The future is female

Tray
Feb 20, 2018
2 min read

Updated: Feb 26, 2018

Saying 'The future is female' doesn't mean that women are better than men. It just means that the role of women needs to be redefined in a patriarchal system.

According to the World Bank, about 49.55% of the world's population is female. Most of the high managerial positions are occupied by men, and most women find themselves working twice as hard to earn half the pay.

Feminism is often regarded as a 'bad word'. But, feminism at its core is about gender equality, under the belief that men and women should have equal rights and opportunities.

Source: Instagram.com

The UN's Sustainable Development Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls, points out the benefits of addressing gender inequality and the positive impact this can have on poverty reduction.

Source: un.org

I come from a third world country where 'machismo' is engraved in the culture, and I have also traveled to different places all over the world, where I have been able to observe and experience how gender inequality affects all women, but we are now dealing with a more aware society that takes action. Just to name a few, some of the girls and women that inspire me are: Malala Yousafzai, a Pakistani activist for education. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, a Nigerian writer that critiques gender inequality and invites society to raise their daughters and sons differently. Rupi Kaur, an Indian poet, and many other women who are working hard to fight gender disparity.

Source: shutterstock.com

Movements such as #metoo, #timesup, are social and political platforms for all women to speak up, in attempts to expand the fight against sexual harassment, and the workplace inequality.

Fun fact: The hashtag '#timesup' has been posted 358,640 times on Instagram since the movement against sexual harassment was launched on January 1st this year. And rising.

Possibly my favorite of all, Rebel Girls, a collection of illustrated stories that celebrate extraordinary real women of the the past and the present who have achieved incredible results, despite all odds. The book was written by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo in response to the gender stereotyping, they felt the need to tell the stories of rebel girls whose actions have changed the course of history.

Source: designist.ie

Much progress has been made, but there is still much work to do. The World Economic Forum estimates gender parity globally may now be over 170 years away.

"Gender equality is not just the concern of half of the world’s population; it is a human right, a concern for us all, because no society can develop – economically, politically, or socially – when half of its population is marginalized."

United Nations.

So why is this so important?

This is the reality today, we are dealing with ghosts from the past, and efforts must be made for a just and equitable future for all.

Providing women and girls with equal access to education, health care, decent work, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and humanity at large.

Sincerely,