination can be removed by the arrangement of all these.

 

8. Administrative Efforts:-

The role of administrative efforts is also very important in ending gender discrimination. Whatever rules have been made by the government. They should be followed strictly. Those who will not follow the rules of administration and strict action should be taken against hospitals, individuals and clinics like female feticide. And their recognition should be abolished. The administration should encourage the courageous and talented women and girls to reduce the gender gap so that the perceptions about the gender gap change in the people.

 

9. Constitutional Remedies:

The Indian Constitution has expressed its commitment towards the development of women and many clauses are laid down for its fulfillment. And there is no discrimination between men and women in the constitution. Fundamental rights are as much for men as they are for girls. And in view of the backward status of women, special efforts have been made for their advancement. Special provisions have been made for the safety of women and a provision has also been made for punishment and fine, in this way many remedies have been done in the constitution, but there is not as much awareness about those remedies, so by spreading awareness about the provisions, gender discrimination can be reduced.

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