Who's key to gender equality? Hint: It's not women
Source: Thomson Reuters Foundation - Tue, 18 March 2014 12:07 PM
When it comes to women’s rights, it turns out it’s really
all about men.
A recent World Bank report underscored that strong economies and greater education for women, once thought to be silver bullets against gender inequality in the world of work, are effectively trumped by persistent social norms.
Entrenched social attitudes and traditions remain among the greatest obstacles to realising women’s rights globally - and most of those attitudes and traditions are held or enforced by men, according to experts.
An emerging theme at this year’s United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW58), is an increasing acknowledgment of the importance of addressing and changing the attitudes of men and boys to achieve the stubbornly elusive goal of gender equality.
“We can empower women more and more, but if men remain the same, what’s the point?” Waruna Sri Dhanapala, minister counselor at Sri Lanka's permanent mission to the United Nations, told a panel discussion on Monday.
He was echoing comments by Babatunde Osotimehin, head of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), who says equality can't happen without boys and men being on board.
"Why is it possible for men to have access to condoms without any question, but when it comes to providing contraception to women and girls, the whole world comes against you?” Osotimehin said at an earlier CSW58 session.
“It's about power. Men want to determine what women do and tell them what to do and how to do it. That must stop. Men must learn to accept gender equality."
Education programs for men and boys are key, according to Julie Pulerwitz, Director of Social Operations Research at the Population Council.
A recent World Bank report underscored that strong economies and greater education for women, once thought to be silver bullets against gender inequality in the world of work, are effectively trumped by persistent social norms.
Entrenched social attitudes and traditions remain among the greatest obstacles to realising women’s rights globally - and most of those attitudes and traditions are held or enforced by men, according to experts.
An emerging theme at this year’s United Nations Commission on the Status of Women (CSW58), is an increasing acknowledgment of the importance of addressing and changing the attitudes of men and boys to achieve the stubbornly elusive goal of gender equality.
“We can empower women more and more, but if men remain the same, what’s the point?” Waruna Sri Dhanapala, minister counselor at Sri Lanka's permanent mission to the United Nations, told a panel discussion on Monday.
He was echoing comments by Babatunde Osotimehin, head of the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), who says equality can't happen without boys and men being on board.
"Why is it possible for men to have access to condoms without any question, but when it comes to providing contraception to women and girls, the whole world comes against you?” Osotimehin said at an earlier CSW58 session.
“It's about power. Men want to determine what women do and tell them what to do and how to do it. That must stop. Men must learn to accept gender equality."
Education programs for men and boys are key, according to Julie Pulerwitz, Director of Social Operations Research at the Population Council.
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