Gender Equality: The Inequality Of Women And Equality

It is undeniable that women have more rights and freedoms than they did less than a century ago. Many women have the right to vote- Japanese women were given this freedom seventy one years ago. Girls all over the world are given an education equal to those given to boys. Some women have even achieved a feat that would have been considered impossible decades ago: world leadership. Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany, American Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, and South Korean President Park Geun-Hye have proven that women are just as capable of leadership as men are. However, gender disparity is still a problem around the world. Women and girls are still being exploited and oppressed financially and physically, a result of lack of education. Therefore, one of the biggest issues of the 21st

However, there are three main problems preventing girls from receiving an education: limited resources, a woman’s personal life, and orthodox ideas. In patriarchal societies and countries that have limited resources and capital, a boy’s education is prioritized over a woman’s. This is seen in many developing countries, where many families only have enough money to send a few children to school. Moreover, a girl or woman’s personal life can prevent her from receiving a proper education. UNICEF reports that one third of girls get married before the age of eighteen, and the same number of girls gets pregnant before the age of twenty. Being married and having children is a huge burden and responsibility, and as a result, girls give up school before completing their full education. Finally, old ways of thinking can stop a girl or woman from being educated. In many societies around the world, a boy’s education is considered more valuable than a girl’s. Girls will often be seen as caretakers and housewives rather than having intellectual potential. These three barriers keep girls from receiving an