What Is Gender Equality?
Before ''Why'' question we have to ask ''What'' question to define Gender Equality. Let's start focusing on the term itself. What is Gender Equality, then? According to Oxford Dictionary, it is the state in which access to rights or opportunities is unaffected by gender. So, it is the issue of being fair to both man and woman, boy and girl. In most societies, being a man or a woman is not simply a matter of different biological and physical features. Men and women experience different expectations about how they have to dress, behave or work in the family, in workplace and in schools. Gender inequality is not the subject of sex, it is the social norms which people built through the history of humankind by biases, fallacies and of course by th system of laws. In fact, governments and NGO's should promote gender equality with the great amount of effort all over the world.
Why To Promote Gender Equality?
As we have defined what the gender equality is, now we can move on with ''Why'' question. Why we should promote gender equality? As it stated in Sustainable Development Goals of United Nations, gender equality is not only a fundamental human right, but a necessary foundation for a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable world. Providing women and girls with equal access to education, health care, decent work, and representation in political and economic decision-making processes will fuel sustainable economies and benefit societies and humanity at large. Implementing new legal frameworks regarding female equality in the family, at school and business life is crucial to ending the gender-based discrimination prevalent in many countries around the world. How about the idea of practising gender equality perspective in classrooms and avoid gender bias and sexism in education.
How To Promote Gender Equality?
Now we can discuss about the ways to promote gender equality in schools/education. Can a man be a nurse? Is it possible for woman to become a doctor? I think these questions should have been answered long time ago. Moreover, while talking about gender equality the main concern has to be whether girls/women have an access to clean food, right to good quality education and career, equal opportunities to vote and to be voted. Education starts in family and goes at school. As teachers, how we can promote gender equality in our classrooms? Maybe it is better to start by challenging gender stereotypes. It is possible by choosing teaching examples that will help learners to go beyond their traditional perceptions. The next step is creating equal opportunities for male and female students to contribute to the lesson. Teachers should involve every learner during teaching/learning process. It can be achieved by mix-gender pairs/groups during class projects and discussions and alternative activities. It is also important to address the students equally. In addition, teachers have to use gender-neutral language in classroom and choose course materials that support both men and women. In conclusion, we should go beyond our cultural biases on gender issues and form new perception about it by empowering equal rights of men and women in social life and education.