Community Psychology and Gender Discrimination

Psychology
Community Psychology
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Professors’ name
Institution
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Psychology
Introduction
Community psychology is a branch of psychology that entails the study of how various
individuals from society relate to their respective communities and the reciprocal effect that the
community has on these individuals (Nelson & Lavoie, 2010). Community psychologist is often
interested in researching various unpleasant and/or problematic situations and thereby finding
solutions and means to improve such situations.
Community psychology emerged around the middle 20th century. Unlike in recent years, the
society during this time was considered to be less conservative and therefore there were incidents
of lesser community problems which became more prominent as time went by (Trickett & Rowe,
2012). As a result of this, community psychology emerged with the sole purpose of
understanding the few but prominent problems in the community and devising ways to solve
them.
It is important to note that community psychology was born in a time that was characterized with
widespread social change as well as an emerging critical consciousness as various individuals
tried to analyze and understand different societal power differences that were emerging. The
history of community psychology is based on a group of psychologists actively promoting the
use of behavioral as well as behavioral science for the overall well-being of people and their
communities at large (Mankowski & Maton, 2012). This is to say that community psychologist
engages and research as well as theory development with the aim of increasing understanding
various human behaviors in the community.
Community psychology and social justice

Psychology
Social justice is a well- known philosophical concept which provides that all people regardless of
their gender, sexual orientation, ethnicities, and background should have equal access to wealth,
opportunities, health, well-being, and justice (Moane, 2010).
It is also important to note that social justice is a wide concept that is limited to any political
movement or social alienation. It's a concept that emphasizes just relationships between various
individuals in the society and the society itself. It basically assigns duties and rights to the
society and various systems in the society that ensure individuals some basic benefits such as
equal opportunities in employment. Some of the systems and institutions that social justice
assigns responsibility are; the public service, public health, and social insurance among others
(Case, Todd, Kral, 2014).
Social justice is a concept that emerged in the early 19th century immediately after the onset of
the industrial revolution and civil revolution in Europe. In the late 20th century social justice had
expanded its scope in the sense that it's stopped being concerned with economics alone but also
other spheres of social life such as gender, race and some other basis of inequality in the society
(Duflo, 2012).
Social justice and Female gentile mutilation in Ethiopia
In cases where there is no gender equality then gender discrimination dominates. Gender equality
is often referred to as easy access to resources as well as opportunities regardless of the gender
barrier. Gender discrimination is a case where there is no gender equality and therefore no equal
opportunities and/or access of equal resources is provided based on gender issues (Quimby &
Angelique, 2011).

Psychology
Studies indicate that gender discrimination cuts across all dimensions of inequalities ranging
from religious, social to economic. In most cases, all activities that are steered towards social
justice ware in vain and futile when gender inequality and/or discrimination persists in a certain
social setting.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is a procedure that is undertaken to intentionally alter and/or
cause injury to the female sex organ for non-medical reasons. In most cases, female genital
mutilation is accompanied by severe bleeding and urinating problems as well as other infections
and complications at childbirth (Caldwell & Vera, 2013).
Statistics indicate that over 250 million girls and women both in Africa, Asia and in the Middle
East have undergone female genital mutilation. In most of the cases that have been reported, its
conducted on young girls that are between the age of infancy up to 16 years of age (Bjälkander et
al, 2012).
Case study for FGM in Ethiopia
Genet Girma is a 31-year-old woman who was a trailblazer in her community. When she was in
her teenage about fifteen years ago she ran away from home immediately she learned that her
mother had planned for her to undergo female genital mutilation.
FGM is deeply rooted in many communities in Ethiopia, the Kembatta community which Ms.
Genet belongs is no exception. Ms. Genet has had a chance to learn about the extreme
consequence of this practice early enough from some local activities and therefore refused to
undergo the practice herself.