Women consist of half the world’s population and do two-third of the world’s working hours. However, they can only receive one tenth of money and own one hundred of property (“Women” 10). In spite of inequality enjoyed by men and women, there are distinct differences between the roles of women in the developed and the developing world- in the house and outside the house. Women in the developing countries bear a much heavier burden in the house than that in the developed countries. Take China and USA as an example. Chinese women almost devote themselves to their families. Husbands and children are regarded as focus of their lives. Sometimes they give up their careers, hobbies and interest for the sake of the families. Due to the poor medical condition and the traditional family concept that women are historical entitled of the task to give a birth to a baby boy, not many of them use modern contraceptive methods to control their family size. In this case, “on average, women in poor countries tend to have twice as many babies as women in the rich countries” (“Women” 10). As we know, China is taking on “One Child Policy”. Actually, it’s very hard to be implemented, especially in poorly educated areas. In America, although women also have “double burden”, which means that women now work “in factory, shop or office as well as in the home as cook, cleaner, child rearer, shopper and homemaker” (Hall 21), they don’t think the family is the most important thing. To realize their dreams is the answer. Today, there are various housework training courses popular with American men. Men are obliged to share the housework. There are also differences regarding women’s roles outside their houses. Firstly, women in the poor countries have to bear stronger physical intensity, while those in the wealthy countries mental intensity. Millions of women in the Third World struggle more than 16 hours in the field each day (Adamson 20). They do not get much training and technology help in agriculture. On the contrary, the use of new equipment like tractors have lengthened their working hours and strengthened their laboring intensity (Adamson 20). Nevertheless, in the industrialized countries, computerization provides women with a change in working patterns. More and more women take part in mental works. Secondly, almost women in the developed world have a relatively equal education opportunity. While in the developing world, only 30% of female are literated (“Women”10).
“In the United States and several other countries, women now actually surpass men in educational achievements” (Josh, “Harvard Summer School”). Some women are more educated and qualified for most
Different cultures promote widely variant ideas of the proper role and place of women within a society but I am discussing women in China and America. Is there something significant in the similarities and differences on my list?
Education is the most important in the critical rank for reducing gender inequalities. Women’s status socioeconomically has increased with the time change, but only because they have more means of entry to improved circumstances. Forms of gender inequality still exist in our society, even in the highly developed world. Sex-segregation
Women who only served as housewives during the 18th centuries have been able to create a place for them in the society in the 21st century. In the past, women did not have as much influence as men in the society. Now, women are encouraged and they have been able to improve their social and economic status and express their opinions properly. Women have played a vital role in the improvement of society over the last few decades till
Throughout history and even today women are regarded as inconsequential. They are chattels or servants, a person without rights. In some present instances, women are struggling to show that they do have rights and can make a contribution to society if given the chance.
The everyday role of women in many countries is quite different from that defined in
Tichenor, Veronica Jaris. “Gendered Bargain: Why Wives Cannot Trade Their Money For Housework” from Earning More and Getting Less: Why Successful Wives Can’t By Equality. 2005. Rutgers University Press. Print.
For centuries, women has always been dominated and controlled by men. Society has viewed women as the weaker gender and relied on men in order to survive. As time went on, things have changed, society has became more advance and so are women. During the World War II, women have increased their role in the society by replacing the men’s in the labor market and also increased their status in the society. Today, the growth of women in the work force continually to raise and so are their status. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the National Bureau of Economic Research, statistics have shown 58.1% of women were in the labor market in 2011 (USBLS) compared to employment rate during the war was 35% of women in the labor market in 1945 (Bussing-Burks). So what factors must have interested women to move from being housewife to the work force? Explanations can be derived through observations of their relationship in the household, their relative status in the society, and their rationality in decision-making.
"Women do two thirds of the world’s work...Yet they earn only one tenth of the world’s income and own less than one percent of the world’s property. They are among the poorest of the world’s poor." –Barber B. Conable Jr, President, World Bank
We do not have to do so many grueling tasks to get through our everyday life. Today, mothers teach their daughters to be more independent. Women in third world countries do not have the luxuries we do. They still have many rules that hold them back from being their own person.
From the very beginning of history, women were portrayed to be insignificant in comparison to men in society. A woman was deemed by men to be housewives, bear children and take care of the household chores. Even so, at a young age girls were being taught the chores they must do and must continue through to adulthood. This idea that the woman’s duty was to take charge of household chores was then passed through generations, even to this day. However, this ideology depends on the culture and the generation mothers were brought up in and what they decide to teach their daughters about such roles.
Women make up 70% of the world’s 1.5 billion people living in absolute poverty, basically earning less than $2 USD a day. Women perform 66% of the world’s work, produce 50% of the food, but earn 10% of the income and own 1% of the property. (Unicef , “Gender Equality—The Big Picture,” 2007). There are 876 million illiterate adults and from that 2/3 of them are women (AIC Training Booklet “Women & Poverty” 2007). In the United States, the poverty rate is higher for women, 13.8% of females are poor compared to 11.1 % of men (US Census Bureau, 2007). Women today face many hardships and suffer throughout the world because of poverty and the multiple factors that contribute to it. The “Feminization of Poverty” is a multifaceted problem that does not only have a huge impact on women, but to their children and the society as a whole. This term describes a phenomenon in which women represent unequal percentages of the world’s poor. The UNIFEM describes it as “ the burden of poverty borne by women, especially in developing countries” (“Economic Empowerment, FIND YEAR). To me this definition explains how hard my single mother had to work for a job supporting my brothers and I. This concept is not only a result of low income, but it is also because of the disadvantages of opportunities and gender bias in society (Brady and Krall, 2008). The levels and conditions of poverty in situations affect the choices that a woman must make. These choices include healthy living and the quality of life that influences how a person enjoys being free. Women’s increase in the portion of poverty is related to the high rates of single mother households. All of these factors influence how the term feminization of poverty is controversial and has been defined i...
In the past, many people believed that women’s exclusive responsibilities were to serve their husband, to be great mothers and to be the perfect wives. Those people considered women to be more appropriate for homemaking rather than to be involved in business or politics. This meant that women were not allowed to have a job, to own property or to enjoy the same major rights as men. The world is changing and so is the role of women in society. In today’s society, women have rights that they never had before and higher opportunities to succeed.
King E and Hill A, Women's Education in Developing Countries: Barriers, Benefits, and Policies. London: World Bank publications. 1997. Print.
Gender is defined as the scopes of genetic, physical, mental and behaviour characteristics pertaining to, and differentiating between, masculinity and feminity, meanwhile inequality is defined as in a situation where there is an unfair situation or treatment in which certain people have more privileges or better opportunities or chances than other people. Thus, from the definition stated gender inequality refers to unequal or unfair management, treatment, or perceptions of persons or individuals are based on their gender. In a parallel sense, gender inequality can be said as the world in which there was discrimination against anyone based on gender. In this introductory, the general understanding of gender inequalities will be discussed further into three significant factors that influence the allocation of housework between men and women. Household chores can be classified as cleaning, cooking and paying bills. Division of housework serves as an important element in the continuation of the function of a family and it requires contribution from both spouses (Tang, 2012). However, current society’s perception on housework is based on gender, so the three major factors that influence the division of household chores within the couples are education level, economic resources, and time availability (refer to Figure1 in Appendix 1).