Importance of Feminism in the modern world

Why world need Feminist Ideology?

Feminism is not solely a third-world issue. Women constitute 49.58% of the global population, yet they face significant hardships and adversities worldwide. Startling statistics, such as 60% of chronically hungry individuals being women, 80% of displaced persons in the wake of wars and conflicts being women, and women comprising two-thirds of the 774 million illiterate population internationally, provide a glimpse into an advanced world where women continue to endure more than their male counterparts.

History reveals why Feminism was needed.

Women have perennially been marginalized, and gender discrimination has persistently existed. Likewise, feminists and feminism have existed throughout history. However, feminism, as a political and social movement, gained momentum in the mid-19th century. The French philosopher Charles Fourier initially coined the term ‘feminism’, while Mary Wollstonecraft, an English writer, and philosopher, is acknowledged as the first feminist. Feminism comprises socio-political movements and ideologies advocating for equality between the sexes in economic, social, personal, and political spheres. The first wave of feminism occurred in the mid-19th century and the early 20th century. The second wave emerged in the 1970s, and the third wave unfolded in the 1990s to the 21st century. The current and fourth wave of feminism, starting in 2012, aims at achieving greater gender equality and women’s empowerment. Despite the prevalent notion that women’s marginalization, gender discrimination, and feminism are exclusively third-world issues, the reality is that women in the first world also face challenges and discrimination in various aspects of life at different levels. Hence, feminism is not merely a third-world issue; it is, in fact, a global concern. The transformative impact of feminism on women’s lives and its positive influence on the world at large cannot be overlooked. Nevertheless, several challenges persist, and addressing them is crucial, as women continue to suffer based solely on their gender.

One of the foremost global challenges is poverty, affecting both men and women but not to the same extent. It is closely tied to gender inequality or discrimination in diverse regions across the globe. Women in low- and middle-income countries often endure more hardships than their counterparts in affluent countries. Poverty significantly affects girls’ education at both the primary and secondary levels, maternal mortality, and their overall well-being. Research indicates that in 24 low-income countries, only 34% of girls from economically disadvantaged households can access primary education, compared to 72% from affluent households. Uneducated women struggle to care for their health and their children’s health due to a lack of awareness. Moreover, developing countries incur trillions of dollars in losses by not fully leveraging their human capital in the form of women. Uneducated women cannot fully participate in social, economic, and political domains. Therefore, poverty has more detrimental effects on the lives of women and girls than on men, relatively.

Similarly, maternal mortality and adolescent fertility rates are higher in middle- and low-income countries, with a significantly high incidence in sub-Saharan countries. There has been a notable decrease in maternal mortality rates in South Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. However, despite evidence indicating the possibility of reducing maternal mortality rates to zero, it still persists, with 211 maternal deaths recorded per 100,000 live births in 2017. Currently, 650 million girls and women are living who were married as children, with South Asia accounting for almost half of child brides worldwide. Early pregnancy, occurring before the age of 18, leads to 70,000 deaths each year. The lack of reproductive healthcare facilities for women is a leading cause of maternal casualties and unsafe abortions, especially in developing countries. Similarly, early pregnancy compels young girls to discontinue studies in developed countries, as only 40% of teenage mothers finish school, and a mere 2% finish college, putting their future at stake. Likewise, single motherhood is a significant women’s issue that pushes women into poverty and other challenges in developed nations. In 2020, there were 15.49 million families with single mothers, and these mothers tend to face financial constraints as well as emotional challenges, negatively impacting their well-being.

The gender wage gap, low participation of women in the labor force, and gender discrimination in workplaces are significant issues confronting women worldwide, with the gender wage gap being more prevalent in developed economies. The gender wage gap implies that women are paid approximately 22% less than men for the same quantity and quality of work. In the medical field, women are paid 12% less than their male peers, and the same goes for waitresses, who are paid 12% less than waiters. In the United States, the wage gap is 81 cents to a man’s dollar. Workplace discrimination and male dominance at the workplace are major women’s issues in both developed and developing countries. Women experience more disparities in STEM fields, which are more male-dominated. According to Oprah Winfrey, in 2010, one hundred thousand women were marginalized from white-collar jobs and executive positions. Only 19% of firms globally have female managers. This discrimination results in the low performance of women and economic disparities between the two genders. The earning gap is costing the world trillions, as the global economy could increase by $172 trillion if gender parity in wages is achieved.

Similarly, women are underrepresented in parliaments and leadership positions. Despite comprising approximately half of the world population, women make up merely 25% of all national parliaments, the highest in human history. Women form 70% of the labor force in medical and social services, while only 25% of women are given positions of policymaking and leadership in this field. Women are underrepresented in decision-making at personal, household, institutional, community, national, and international levels. This inequality leads to policies formed by men and in favor of men, resulting in further inequality. Gender parity is nearly impossible to achieve without the inclusion of women in decision-making processes. This inclusion can help women increase their self-esteem and make decisions for themselves and their communities. Importantly, women should be free in decision-making at a personal level. They should be free to choose their careers and partners and have complete autonomy in deciding the number of children or choosing not to have children at all. There is no freedom or equality if a woman is not free to make personal choices, and this is one of the most basic rights of every human being.

Some other serious issues faced by women include rape or forced sex, harassment, sex trafficking—one of the fastest-growing criminal enterprises—objectification of women by the media, and gender-based violence. Throughout their lifetime, 1 in 3 women globally experiences violence. Developed countries, especially, prevail in rape cases, with almost 35% of women experiencing violence by their intimate partners. In human trafficking, 98% of women are used for sexual exploitation and sexual violence. In many societies, these are considered social stigmas, hence women rarely open up about such incidents. However, rape, harassment, and violence have long-term implications on women’s lives. Many women, after being sexually exploited or exposed to violence, fall into deep depression and suffer from sexual traumas or PTSD. Their self-esteem is tarnished, and in third-world societies, they are further marginalized and blamed. Additionally, women have been objectified by the media, leading to more gender-based violence and rapes. The unrealistic beauty standards set by the media compel women to adopt unhealthy ways to achieve those standards. In the media, women are portrayed as decoration pieces with beautiful faces and attractive bodies to attract consumers. The media ignores all other human attributes of women, such as intelligence, personality, and emotions. This is also because the media is dominated by men, and the majority of writers and directors are men, not women.

Women’s discrimination is human discrimination and a problem for half of the world’s population. Societies and nations can achieve prosperity by providing equal access to resources and opportunities for both sexes. Reforms are needed at the global level to eradicate women’s marginalization, especially in the areas of education, the job market, reproductive health, and the representation of women in parliaments. Equal distribution of resources can significantly decrease gender discrimination. Reduction in poverty and illiteracy can have a positive impact on the gender parity index, as most women are currently dealing with poverty and illiteracy. Stable progress and welfare at the global level are impossible without the full participation of women in every field and at every level. Women need to prevail in STEM fields to serve society more or equally to men. The silver lining is that significant development has been achieved in recent years in gender parity; nevertheless, much progress has yet to be made in this regard.