Get Inspired, Be Empowered › Forums › Gender Justice › Do you think justice in society is gender-biased? › Reply To: Do you think justice in society is gender-biased?
There is no denying the fact that Women now have a vital and decisive role in all fields. Women’s status in all aspects of life has been enhanced, thus enacting radical changes in the perception of women and their role in various and diverse fields. In particular leadership areas. In the last decades, women were able to chart a new path through their contribution and success. However, many contexts are still endangering these achievements. The empowerment of women still needs to be supported in order to capitalize on their capabilities and great potentials. Gender equality is a matter of social justice. It allowing equal access to rights and opportunities. It makes our societies richer and more secure. Gender equality is a condition of development, peace, and security. So it is first a matter of principles that women should be empowered. The benefits will be perceived by the entire community.
Women in India have faced many challenges. Increasing violence and intolerance have impacted and threatened previous achievements. Crime against women still continues to weaken the concept of gender equality and the enjoyment of women’s rights. The role of the judicial system is also under scanner. Sometimes the ideology and life experiences might influence the court decisions and women have to be at their receiving end. Many judges mix their personal beliefs while they are considering court cases, even when they have the best possible intentions.
Gender equality also does not mean that males and females must always be treated the same. Given the existence of biological sex differences, it is reasonable for males and females to have different legal rights in some instances. For example, only females can ever require maternity leave specifically for pregnancy and birth. Equity means recognizing that differences in ability mean that fairness often requires treating people differently so that they can achieve the same outcome. At times equity is necessary to achieve gender equality, but there are many instances where this is not the case. Gender equality is seeing males and females as being of equal status and value. It is judging a person based on their merit, and not viewing them as inferior or superior purely based on their gender. Unfortunately, the evidence reviewed above suggests this prejudice is still widespread, and we often aren’t aware of our own biases. We cannot say that we have gender equality until this prejudice is overcome and we have eliminated the irrational bias that people have against somebody just because they are female. Equal rights are not enough. Inequality exists in our minds, in our biases and prejudices, and that remains to be fixed.