Can the world ever achieve total equality among men and women?

Answer 1

It is true that the world has been unequal from the very beginning. God created it so with purposeful differences. That makes the creation beautiful with so much of varieties. Therefore the god made differences should be maintained with appreciation but not to exploit each other. The equality between men and women is a matter of the mind and attitude. That is man made and it should not be justified at any cost and it should be overcome.

Answer 2

we should not have equality . women power is known to her. she will not be satisfied in ruling the globe or claiming achievements. By nature she is suportive of good cause. rightly said men has more achievement than women . but behind every successful man was a women and will remain women. Women is not power hungry . She is hungry to contribute for a cause.
Equality should not be assumed as economical / power. If at all we want to equate, its love and team work.

Answer 3

What do you mean when you say equality? Do you mean that women should be treated as the world treats men. In that case woman would whine for their dignity. If a working woman is being scolded by her boss, she would immediatly bring her dignity into picture, "So what? He should have behaved like taht because I am a woman." they wanna compete with the men without taking it the man's way. Want rights equivalent to a man, face the world as a man does. Else stay away from the business.

I did be glad to treat them with equality. Atleast for once I'll get a chance to forget about their so called dignity, abuse them, fight with them, throw them of their seats in a bus or a train, push them in a queue to make my way, for once the ladys first funda would be out of my mind. But the probelm is we don't treat them equally. We have to give some space to their so called dignity (which is just a tool to get their jobs done before men could complete it).

I believe man and woman have different roles to play for the development of the society. Each one should honestly paly his/her role and stop naggin about it. There lies the problem. Most of the women compare there roles and start nagging about it. They would themselves develop an inferiority complex within and then complain that the people around are not treating her well.

The fact is that both man and woman are two different aspects of the society that are equally important if and only if they stick to their tasks. If they budge a bit, that's gonna create some imbalance in the harmonic cycle of the society...

:-)

Answer 4

no because men have made all the history. anything prior to about 100yrs. ago was distroyed or not acknowledged if it was done by a women. its getting close in america and some other countires but men have had the power for a while.

Answer 5

yes when man comes to know about the problems being faced by women when he dresses himself as a woman

Answer 6

No, and who would want it. I am proud to be a woman but I also like not having to lift the fridge down the stairs when we move. Also what woman really wants to take out the garbage and mow lawns.....LOL.....NOT ME!!!

Answer 7

not as long as individuals have the freedom strive for more.

Answer 8

Once men become the advocates of gender equality, women will no longer have to fight for their rights. But denying gender equality is a gross injustice to women and enables men to maintain attitudes and behaviours which are expressed in the family, workplace, political arena and even in international relations. Nothing can justify the denial of gender equality, be it on a moral, practical or biological level. Can whole and equal partnerships between women and men be established? Can we embrace equality in spite of our differences? In many areas, men are already committed to gender equality, and while they may still be few and far between, their efforts deserve to be highlighted so others can follow. This presentation will showcase how the Bahá'í International Community's value system contributes to the establishment of partnerships between women and men for a healthier and more united society.

1. The role of men and boys in achieving gender equality

During the past twenty years, many statements and documents stemming from international meetings have stated, to varying degrees, the importance of participation by men and boys in the achievement of gender equality. Among others, the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) held in 1995 should be mentioned, as well as the fourth World Conference on Women in Beijing in 1995, the World Summit for Social Development, which took place in Copenhagen, also in 1995, and the Special Sessions held by the United Nations General Assembly in 1999 and 2000. Men were called upon to share in household duties, to examine their responsibilities regarding reproduction and sexual behaviour, to provide girls and boys with the same educational opportunities and, overall, to take part in any measure for the achievement of gender equality.

In 1997, UNESCO also emphasized the importance of an equal partnership between women and men in order to jointly overcome obstacles, inertia, silence and frustration and to develop new ideas, political willingness, creative thinking and concrete action to move towards global peace rather than a culture of violence. The expert panel reached some very interesting conclusions, which it released in 2004 1.

The 48th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women held in March 2004 represented a further step in ensuring men's participation in the gender equality process. The identification of the role of men and boys in gender equality at the end of the Beijing Platform for Action consultations was daring, yet necessary, since there is good reason to believe that, without conscious and willing participation by men in the women's movement, efforts for the advancement of women will not get far. From the very beginning, the Report of the Secretary General conveyed the important message that "achieving gender equality is recognized as a societal responsibility that concerns and should fully engage men as well as women and requires partnership between men and women 2".

A panel meeting was held in 2003 in Brasilia in preparation for the Commission. Their findings 3, as well as the Report of the UN Secretary General, provided an overview of the issues, problems and challenges that have to be addressed in order to achieve gender equality. Throughout the Commission, consultations focused on the role of men and boys in the quest for gender equality, including the socialization and upbringing of boys and young people, men as agents of change in the labour market and workplace, the sharing of household responsibilities and care of family members as well as the role of men in the prevention of HIV/AIDS.

2. The 48th Session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York, March 2004

I had the great privilege of participating in the Session of the CSW in New York as a member of the Canadian delegation in 2004. I was invited to share my thoughts on the role of men and boys in achieving gender equality, the focus of my sociological research for the past few years. I was one of two representatives from non-governmental organizations (NGO) chosen for the delegation as part of the Government of Canada's long-standing practice of including NGO representatives, which not all countries do.

I had attended the debates twice before, in 2002 and 2003, as a member of the Bahá'í International Community, in one of the seats reserved for NGO representatives. However, the March 2004 CSW Session gave me an entirely new perspective on the negotiations between member states. I witnessed Canada's leadership in the international arena on human rights, in particular the promotion of women's rights as fully recognized human rights.

When I returned, I was invited to speak on the Commission's findings and debates at universities, colleges and before women's organizations. These presentations led me to the following realizations:

Few people, few women and even few feminists know of the CSW and of the work it does internationally.


Most people under 25 whom I met knew nothing of feminist battles, of international charters on women's rights, of Beijing or of other United Nations' international conferences on women.


Many young women expressed their desire to work with men to achieve equality since they had developed a new type of more equal relationship with them in their schools, workplaces and families.


For many men and a number of women, the women's movement is outdated, women have won the battle and equality has been achieved. Women may even have gone too far. Men are now the losers whose wounds, caused by feminism, should be nursed.


Young men are often timid in discussions and do not express themselves much. They seem to be under the impression that gender equality does not concern them, that it is a women's issue and that they should not get involved.


Among long-time feminists, I sensed a great amount of mistrust and resistance regarding the involvement of men in the gender equality process and even a lot of criticism regarding the CSW's choice of topic. They see it as the work of male lobbyists trying to divert attention away from women. They wonder why we are discussing men when the problems women face are getting worse and when feminism and its hard-earned victories are under attack.


Yet, in January 2004, I had an interesting and promising experience at McGill University in Montreal, where I was invited to host a chat during Equality Week. The 14 women and 13 men between the ages of 20 and 30 who attended actively participated in the discussion on the role of men and boys in achieving gender equality. The group quickly identified some of the benefits of gender equality, particularly for men: access to twice the human potential when women and men work together; greater emotional closeness of men with their children; the acceptance of hidden abilities, perceived as "feminine", in terms of caring and nurturing, etc. However, one young man saw rapid change as an enormous challenge. Studying to become a teacher, he could not imagine trying to convince children of the benefits of equality. While he could see its advantages, he believed that gender equality was a utopian goal.
3. Integrating men into the women's movement involves both risks and benefits

Some feminists and some men who support the women's movement clearly express their fear that men will take up all the space on the political and social protest stage and will henceforth define the gender issues. Another frequently expressed worry is that limited resources available to women's organizations will be redirected towards men. There is also a fear that leaders, financial backers, the media and the general public will be seduced by masculine discourse: the victimization of men, allegations that men are the victims of the same amount of violence as women in conjugal relationships, that they are at a disadvantage when it comes to custody issues, that there is a higher suicide rate among men and a higher academic failure rate among boys, and so on. These arguments certainly give cause for concern, aimed as they are at comparing the problems of women and men without considering the patriarchal domination that still impacts gender relations.

Many studies on masculinity over the pas twenty years support these fears by ignoring the uneven relationship between women and men and focusing solely on men and on the various conceptions of masculinity. As informative as these studies may be on the living conditions of men, on their suffering and on their perceptions of life, they do not really deal with what prevents gender equality. In fact, these studies tend to look at men as male individuals rather than as human beings; they focus on what was traditionally different about the male experience. Studying masculinity without considering the current social position of men poses the risk of eclipsing their dominant status in their relationships with women. In Masculinities, Robert Connell 4 clearly identifies the shortcomings of such studies when they are developed in the same way as feminist studies without having the same scope or objectives.

However, we must recognize that many researchers try to understand how traditional ways of socializing and raising boys prevent them from developing non competitive and aggressive behaviours. We must also acknowledge that men of all ages now play an active part in the transformation of society. They are members of groups and organizations combating violence against women, they sometimes defend gender equality publicly and they try to be better fathers, brothers, sons and spouses. While their efforts could go much farther, we must recognize the signs of positive change in attitudes and behaviours. These positive actions by enlightened men must be encouraged, given how many women still find themselves in discouraging situations. We must seek to get closer to men and boys who already question the culture of violence. As Connell explains:

Almost all soldiers are men, but most men are not soldiers. Though most killers are men, most men never kill or even commit assault. Though an appalling number of men do rape, most men do not. It is a fact of great importance, both theoretically and practically, that there are many non-violent men in the world 5.
I believe that this acknowledgement is important if we, as women, want to work with men in trust and in partnership.

We must admit that we no longer have the choice of allowing men and boys to participate in the women's movement. The women's movement has come up against a wall, a wall of resistance that must be demolished one brick at a time. If the long process of women's liberation is to continue, men must henceforth play an active part in the women's movement, and not just pay it lip service, and become defenders of gender equality. Men have promoted the universality of human rights for centuries. They must now acknowledge the rights of women as human rights and help others do so as well.

How can we prove to men that they will also benefit from gender equality? How do we make them the true allies of women? How do we bring about deep and voluntary changes in behaviours and attitudes in order to ensure the lasting transformation of gender relations? How do we bring men and boys to acknowledge the respect they owe women and girls, their mothers, sisters, daughters, spouses, friends and co-workers?

4. The Bahá'í International Community's principles regarding the advancement of gender equality

As previously mentioned, the Platform for Action, which was endorsed by several countries in Beijing in 1995, called for men and boys to take part in the achievement of gender equality. The essential contribution of men and boys was clearly re-expressed during the UN's 48th Session of the CSW in March 2004. In the past few years, the civil and political rights of women have evolved, but have not yet been fully implemented. Gender equality now needs far more than legal jargon and international agreements: it requires profound changes in individual and collective values. The challenge facing men is particularly difficult. They must radically change their perception of the world and their way of life in order to allow women to play their part in the social institutions men still control almost entirely.

The Bahá'ís' teachings offer a model of gender equality based on a fully equal partnership between women and men and on the active involvement of men and boys in gender equality. Here are some of the underlying principles:

The Bahá'ís actively participate in an evolving transformation process of fundamental values of social life, even in regions where cultural traditions are major obstacles to the advancement of women. A lasting change occurs when women and men organize their lives in a cooperative, rather than confrontational, manner. In this context, men of all ages are called upon to encourage and support women in developing their full potential and in their effort to achieve equality and the recognition of their rights. True cooperation ensures that much more will be achieved over the longer term. Within the family, girls and boys learn to respect women and to share in household chores. Much importance is placed on the education of both genders, but priority is given to girls 6. Practical measures are put in place to teach boys as early as possible to promote gender equality and to ensure men fully support gender equality. The goal is to make men and boys aware that their interests are linked to those of women.


The full development of men and boys is seen as closely linked to the advancement of women. A society that recognizes gender equality considers the interests of both genders. Women and men can develop with more balance and within the full diversity of their potential. They can get rid of rigid stereotypical roles that prevent the family dynamic from evolving and women from having full access to the workplace. Both women and men learn how to recognize the needs of the other gender, particularly in connection with women's reproductive health. Inequality and dominating and violent trends are gradually replaced by true partnerships characterized by cooperation, shared resources and joint decision making.


Gender equality is not considered to be an end in itself, but part of an organic process that leads to the realisation of the human race's oneness. Based on experience in achieving gender equality in 182 countries, the Bahá'ís believe in this initiative's success and in the increased participation of men and boys in achieving this goal. For them, humankind is like a bird, with two wings, one female and one male. Both wings must be strong for the bird to fly. Similar yet different, these wings are the perfect example of the partnerships that must be established between women and men for humanity to accomplish its desire for peace and justice. Women and men must see each other as equal partners and work together in total agreement towards the same goal: absolute gender equality.
Conclusion

In spite of the tragic events that contribute to the increased awareness of the plight of women across the world, much work still needs to be done to educate, inform and sensitize girls and boys, women and men. Ten years after Beijing, we are still witnessing serious injustices towards an ever increasing number of women, as well as the emergence of new problems on an international scale: increased poverty, female trafficking, pornography, violence of all kinds, HIV/AIDS, and so on. Yet, the world has never been as well endowed with charters and laws aimed at protecting individuals and groups. The scientific knowledge and resources required to solve almost any concrete human problem are readily available. International charters, resolutions and agreements are still but moral commitments by governments that often fail to keep their promises, and there is still no institution responsible for ensuring their application and enforcement.

In order to achieve true equality, women and men must relinquish all feelings of guilt and attitudes of blame and play their part in the transformation of society. Men must use their influence within civilian, political and religious institutions, which they still primarily control, to encourage the participation of women, without condescension, because they believe that their contribution is necessary to society's evolution. Women must continue to learn in order to attain all fields of human activity so they can contribute to the word's social, economic and political development through their talents, skills and experience.

For a third wave of feminism to take place, we must focus on mutual respect and trust, we must make room for young women and men and rely on the changes that will occur in thinking and behaving as a result of the unexpected gains achieved through partnerships between women and men. Furthermore, we must learn to accept change-which is probably the biggest challenge we face-and abandon all behaviours and attitudes stemming from outdated traditions, which may have been comforting at one time, but are no longer efficient today.

As feminist analyses have long suggested, it is important to stress the inequality in both genders' social conditions. A true gender-based analysis does not trivialize the problems women face and highlights the discrepancy that exists between the status of women and men. It would be regretful to witness dissension within the women's movement due to fear, no doubt justified, that women's liberation issues will once again get relegated to the back burner and banished to the rank of "women's issues".