Introduction:
In order to ensure that communities function in the most efficient manner it is necessary to establish an understanding of the needs and values of communities in general. These values can be seen to reflect the level of contention that exists in order to enhance both representation and participation in civil life. Due to the need for equality in this regard the importance of gender equality should be considered. Through the pursuit of a lower rate of gender disparity a more comprehensive understanding of the basic principles that a society should abide by can be achieved. Gender disparity and community mobilization can therefore be understood in regards to the principles of adaptation that are necessary in order to ensure that social justice is achieved within a community.
Importance of Mobilization:
The importance of community mobilization lies in its capacity to promote the effective consideration of specific principles. This demonstrates the importance of its application in relation to the basic strategic efforts that are related to these ideas. When implemented in an efficient manner, community mobilization can be a “catalyst for evolving program design, implementation and monitoring-while increasing the tangible outcomes emerging within communities” (Michau, 2012, p. 2). This challenges the limitations of social change in order to promote the effective application of strategic acceptance of a variety of issues that are deemed to be important. Furthermore, it is important to be active within the community. Community mobilization requires “engaging, inspiring and supporting a diverse range of community members, groups and institutions” (Michau, 2012, p. 2). For this reason it is important to promote a more thorough relationship between the social context of these issues and the overall justice that can be seen to exist within the general population. “Quality community mobilization fuses elements of public health and social justice” (Michau, 2012, p. 3). This promotes the capacity of these principles to support a growing social necessity.
These necessities should be viewed in relation to the various cultural concepts that are at work within this population. Community mobilization therefore “strives to achieve change in the social norms of the general population” (Michau, 2012, p. 4). This demonstrates the importance of promoting policies that promote gender equality within this context. Furthermore, there are a variety of essential characteristics that should be considered in relation to the underlying values that have been committed by these principles. “Reaching all layers of a community requires that male and female community members are equally involved” (Michau, 2012, p. 5). The level of gender disparity in a community can therefore be seen to relate to the level of support that is related to these ideas. “In order to achieve a reduction in violence against women, negative social norms that perpetuate and condone violence must be replaced by positive social norms that support non-violence, dignity and the rights of women” (Michau, 2012, p. 7). For this reason, it is necessary for those pursuing these principles to do so in a way that helps to establish communication. In order to do this, policies targeting community mobilization should be “strong enough to propel personal reflection, critical dialogue and action” (Michau, 2012, p. 8). These elements demonstrate an essential aspect of the principles of community mobilization.
Gender Disparity:
It is therefore to develop methods to increase the level of gender equality that exists within a local population. Community empowerment directed towards the development of innovation can help to decrease the level of gender disparity within that community. Both innovation and the empowerment of women have an “essential value for human progress” (Malhotra et al., 2009, p. 1). This value can be understood in relation to the capacity that it provides those within a community to develop a higher level of consideration for the progress of those within. These underlying cultural principles demonstrate the importance of promoting these strategies. “When innovations are examined with a gender lens, a powerful, untapped strategy emerges to transform women’s lives” (Malhotra et al., 2009, p. 2). In this sense, innovation works to strengthen the level of gender equality that exists within a community. This has the effect of promoting the underlying values on which they can be seen to exist. Evidence suggests that “progress on poverty reduction and human development are related to advancements in both innovative capacities and gender equality” (Malhotra et al., 2009, p. 3). This demonstrates the importance of this relationship.
Furthermore, this suggests that there are a variety of ways that innovation can be seen to improve these ideas. In the most basic way, “innovations can benefit women simply by improving their well-being in terms of health, nutrition, income, life span, etc.” (Malhotra et al., 2009, p. 4). These developments can therefore be seen to enhance the capacity of women in society to achieve certain advantages. These are predicated on the associations that the various levels of society have with one another. This requires “bridging ties to government, private sector, civil society and other actors” (Malhotra et al., 2009, p. 6). in doing so a more comprehensive level of insight can be achieved.
Methods:
One of the most effective methods of achieving community mobilization is through the presentation of specific issues that can be seen to demonstrate the most important factors associated with the problems that are being faced. These challenges are predicated on an underlying need for communication. It is essential to “address individual and relationship causes or contributing factors through awareness raising and small-group work” (Beeson & Miskelly, 2004, p. 2). This is important to to the interconnected nature of mobilization and the need to achieve support from a variety of sources in order to move forward. Furthermore, these factors should be considered in relation to the time it takes to implement them. This approach “involves all levels of a community over an extended period of time” (Beeson & Miskelly, 2004, p. 2). The need to establish mobilization in an ethical way is therefore predicated on the objective need to establish values that can be seen to promote these ideologies. In doing so the capacity of mobilization to ensure that there will be a level of equality in society can be achieved. A mobilization approach with a moral basis will “have mechanisms of support and referrals in place to assist women who have been and are experiencing violence” (Beeson & Miskelly, 2004, p. 3). The need to contribute a variety of perspectives towards mobilization demosntrates the importance of ensuring that gender disparity is limited.
This method can help to establish a more profound relationship between these various organizations. This approach “recognizes complexity, multiple pressures and how experiences at all levels in the social ecology of a community are influencing attitudes and behaviors underpinning the problem” (Beeson & Miskelly, 2004, p. 3). It is also essential to involve the community as a whole. Implementing these concepts in relation to the need to promote the values of those related demonstrates the importance of challenging the underlying justification upon which principles have been established. It is evident that “a process of change only comes to life by way of people” (Beeson & Miskelly, 2004, p. 4). These people can be an essential element in promoting the positive development of gender equality. This is important due to the existence of “an intensely personal process by which community members themselves take up this struggle as their own and make a more just community part of their personal mission” (Beeson & Miskelly, 2004, p. 6). This process can be seen to be an essential part of the established doctrines of communities and the values that they have been established upon.
Prospects for Change:
Community mobilization should be implemented in consideration of the prospects for change that the social process calls for. This process can be understood in relation to the consideration that is given regarding the various challenges that are faced. This helps to provide “the framework to encourage participation, cooperation, and collaboration” (Kim-Ju, 2008, p. 5). This framework is important due to the underlying views that society has of the principles upon which it is built. These principles demonstrate a profound importance in regards to the relationships that the organizations in society have with one another. This requires “a shift in theory and practice, from addressing individual and single causative agents of health and social issues to addressing psychosocial and sociocultural factors and their interactions” (Kim-Ju, 2008, p. 5). These interactions are related to the aspects of social life that should be viewed in relation to the principles that were viewed as important by those that implemented them.
This demonstrates the need for a greater level of innovation in relation to the basic principles that frame the moral standing of a community. In doing so, a more objective experience in relation to the values that are promoted can be achieved. Community mobilization is in this sense “a coordinative process to address community health concerns” (Kim-Ju, 2008, p. 7). These concerns can be related to a variety of problems. In promoting the alleviation of gender disparity a wider variety of viewpoints can work to establish a more comprehensive understanding of the social limitations upon which these ideas have been built.
Coordination of Efforts:
Despite these concerns, the need to establish a level of respect for the underlying values of social justice is evident. The coordination of efforts can be understood in relation to the various challenges that are faced by individuals in society. For this reason it is important to develop “groups and organizations that empower oppressed citizens to challenge societal culture and institutions, and take action to change them” (Fedi et al., 2009). In doing so a more objective framework for understanding the limitations of social change can be considered. This provides the incentive necessary to instigate a greater level of social change. This demonstrates that “community movements are usefully regarded as empowering community settings” (Fedi et al., 2009). Through the promotion of community involvement the level of gender disparity can therefore be decreased.
The success of these programs can be understood in relation to the level of change that they are able to bring. This demonstrates the capacity of these ideas to consider the principles that are related to the understanding of communal change. This can be viewed in relation to the various “attempts to reach individuals, relationships, communities, and the larger society” (Michau, 2005, p. 3). The underlying values of society should be understood in relation to the level of development that is related to these insights. The various experiences, attitudes, and beliefs associated with these principles “are deeply linked to the prevailing belief system in the community” (Michau, 2005, p. 4). For this reason community involvement is essential in promoting effective change.
These changes can be understood in relation to the priorities of those involved. For this reason, it is essential to use strategies that are “designed to help organizations reach a wide variety of people” (Michau, 2005, p. 5). The conception of this reality is evident in the values that can be seen in relation to the social processes that are at work. These processes dictate the fundamental basis upon which these principles have been built. It was ultimately found that the implementation of these programs “significantly contributed to individual, relationship, and community change” (Michau, 2005, p. 7). In promoting the limitation of gender disparity these principles are evident.
Conclusion:
In looking at these problems it is evident that there are a variety of solutions that can be implemented in order to ensure a higher level of social consolidation. Understanding the principles upon which these aspects of social life have been implemented helps to create a conception of the variety of positions that challenge this understanding. For this reason it is necessary to develop a more broad understanding of the challenges that are faced. These challenges should be based in the need for a higher level of community organization. By promoting gender equality and social justice the efforts of mobilization can work to challenge a higher level of acceptance for these principles.
References
Beeson, I. & Miskelly, C. (2004). Digital Stories of Community: Mobilization, Coherence and Continuity. University of the West of England, Bristol, UK.
Fedi, A., Mannarini, T., & Maton, K.I. (2009). Empowering Community Settings and Community Mobilization. Community Development, Vol. 40, Issue 3. 275-291.
Kim-Ju, B., Mark, G.Y., Crim, D., Cohen, R., Garcia-Santiago, O., & Nguyen, P. (2008). Community Mobilization and Its Application to Youth Violence Prevention. American Journal of Preventative Medicine. 34(3S). 5-12.
Malhotra, A., Schulte, J., Patel, P., & Patesch, P. (2009). Innovation for Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality. International Center for Research On Women. 20.
Michau, L. (2012). Community Mobilization: Preventing Partner Violence by Changing Social Norms. Expert Paper. 15.
Michau, L. (2005). Good Practice in Designing A Community-Based Approach to Prevent Domestic Violence. Division of the Advancement of Women. 13.
