Even with the “women’s rights are human rights” slogan, women all over the world are still being denied some of these rights simply because of their gender. In some parts of the world, when women take five steps forward, society tries to take them seven steps back. This shouldn’t be tolerated. Women’s rights go beyond giving opportunities to women and girls. How about changing the way society perceives certain entitlements, and changing what they believe women can or can’t do? It is safe to say that in old days, the situation was a lot worse. Girls were kept from school (sadly some cultures still enforce this), women weren’t allowed to work, among other things. Society has since evolved, and women are proving to be a force to reckon with in the workforce. Nevertheless, there is still so much to be done to ensure that the world leans more towards gender balance in all aspects. Every journey begins with one step, and going by the various areas women are thriving and excelling, we are one step closer to making equal gender rights a solid reality. Let’s take a look at the workforce. Yes, more women are filling up job vacancies, however, that doesn’t mean that discrimination at the workplace is non-existent. Offering a woman a job but giving all the assignments to her male counterparts seems quite unfair. “Women need to constantly prove their competence and worth. Why do some people in society see us and second-guess our ability to deliver? Some men just need to stop undermining us and women should go out and prove their worth instead of waiting to be spoon-fed,” Sarah Murungi, a college student, says. The fight against gender discrimination should be society’s fight. There are men out there who embrace and advocate for the rights of women. “The struggle is still on. Being one of the few female teachers at the school I work is proof of that. There are plenty of women out there with suitable qualifications but aren’t given the chance. No human being should tell you what you can or can’t do. We were all created as equals,” says Rebecca Ombewa, a high school teacher. Women came from being housewives to CEOs. If that is attainable, much more will be achieved with the continued advocacy of equal rights. “If women want to be treated as equals, then they need to be just as qualified. However, some ladies use their gender as an excuse not to work hard enough or achieve certain qualifications,” Brian Manzi, a gym trainer, says. editor@newtimesrwanda.com
