Over the years, gender inequality issues within the society have led to women empowerment and successive fight for gender equality. Despite consistent women activist groups and international agreements, women have remained poor and illiterate in the society. According to research, women have limited access to resources and services such as medical care, employment, property ownership, training, and credit. As a result, women have become more susceptible to domestic violence, and poor living conditions as compared to men. There have been various women’s empowerment organizations around the globe that have been founded with the aim of addressing women needs and advocate for gender equality. The issue of gender equality came about in the 1960's during the civil rights movement. Gender equality implies that both men and women are supposed to share the same rights and obligations, opportunities, and outcomes in all aspects of life. This research paper is aimed at evaluating and analyzing women empowerment in the society, and various measures undertaken in order to ensure equality between women and men in Canada.
Background Information
Historically, women took passive roles and their behavior and actions were subjected to the judgment of men, while men remained active and aggressive. However, the social, economic and political structures which existed from time in memorial discriminated against women. For example, the traditional cultures have placed men above women where women were expected to follow men in all household matters. Women were denied the right of possessing essential properties such as land and they were expected to stay indoors and tend to daily chores and responsibilities. The rarely participated in economic activities, and even after engagement in various economic activities, they received a raw deal, since they were subject to unfair employment practices. These included practices such as low wage and long working hours along being perceived lowly in the society.
History of women empowerment is derived from role of gender based on the changing roles of a woman from the 19th century to the 20th century. The 19th century was characterized by a clear demarcation of the roles of women and men, they were perceived to have different characteristics that led to discrimination based on gender. Therefore, these traits had a significant role in discrimination on the basis of gender in the entire society. For example, women were characterized as emotional based on various traits, such as compassion, chastity and modesty among others. However, men were characterized and viewed as the stronger sex based on their perceived strong traits, such as courageous and intelligent. The empowerment of women resulted from the unabated suppression of the rights and obligations in the general society, resulting in intensified fights against inequality. Women and girls have fallen victims of gender inequality as a result of the disadvantages they face in the society. For instance, females are discriminated from social and economic facets such as education, labor market, and health services among others.
Research Problem
Women empowerment programs and strategies have been adopted around the globe in order to develop the society. Most countries have advocated for gender equality in various aspects of life in order to promote economic and social developments. Gender inequality involves discrimination in areas such as the education, the political arena, health care service, and employment among others. The issue of women empowerment has increased during the 20h century following discrimination of women in various fields, and the emergence of women’s groups and organizations. Women independence, opposition of the traditional gender roles, and the improvement of standards have necessitated the fight against suppression of women rights and obligations. This research will aim at addressing the research problem through the use of appropriate research methodology, and data in analyzing research questions.
Research Questions
- What are the factors leading to women empowerment?
- How has empowerment of women been carried out?
- How have women empowerment been a success?
Research Objectives
Significance of the Research
- Be able to find out the causes and effects of women empowerment in the society
- Be able to establish measures used to curb gender inequality
- Be able to determine the current gender equality situation in the society
Literature review
The literature review part will entail theoretical and empirical research study. Theoretical review of the literature will focus on the concepts behind women empowerment in Canada. Empirical literature, on the other hand, will embark on first-hand information from updated Canadian sources.
Theoretical Literature
In the late 19th century, women’s inferior position in socioeconomic and political aspect was a major point of discussion. During this period, the suffrage movement campaigned for equal treatment between both genders. This primarily resulted from discrimination practices subjected to women in various social, economic, and political aspects. For instance, women were discriminated from education, employment, and inequality in divorce policies. The women’s rights movements were significant in women’s fight against inequality to enhance their participation in social, economic and political fields. These women’s right movement played an imperative role in advocating for equal rights and stoppage of discrimination based on gender. Women’s rights movements were motivated by the experiences of the majority women who were oppressed significantly during the 18th and 19th century. Therefore, women had an objective eradicating the gender stereotypes created to characterize them as inferior. For example, women's suffrage movements risen significantly in various states in the US such as Utah and Colorado. These women’s suffrage movements established in these states fought for women’s voting rights, which enabled them to participate in the democratic exercises. However, the achievement of equality was far from being achieved, since women were unable to fight for high social, political and economic posts and offices. These posts and offices were largely dominated by the male based on the small number of women voters as compared to the men. The society had stereotypes with regard to the role and position of women in the society that led to discrimination.
Empirical Literature
The role of women and their further specialization were perceived and stereotyped as an extension of their predetermined domestic roles. For example, they participated in industries stereotyped as fit for the woman such as clothing, domestic services, and teaching. Additionally, the majority of these activities were. Therefore, women could not participate in leadership positions such as political and economic offices, which were solely left for men. There was a clear demarcation of men and women’s role in the society where women further took part in teaching ethical and moral virtues, which further increased the demarcation. However, the 19th century was characterized by significant changes that turned the role of women around. There were increased women activists fighting for the rights of women. This was characterized by the feminist waves, which significantly led to numerous changes that lifted the women’s position in the society. Additionally, social changes such as the rise of evangelism were attributed to change of perception among women. The role of women activist and movements was significant in enhancing the achievement of significant strides in the fight against inequality.
The issues concerning gender inequality and women empowerment have been witnessed in various countries, resulting to intervention from governments and other private organizations. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) is focused on empowering women by focusing on the enhancement of gender equality in the world. The UNDP is obligated to coordinate world-wide efforts in integrating gender equality and women empowerment into the alleviation of poverty, crisis prevention, democratic governance, maintaining a sustainable development. The administration of a global network ensures that women are equally represented in state institutions, civil society, and the private sector. An equal participation of men and women in the aforementioned institutions is significant in the participation and provision of decisions in all aspects of life including social and economic perspectives.
Methodology
Research methodology entails techniques and research design to be undertaken in achieving the stated research objectives. Research design, on the other hand, refers to how the research study will be planned and executed. The key purpose of research design is to clearly identify procedures and techniques to be used in addressing the research problem.
Data type and Study Area
The data used in the research will constitute secondary information materials from sources such as Statistics Canada, and Status of Women Canada. The study targets women empowerment in Canada and measures undertaken to fight for gender equality in the region. The information and data will be collected from various Canadian statistics, and reports that will help in the achievement of research objectives.
Analysis
This section will entail detail analyses of data collected from the previous section in the determination of research objectives. Analyses of data will entail description and comparison of data from different years in order to answer research questions. The analyses of the data will be meant to understand the cause and effects of women empowerment in Canada, and successive measures that have been undertaken to promote gender equality.
Conclusions and Recommendations
In conclusion, the role and position of women in the society have significantly changed from the 19th century the 20th and the 21st centuries have all experienced tremendous changes, in regard to women empowerment. For example, the empowerment of women from the traditional roles and responsibilities with limited access to opportunities to the current modern day women influencing various realms of the modern day society. The acquisition of education by the girl child in the society has caused a significant impact in women empowerment programs and campaigns. Women have advocated for equality between the boy child and girl child in developing the society free from discriminatory practices. The Canadian government has also worked in concert with women’s organizations fighting for gender equality in ensuring the accomplishment of their objectives. The implementation of various laws and regulations has enhanced and promoted women’s status and position in the society. Human rights and freedom have been administered without gender discrimination. However, although women have achieved significantly in the fight against discrimination, the fight is far from over since further laws need to be implemented, as well as other actions to ensure the achievement of equality.
Annotated bibliography
Hobbs, M. H., & Rice, C. (2013). Gender and Women's Studies in Canada: Critical Terrain. Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press.
This article tries to bring out women discrimination practices in the labor market. According to the author, women representation in the police department was not put into consideration, not until the early 20th century. Further discrimination practices against women have been analyzed, regarding women as incapable of performing certain tasks. The article also delves in the training experiences both men and women undertake before joining police force. Women have been favored in some manner as a result of the harsh training practices that take place.
Williams, C. (2013). Economic Well-being. Statistics Canada, 1-2.
Majumdar, M. (2005). Encyclopaedia of Gender Equality Through Women Empowerment. New Delhi: Sarup & Sons.
This article has dealt with women empowerment through penetration of women in business organizations and employment opportunities present in the job market. According to this article, women have experienced continued oppression in terms of discrimination practices in employment and other social aspects. As a result, women have been engaging in unethical practices such as prostitution in order to earn money. Women have also fallen victims for slavery, forced labor, prostitution, and sexual exploitation.
OECD. (2013). Development Co-operation Report 2013 Ending Poverty: Ending Poverty. New York: OECD Publishing.
This article is based on gender equality and women empowerment between periods 2002 and 2011. According to the author, Canadian government has been aggressive in advocating for gender equality through equal opportunities for both men and women. This has been manifested through statistical representation in the form of a graph.
MacIvor, H. (1996). Women and Politics in Canada. New York: Broadview Press.
Representation of women in the political arena has been mentioned Heather in his writing about women in politics. According to the author, women representation in politics has been less as compared to men. However, in the modern society, the acquisition of education by girl child has led to penetration of women in different social, economic, and political fields.
References
Hobbs, M. H., & Rice, C. (2013). Gender and Women's Studies in Canada: Critical Terrain. Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press.
MacIvor, H. (1996). Women and Politics in Canada. New York: Broadview Press.
Majumdar, M. (2005). Encyclopaedia of Gender Equality Through Women Empowerment. New Delhi: Sarup & Sons.
OECD. (2013). Development Co-operation Report 2013 Ending Poverty: Ending Poverty. New York: OECD Publishing.
Williams, C. (2013). Economic Well-being. Statistics Canada, 1-2.
