Gender-based discrimination refers to the practice of treating someone differently specifically on the basis of their gender. While discrimination, in general, can be based on various factors like caste, religion, or skin colour, gender-based discrimination specifically focuses on gender and can affect both men and women, though women frequently face more instances of it in society.
Examples of Gender-Based Discrimination
Discrimination on the basis of gender manifests in several key sectors:
- Employment: It often occurs during hiring when qualified candidates are rejected based on gender-related biases, such as the belief that men are better engineers or women are naturally better nurses.
- Education: In India, many families still consider educating a girl child a waste of money, leading to a significant drop in female enrollment as the level of education increases from school to master’s degrees.
- Nutrition: Gender can even affect health; for example, families may prioritise the health and nutrition of boys over girls, resulting in higher malnourishment rates for girls under the age of five.
Why Gender-Based Discrimination Exists
There is no single reason for this issue, but rather a combination of several factors:
- Social Norms: Many people follow old traditions and fear the social consequences of moving away from them.
- Lack of Education: A lack of education among adults often leads to outdated thinking regarding the roles men and women should play.
- Poverty: Poverty increases a person's dependency on others, especially for uneducated women who may lack control over finances.
- Lack of Awareness: Many individuals are simply unaware of their legal rights, which prevents them from claiming their fair share or protection.
Legal Protections in India
The Indian Constitution provides specific protections against discrimination:
- Article 15: Prohibits the state from discriminating against any citizen on grounds that include gender.
- Article 16: Guarantees all citizens equal opportunity for employment under the state.
How to Address and Prevent Discrimination
Creating a more equitable society involves both personal and collective action. You can help by talking about it with those around you to help them realise it is a serious issue and by refusing to discriminate based on gender in your own life. Additionally, you should try to support those who have been discriminated against and work on changing your own thoughts, beliefs, and actions. Finally, achieving true gender equality often requires extra efforts, such as providing scholarships for female students or ensuring girls' participation in government nutrition schemes, to compensate for existing discrimination.