#Beijing25 || Viewpoint: SAMYUKTHA, Gender-based Violence and Social Inequality

By V SAMYUKTHA

Even during the neanderthal era, humans knew no bounds to inequality. Women had their roles and men had theirs. But as us humans started to evolve and take over the planet as our own, we started to think way beyond what was logical that we are illiterate compared to any other animals.

All living beings irrespective of their genders have a role in the planet. May it be as immaterial and insignificant as it may seem, everyone is linked in our world and we impact each other in several ways possible.

When these roles were amplified and exaggerated by the evolved race of humans, that’s where the term of inequality was brought in. Certain functions were labelled to genders and races. Caste system was brought in and a lot of injustice prevailed.

In our society, women have prefixed roles to play in their homes and the society. They are meant to stay at homes and take care. Their purpose is fixed to giving the maternal care that all their tender bodies can give.

Now the world has grown again where after centuries, women have voiced out their will and have gotten a platform where they can choose to work or stay at home for their families. That’s where we are standing right now and nowhere else.

Women are still restricted from a lot of activities that men have the privilege to. In India and many other countries, the roles for women are justified with an excuse of culture. Ask the patriarchal world what culture is, no one knows.

The female genital oragans are viewed as pieces of mockery and sex jokes whereas “having the balls” to do things are just acceptable. Women in India, right now are being beaten by their husbands or being burnt or thrown acid on their faces. They don’t stand up for themselves because they know that not all in the society will stand with their guts. They have nowhere to go to and hence, they settle to keep their necks bent and faces bruised.

There are a lot of NGOs in India where their locations are kept anonymous in fear of attacks.

Women may not be masculine like men, so are men not feminine like women. All genders have their purpose in society and we as humans have been blessed with morals ethics and intelligence to gauge what’s wrong and what’s right.women have been proven to be excellent leaders as well as caretakers. Men too have been identified with various qualities. No talent or voice is restricted to one’s body or gender. It’s high time that we realise the need to let all genders prevail equally in society so that our nation and the world becomes a place that our future grows up respecting and learning from.

#Beijing25 || Viewpoint: George, Gender-based Violence and Social Inequality

By Angelin Anna George

Earth contains millions of animal species and they are all present in two types, a male and a female. This distinction is based on the biological differences and the category of distinction is the sex of the animal. So what is gender then? Gender is a social construct which was created to define man and woman. Women all over the world have experienced oppression because according to this social construct women were supposed to be meek and submissive; thus making them easy targets for oppression.

The asymmetrical relation between the two genders has always been cited as a reason for the inequality experienced. According to this asymmetric relationship, women are considered as the secondary or other sex that is weak and incapable of being productive; while men are considered as the superior and productive sex. Years of suppression of the female sex has had drastic effects on the society as a whole. Sometimes, women limit themselves because of the ideals that have been driven into their minds over the years. In other cases, men limit women to a life inside the house because their faulty education taught them to blindly follow the patriarchal norms. Basically, the social construct of gender has embedded itself deep in the minds of most people. This leads to problems such as social inequality amongst men and women. Individuals who still view women as the weaker sex believe that they cannot handle professional jobs and discriminate against any female who is striving to make a different life for her.

People all around the world are always striving to matter and to assert their dominance at some point in life. Often, the safest place that men can assert their dominance without having their masculinity questioned with resistance is at home with their wife. This is the cause for most cases of gender based violence. Most women do not stand up for themselves because of the norms and values that they are taught as a child. The problem lies in the fact that these values and norms were taught by a patriarchal society that did not value women. Therefore, these women believe that they are only suited for such a life wherein they have to blindly serve their husband.  Domestic violence as a form of abuse can be physical, verbal, emotional, economic, religious and sexual abuse. It ranges from subtly demeaning woman to brutal assaults such as marital rape. Gender based violence can also been seen in the way women are treated by unknown men in the society, for example, most women have experienced the gaze and lewd comments of strange men.  

In conclusion, the female sex has had to deal with years of oppression and in fact, they are still dealing with inequalities in all phases of their life. Yet, this oppression is currently not as bad as our ancestors have had to face. Since most women have gained resilience and strength from the hurdles they have had to overcome in life, they are able to slowly end change this misogynistic attitude of the society. Even though it is a very slow process, it has resulted in a lot of good. Most firms and government sectors have hard and fast rules about the minimum number of women employees, and violence against women have been deemed as a criminal offence. Therefore, women as a whole have started to fight against this oppression and stand up together for their right to live their life.

#Beijing25 || Viewpoint: Jeba, Gender-based Violence and Social Inequality

By Nancy E. Jeba

This world is a place which still has social inequality that results in violence. With social inequality comes social injustice and violence. Gender inequality is a type of social inequality. Gender inequality paves the way for gender-based violence. With the norms set in place by these inequalities, crimes against women are noticed more than crimes against men which is comparatively less than the crimes against women.

One of the social inequalities is that women get payed less than their men counterparts. Statistics show that women earn less than eighty percent of what men earn. Women hesitate to ask for a raise in pay because they are afraid that they might come off as greedy and rude. Also, women are promoted less than men and this is visible in the negligible number of women in positions such as CEO’s and top earners. There are various other instances of gender inequality. It begins from the moment of birth when the girl child is given less care and less opportunities for education. Because of child marriage which still exists, girls do not receive education necessary to make them independent because lack of education will also decrease the scope for employment. Women and girls are also in greater risk of being human trafficked. Apart from these ways of inequality, women also face gender-based violence.

“Gender-based violence (GBV) is violence that is directed at an individual based on his or her biological sex OR gender identity. It includes physical, sexual, verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse, threats, coercion, and economic or educational deprivation, whether occurring in public or private life.” Gender-based violence arises due to the fact that there is gender inequality prevalent in the world. Women face more violence and one out of three women are found to have experienced physical or sexual violence at least once in their lifetime. Women and girls are the ones who are at most risk. But violence against men, boys and sexual and gender minorities are also committed.

Domestic violence is the most common form of violence women is exposed to such as forced abortions, marital rape and bride burning. Women are forced to abort the foetus if it is found to be a female. Moreover, marital rape is not considered a crime in some countries, thus giving men the right to rape his adult wife. Marital rape needs to be recognised as a crime because women have the right over their own body and marital rape is violating their personal space. At an extreme level, if the woman refuses to pay more dowry, she is burned by her husband or his family. Dowry reduces the value of women to mere objects and the world needs to change so that dowry is not required for a woman to get married. Apart from married women, women in relationships also face domestic violence from their intimate partner. Along with domestic violence, women also face violence in their workplace. Workplace violence is often overlooked. Women are abused physically, sexually and mentally in their workplace by their co-workers and their employers.

Women face violence in many forms due to the social and gender inequality prevalent in today’s society. While the empowerment of women is fought for, the violence faced by men is still a silent crisis. Only when social inequality is erased and gender equality formed, will all the violence against women and men stop. It is high time to start trying to reform our flawed society.

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#Beijing25 || Viewpoint: Silvia, Gender-based Violence and Social Inequality

By Catharinal Silvia.M

As everyday news clearly portrays, we live in the 21st century where everybody is considered to be equal and free. These monotonous lines are deeply rooted in our brains that we don’t stop and think what the true reality is . We often come across violences against women and children and we are manipulated to believe that gender based violence can only be against women which is not true. Gender based violence is considered to be violences against any particular gender which need not only have to be associated with feminine characteristics .It should be clear that gender based violence can be against both men women or any other gender. But the amusing fact is that more than 80% of gender based violence is are against women which proves why gender based violences are associated with women and children.

Since time began, we are told and we have experienced in histories how women had to go through gruesome inequalities which ruined their lives. Even though these inequalities against women are not that ghastly as it was before in the earlier times we still find these ideas etched in peoples minds.

Lots of works have been established which talks of how women go through teriffic horrors in their lives and mostly these things seem monotonous when we go through them because it has become a fashion to talk about gender based violence but not take any action against it. Gender based violence and social inequality are intertwined with each other because these violences happen on the base root of social structures and backgrounds. Beginning with our own households and our own practices, these ideas are fed into children’s minds since they were born and that’s where the problem begins.

If we take a typical Indian household, we always see that a male child is given more important and is treated superior to any girl child . 

We could take examples from western and eastern countries, which we considered elite and good. The production of Barbie dolls and the market it created cannot be forgotten. These Barbie dolls came to our households as just dolls but it did not only create entertainment but also a illogical standard which cannot be erased even today. The clear cut shape that the Barbie doll portrayed has become the standard shape that any woman has to have in order to be looked up on. This has so much to do with social inequality as women who  don’t fit into these stereotypical standards were ill treated, mocked and body shamed.

Another revolutionary fact is the creation of man and woman. People always say that woman was created out of man and so she has to be not equal but a below him. These ideas are so much put in our minds that wherever we go in any part of the world there is always conflict faced by a woman.

For example in workplaces, schools ,colleges ,anywhere in any part of the world a woman has always have to face some kind of challenge be it  inequality, crimes , safety, bodyshaming, criticisms and more.

Human minds are so much manipulated that women cannot do the work that a man does, as it is very rare to find women in the fields where physical strength is required. And if by any chance a woman appears in the field of maybe the army or the Navy or somewhere where physical strength is required she is looked as if she’s an alien.

When it comes to education there is a lot to look upon. Even now in remote places of India  women and girl children are deprived of proper education.Education allows us to think for ourselves, when we don’t think for ourselves we will definitely have to go by the rules of another person.

We could not only say that only women undergo these kinds of inequalities in social backgrounds also transgenders go through brutal crimes almost everywhere. These gender based violences have to be strictly looked upon because we’re lied to that everything has changed.

#Beijing25 || Viewpoint: Pradeesh, Gender-based Violence and Social Inequality

By Anushka Pradeesh

Gender-based violence is now a days highly prevailing issue in our society leading to social inequality. From ancient days till today men are considered to be superior race in this world. This ideology have played a major role in creating gender-based violence and social inequality among women, transgender people and men.

Women are prone more to gender based-violence in this world. They are facing harassments at homes, streets, work places and even in public places. A survey proves that around eighty one percent of women have experienced sexual harassment at some point in their lives. In India divorce is considered as a bad act. As a result of which many women tend to tolerate the harassments imposed on them by their husbands. Each and everyday we are witnessing the news of a girl being raped in the newspaper. It’s just a news for the readers but in reality it’s the life of the girl and the family which is shattered and torn into pieces. Justice is never served to them. The main reason for this violence is the loop holes available in the judicial system. Women are deprived of safety not only in the outside world but also in social media. Cybercrime cases are increasing extremely in this pandemic situation. Women have lost liberty to share their photos in social media. The main reason is morphing of images which is taking place as an illegal business at higher levels. Many women have lost their lives due to cybercrime. Child marriage is yet another prevailing issue during this pandemic. A study proves that around twenty seven percent of girls in India are married before eighteen and seven percent before fifteen. As per the government records the government have stopped around 5,584 child marriages but still there are yet more cases which none are aware of. Girl children married at the young age are forced to face harassments not only from their husband but also from the entire household and society. All these gender viloences portray woman as weaker gender unable to speak up for themselves leading to social inequality. A great example for social inequality is women doing equal work as men and are paid only one-fourth of the men’s salary. Still today gender stereotypes remains unchanged.

Transgender people are the people who are more discriminated in the name of gender. The violence and and humiliations faced by them are unseen by the society. Literally the society turns it’s blind eyes towards these people. They are hated by their own family members and relatives. The harassments faced by them begins from home. They are not only physically harmed but also are experiencing mental pressure and depression.In search of peace they runaway from their homes. They are not given equal job opportunities. Even if their parents are supporting them the society is not really showing any acceptance to them which results in social inequality. For instance, parents are not willing to allow their child study with a transgender kid at schools promoting gender stereotypes and violence. In such a case social inequality begins from a place where equality should be inculcated in the children.

Men tend to face social inequality at certain phases of their lives. For example, in some firms there is this policy of treating people on the basis of caste which results in social inequality. Social inequality exists in this society mainly due to caste discrimination, biased religions and societal status. These three factors imposes social inequality irrespective of gender.

Gender-based violence and social inequality can be completely abolished when each and every Indian citizens are accepting every human beings as their kit and kin without discriminating anyone on the basis of gender, caste and class hierarchy. Equality will strive in our country only when our perspective changes.

“Be the change you want to see in the world”

                                                                         – Mahatma Gandhi

So let the change begin from you and me. Let equality strive in our society.