Some believed gender inequality benefits people and some protests it, so what exactly is correct way to value and evaluate gender inequality? Since social norms has contributed to the definition of appropriate lifestyle through parenthood, childlessness in women was seen as a deviant from society, which further led to disconnection between parents and childfree women in many contexts. Gender equality is globally the most common form of inequality and remains a major obstacle to the eradication of poverty. Whereas those in a privileged position of wealth and influence, who first seeked the benefits of colonial education in Freetown, will remain in school and go onto higher education where they can secure the best jobs, resulting in another reason for the widening gap of inequality. In Sierra Leone, over 700,000 households (58 percent of total households) are engaged in agriculture, mostly of a subsistence nature, with approximately 250,000 households involved in the fishery sector. The world should be a much better place and it will be if only people work for the common good of the people and abolishing the law. On this International Womens Day, we celebrate all women, and particularly those leading the charge for equality. It proves a permanent truth that the more civilized the people are, the less inequality would be promoted. The Sierra Leone parliament has passed a long-awaited Gender Empowerment Act which establishes a minimum gender quota for female parliamentarians. 602 Words3 Pages. 29.6% of women aged 2024 years old who were married or in a union before age 18. Women now make up over 40 percent of the global labour force. What intrigued me the most was how females werent seen as priority enough to receive even the basic education level and were taught to be housewives from a very young age. Sierra Leone is deeply rooted in traditional attitudes regarding the roles and responsibilities of women and men (CEDAW, 2014); where decision-making rests with the men (fathers, husbands, brothers), including related to the health, well-being and overall welfare of women (FAO, n.d.). Addressing Gender-Based Violence in Sierra Leone 2 Executive summary From July 4th-14th 2006, International Alert conducted a mapping of the incidence of GBV and the programmes that are being implemented to address it in Sierra Leone on behalf of Irish Aid. Equality is such an important thing in our everyday lives. Everyone should be entitled to an equal amount of opportunity in the developing world and gender shouldnt be a determining factor of who is allowed/gets the better education. Nevertheless, gender inequality and denial of women's rights are still prevalent at all levels in Sierra Leonean society even though the women for 50.8 per cent of the population. Regardless of what affects it more, both are still major contributors to the continued persistence of gender inequality in developing countries. Young Haitian girls must learn many things before they are considered young women in their society. Women are key targets for hygiene education in communities, which is helping to reduce the incidence of waterborne diseases. Gender inequity is a large issue being faced in Sierra Leone. On the legal basis for the GEWE Policy, the 1991 Constitution of Sierra Leone provides the foundation for the principles of gender equality. USAID is engaging a broad range of stakeholders to identify the various drivers of sexual and gender-based violence across different segments of the population around the country and will support local organizations in developing and piloting interventions designed to reduce its prevalence while maintaining cultural and social integrity. The Gender Equality Bill, 2011 drafted as a private member Bill spearheaded by the Sierra Leone Female Parliamentary Caucus was not enacted into law before the closure of the last Parliament. I think that, as a privileged woman, I need to help these women, but not by treating them like a child., Once this problem is out of the way, we must address Payals second point, which is that, education systems have a tendency toward stability rather than change, and tend to reproduce social hierarchy and inequality. There are multiple solutions to this problem. Their voice, visibility, participation, and representation in elective and appointment positions remain very low compared to men. This essay will explore aspects of poverty and inequality within Sierra Leone and the most important cultural and contemporary reasons that mean such large disparities and suffering still exist today. Through the Protection of Women through Empowerment and Response (POWER) project, USAID is working to support up to 1,000 women and girls in rural communities within the eastern Kenema district. Create your own unique website with customizable templates. All of the groups fighting in the civil war that happened between 1991 and 2002 were charged with human rights violations (Ben-Ari & Harsch). We've received widespread press coverage since 2003, Your UKEssays purchase is secure and we're rated 4.4/5 on reviews.co.uk. . This situation is in turn perpetuating a vicious cycle of poverty and gender inequality from generation to generation. The description is composed by our digital data assistant. Women make up much of the farming workforce, says Yeanoh. The site is secure. The interests of the government in gaining political power over the best national economic interests meant practices such as rent-seeking were prioritised, another opportunity for rife corruption. This would allow the teachers to teach all the students new, modern ideas. Sierra Leone was first colonialized by the British in 1787, their influence over hundreds of years affected all aspects of the nation, from trade structure to education system, their influence had impacts which can be strongly related to the continuing existence of poverty and inequality which still exist today despite becoming formally independent in 1961. Awareness raising on relevant legislation involving gender based violence, support to access free legal counselling/representation, and access to medical care for the victims and survivors of gender-based violence are among the key activities. Moreover, the patriarchal structures in place hamper the debate, while at the same time restricting the effective implementation of the positive laws and regulations already in place. After these problems are addressed, it is easy to see how more education can provide a better world for the, Too often remarks such as selfish, self-centered, lacking in responsibility or cold were associated with childfree women (McQuillan et al., 2012). These girls have dreams and hopes of becoming someone and the only way to achieve their dream is by going to school and so, they shouldnt be held accountable for a rape they did not want and their education should not be compromised. "Sierra Leone: Local Government Crucial to Putting an End to, "MDGs Sierra Leone Goal 3 - Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women. Governments need to support these young women and fulfill their dreams. Many countries, including Sierra Leone, face a crisis in providing quality . The Women Count Data Hub is made possible by the partners of the Women Count programme, which include the Governments of Australia, Ireland, France, Mexico, Sweden, the United States and the United Kingdom and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,Alibaba Foundation and Elizabeth Arden. No plagiarism, guaranteed! This colonial originated urban bias where urban centres were favoured as centres of control and economic growth meant the rural peripheries were only further left behind in their development, increasing inequalities and sustaining poverty. This cycle of life has been around since . Sierra Leone is also a part of the United Nations Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (MDGs). Sierra Leone Telegraph: 8 August 2022: After sixty years of procrastination, the Parliament of Sierra Leone has today passed into law "The Customary Land Rights Act 2022", which the government says will address deep inequalities and discrimination in the ownership and control of land, especially in the provinces. The coastal-based capital and disconnections between rural areas and urban means investment in developing transport and ways to exploit the potential of the hinterlands has never been incentivised. In doing so, it has worked closely with communities andlocal agents of change, including religious leaders and faith-based organisations. The country's government, with assistance from the Global Partnership for Education (GPE), made efforts to improve education in Sierra Leone since then. The women of Sierra Leone have faced and still face grave inequalities, but this issue has started to have some solid improvement. It seemed like a very strict world to be living in at that time. "Sierra Leone war crimes: Women speak out, Kargbo, Fatmata. Stewart, F. (1998). Their leaders are the Council of Vocations enforced those rules, and the people that over-rule them are the World Council. Particularly in The primary concerns are: reproductive health, empowerment, and economic activity. Despite this, there have been positive changes in regard to gender equality in Sudan. by Megan Borishansky Historical Background Colonized by the British as a territory for liberated slaves known as Creoles or "Krios", Sierra Leone's history is one of class divisions and gender inequality, compounded by the civil war of 1992-2002 and struggles over natural resources. A combination of cultural prejudices and harsh economic realities join hands, in making life particularly difficult for our ladies. Being that I am a female and I am Sierra Leonean, now I view the inequality and unjust treatment of females in the developing world as a major problem that needs an urgent solution. Inequality based on gender is a serious concern in modern times the world over; men and women are yet to enjoy the same privileges. The world citizens held different viewpoints. In particular, it highlights women's increasing agency in acquiring knowledge, diffusing power, engaging in grassroots politics, and compelling the government to adopt . In Haitian, there are specific roles and social spaces that women occupy. Around one-third of households are headed by women - these are families where the male household head is absent due to, divorce, death, or long-distance migration. The divided country economically was also enhanced by the political structure of separate administrative systems during colonialism, which left rural areas with a very limited political voice. Source: UNICEF global databases, 2021, based on DHS, MICS and other nationally representative surveys. In 2022, global gender gap index for Sierra Leone was 0.67 index. Speakers, including members of parliament and the Deputy Speaker of Parliament expressed their belief that the HeForShe Campaign will serve as a stepping board in putting an end to gender inequality by 2030. Moreover, women of reproductive age (15-49 years) often face barriers with respect to their sexual and reproductive health and rights: in 2019, 53% of women had their need for family planning satisfied with modern methods. Promoting Gender Equality is key to the implementation of UNDP's programs and its operationalisation in Sierra Leone. Some of the inequalities that women face are as follows; shortened life expectancy, little education, assault, domestic violence, lack of healthcare, and low pay for . A lock () or https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. The .gov means its official. He initially thought that if women were economically empowered and in leadership positions, they would abandon their responsibilities as wives and disrespect their husbands. Nevertheless, gender inequality and denial of women's rights are still prevalent at all . Equality is giving someone the same opportunity to make them equal. The country was rated 153 out of 162 in the 2018 index, clearly exposing the gender inequality gap. He also called on Sierra Leonean men to treat girls as their daughters instead of wives. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure youre on a federal government site. Firstly, the only way to decrease the educational gap between males and females is to implement policies that decrease or completely remove school fees for girls and prohibit families from removing their daughters from school before the age of 18. This is trying to help eliminate gender discrimination in many countries, including Sierra Leone (MDGs). This means household or farming essentials eg. Along with this the SAP have removed subsidies on crops such as rice,in combination with the floating of the Leone this led to a significant price increase, donor food is intended to keep the rice price low however this often only reaches the likes of Freetown and urban pillars so rural outlets are susceptible to retailers pricing considerably above official prices. Yet despite the challenges posed by climate change and gender inequality, evidence shows that women are actively contributing to building resilient cities. Since then, considerable progress has been made in achieving universal primary education and closing the gender gap in enrollment. Gender discrimination and poverty. The flexibility parents had in work was denied in childfree workers., Without the gender pay gap closed the United States citizens suffer many consequences. ", Saunders, Adelia. 29.6% of women aged 20-24 years old who were married or in a union before age 18. For every 1,000 girls in Sierra Leone, 112 will become mothers between ages 15 and 19. Equality can be a wonderful thing in kindergarten. To accomplish this, the . The implementation of such neoliberal policies is a reason for the continuing existence of poverty and inequality, these generalised policies failed to adapt to the uniqueness of each nations economy and the dictation of an outside nation can be simply considered as a modern practice of colonialism. However, work still needs to be done in Sierra Leone to achieve gender equality. The Gender Inequality Index (GII) is an index for measurement of gender disparity that was introduced in the 2010 Human Development Report 20th anniversary edition by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). As Riddell (2005) states, citizens were actively ripped off through colonialism and independent governments to date. An economic perspective. Sierra Leone Demographic and Health Survey 2019. The Structural Adjustment Programmes (SAPS) consisted of loans and later introduced Poverty Reduction Papers, which paralleled closely to the well-known Millennium Development Goals. These two characters saw the issues in the equality of the government. According to the minister, the bill which is now a government document will be gazetted and laid in the well of parliament. 2020. He reads about societies where the people are able to express their own thoughts and feelings. Sudanese women account for a larger percentage of the national . Sierra Leone is the first African nation to fully transition from a paper-based reporting system to an electronic system for weekly aggregate disease reporting at the health facility level. The Essay Writing ExpertsUK Essay Experts. In Sierra Leone, progress has been made in expanding opportunities for women and girls to promote gender equality and empowerment of women. The state, violence and development: the political economy of war in Mozambique 19751992. The years of indirect colonial rule meant Sierra Leone didnt have the knowledge, experience or facilities to manage its disbanded country and its potentials. . In some areas, however, progress toward gender equality has been limitedeven in developed countries. Vice President Victor Bockarie Foh Signing the HeForShe Board. In third world countries, girls are fighting their families, communities, and countries in order to go to school. The reader takes a while to figure this out. Since 2004, we have shifted our program towards a more development-orientated approach working in both urban and rural areas. Equality is able to experience a free society through the characters he is reading about. Other aspects such as race, class, and sexuality in combination with will always play a major role in ones life choices and the way they are perceived by others. The disregard of rural areas means their potential in natural resources such as diamond have not been exploited thoroughly. Sierra Leone, saw her small income vanish overnight during the COVID-19 outbreak. Sierra Leone: 153 (0.644) 0.643 177 137 0.662 125 0.756 Mauritania: 150 (0.620) 0.643 Here you can choose which regional hub you wish to view, providing you with the most relevant information we have for your specific region. Many traditional cultures, including America, teach that men should lead in families, business, and government, but does that still hold true today? Girls and women who are poor, live in remote areas, are disabled, or belong to minority groups continue to lag behind. In Figure 2, they are shown in the center of the triangle that leads up to . The essay will be concluded by a concise and critical assessment of the reasons behind the continuing existence of poverty and inequality in Sierra Leone. Addressing harmful practices are also covered by raising awareness on both the potential short and longer-term health consequences, human rights violations of FGM, and the negative impact. Source: Statistics Sierra Leone (Stats SL) and ICF. In other words, should male and female be treated in the same way? Inequality is state of being unequal, particularly in rights, status and opportunities (UN 2015) this could mean in living standards, gender and many other metrics. Gender-Based Violence. The first of such lessons is that nothing in life is equal or fair. The rural families, also considered those in the poorest quintile of income, require their children to assist in labour, which is why over 53% of children (World Bank 2014) in the poorest quintile leave education before they complete secondary education. The Opening of a Ten Day Training for Officers on Gender by the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces Gender Unit. After the Ebola outbreak was settled down, students returned to school and so did all the problems people face when sending their children to school; especially if they were girls. 33% of men in Sierra Leone have reached at least a secondary education; only 20.1% of women will do the same. This issue affects me because I feel the need to check my privilege. For this score, we use the 72 gender-specific SDG indicators in the Women Count Data Hubs SDG Dashboard for the 193 UN Member States. These charges included killing, rape, sexual violence, sexual slavery, slave labor, abduction, forced pregnancy and many other horrific things (Ben-Ari & Harsch). PDF | On Dec 15, 2017, Helen Deffner and others published The Issue of Gender - Womens Roles in Sierra Leones Civil War (1991-2002) | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGate It can be absolute or relative, chronic or temporary and is iften associated with inequality (Lok-Dessallien, R. 2000). The history witnesses how people mistreated the others and how other people fought for freedom. The moral purpose of a mans life is the achievement of his own happiness. (The Ethics of. Do you have a 2:1 degree or higher? The Gender Inequality . Ben- Ari, Nirit , and Ernest Harsch. Gender inequality in Sierra Leone, after colonialism among the worst in Sub-Saharan Africa, has been heightened further by the civil war of 1992-2002which was related in part to the struggle for control of "blood diamonds" but also to long-standing social and regional disparities, and to the collapse of formal institutions and widespread . The issue of gender inequity in Sierra Leone is changing and has been improved over the past few years, but it is still not the best it can be. The economic system within Sierra Leone alike the education system, preserves the problems of poverty and inequality within the population, particularly in the rural areas. http://www.un.org/en/development/desa/policy/wess/wess_dev_issues/dsp_policy_01.pdf, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0305750X03000093. In many ways then Goal 8 and Goal 10 are inextricably linked. It becomes clear to him how much the government was taking from him. Women grow between 60% and 80% of the world's food but often they have reduced access to the materials they need and even the food they produce. Women enjoy limited access to decision-making power, and access to and control over resources. Some of these challenges include lack of economic independence, high illiteracy and entrenched customs and traditions, political violence and reprisals, the absence of progressive laws that protect and promote participation for women, and the lack of confidence to vie for public positions. Women are neglected the right to an education due to discriminatory laws and the norms of society that go against the human rights of women. The country has a Gender Inequality Index-GII value of 0.644, ranking it 153 out of 162 countries in the 2018 Index. In 2013 the Governments Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper III Agenda for Prosperity (2013-2018) had a standalone pillar that focused on gender equality and womens empowerment with gender mainstreamed in all the other pillars. This is because many indigenous groups and their practices still support the belief that men are superior to men (Sierra Leone). We should learn from the past and try to create a better situations in countries like Sierra Leone. The female literacy rate has gone from 16.7 percent in 1996 to 23 percent in 2004 (MDGs Sierra Leone). So, with all of the good steps being taken, Sierra Leone may be able to really turn the problem of gender inequity around. 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