Gender Equality- Strategies and Implementations

Running head: GENDER EQUALITY- STRATEGIES AND IMPLEMENTATIONS
Gender Equality- Strategies and Implementations
Name of the University:
Name of the Student:
Author Note:

Gender Equality- Strategies and Implementations
1
The conversation that is provided here, upholds a very significant and sensitive social
issue. In the presented conversation, we observe that two children are involved in a
conversation regarding a fire breakout in the class. We see a little girl to be informing about
the fire break out to a little boy, and the by responds to it saying that he is already aware of
the situation. The girl then is seen to be mentioning about her amusement seeing the firemen
working industriously to curb the fire. Their labour, swiftness and prudency inspired Lisa, the
little girl. Seeing the firemen adeptly, inspired her much and she is seen to be mentioning that
she wants to be a fire woman in the future. However, the response of Matte, the little boy, to
her proposal, is very interesting. He is seen to be mentioning that girls cannot become a fire
women. Once Lisa disagrees with him upon this, he is seen to be substantiating his opinion
by saying that there is no concept of fire woman and there is no fire woman in the history. On
this comment, Lisa is seen to comment that she will become a fire woman, or rather if Matte
is correct about his opinion then, in that case, she will like to be the first fire woman. At this
note, the conversation among them stops as the teacher steps into the class.
Needed Strategy:
This particular conversation between these two kids uphold the current debate
regarding the women stepping into the so called “men’s world”, by applying for the jobs or
work opportunities which is socially known as the ‘men’s domain’. Children are
indoctrinated from a very early age to believe in the gender stereotypes which are constructed
by patriarchal social norms. These norms advocate that men and women are binary opposites
(Robinson and Diaz.2006). Therefore, children are socialized with respect to particular
gender identities which restrict the agency of women with respect to their potential
aspirations and achievements. They are conditioned to believe that certain ‘jobs’ fit women
and others fit men. For example, the position of a male nurse and a female fire-fighter
challenges the patriarchal notion of employment. Therefore, in order to bridge the wage gap

Gender Equality- Strategies and Implementations
2
and employment opportunities between men and women, the socially constructed job roles
and expectations need to be questioned as well as challenged.
In order to challenge these constructions, education needs to play a significant role,
especially during the period of early schooling because it is at this time that children are
conditioned into the patriarchal norms which define and limit the scope of female workforce
and employment. One important consequence of these constructions is the glaring wage gap
between men and women. It has been shown that even for the same job; women are paid
much less in comparison to their male counterparts (Nelson and Walton. 2014). Additionally,
job opportunities in the place of construction, engineering, mechanics, etc. are much less for
women in comparison to men. From these facts, it is clear that the social constructions of
masculinity and femininity determine the life chances and opportunities of individuals.
Teachers, parents and the even the mainstreams media should be at the forefront to
counter these patriarchal narratives and help in reversal of gendered identities. Teacher and
parents need to encourage their young women to aspire for jobs which are traditionally
dominated by men. Their inspiration and guidance will play an important in this regard. The
media will also need to promote content which advocate gender equality and portray both
genders on the same footing with respect to jobs, opportunities and chances (Lindon. 2012).
Television shows, movies and other content often portray the patriarchal gender identities
which in turn influence and indoctrinate children into forming a worldview within the
particular framework (MacNaughton, and Hughes. 2014). Therefore, negative sanctions must
be placed for content which do not promote gender equality.
From the perspective of development and policy making, certain guidelines and rules
needs to be set in motion so that all sections of the society build up from the foundation of
gender equality. People in and outside the government must advocate for policy changes,