Gender Equality in the Gambia Essay Sample
The perceptual experience of the construct of gender equality is non decently understood in both sexes throughout The Gambia. Aim
The aim of this research work is based on three things: * To convey to illume the proper construct of gender equality. * To determine if there is any possibility of entire gender equality in all plants of life in The Gambia. * To happen out the base of both faiths i. e. Islam and Christianity on the capable affair of gender equality.
Significance OF THE STUDY
The importance of this research on Gender equality can non be over emphasize. for the simple ground that gender equality has become a litigious issue in faith. political relations. economic and societal platform. all four platforms have divergent positions on the capable affair.
GENDER EQUALITY IN THE GAMBIA
Under the 1997 Constitution. adult females in the Gambia are accorded equal rights with work forces. Yet gender militants believed that there is still inequality between the sexes in The Gambia. mostly because of the patriarchal nature of Gambian society reinforces traditional functions of adult females. In The Gambia. there is a double legal system that combines civil jurisprudence ( inspired by the British system ) and Islamic Sharia. Family Code: The Torahs recognise four signifiers of matrimony: Christian. civil. customary and Mohommedan ( which are governed by Sharia ) . The 1997 Constitution provinces that all matrimonies shall be based on the free and full consent of the intended parties. except under customary jurisprudence which still supports the tradition of kid engagement. More than 90 per cent of Gambian adult females are governed by customary and Sharia jurisprudence vis-a-vis their household relationships. The Gambia has no minimal legal age for matrimony and. Polygamy is allowable in Gambian society and is practiced ; Men may take up to four married womans.
Wifes whose hubbies enter a 2nd or subsequent matrimony have the option to disassociate. In the Gambia hubbies are considered to be the natural caput of the household ; as such. they have exclusive duty for affairs refering the elevation of kids. albeit consent of adult females are seek on occasion. Women’s rights with respect to inheritance depend on the jurisprudence applied. Sharia provides for elaborate and complex computations of heritage portions. whereby adult females may inherit from their male parent. female parent. hubby or kids and. under certain conditions. from other household members. However. their portions are by and large merely half of that to which work forces are entitled. Christian adult females and female kids can have belongingss under the volitions of their hubbies or male parents. work forces receive the bigger portion. The portion of heritage for both sexes will be discuss in item.
Physical Integrity: Gender militants believe that Protection for the physical unity of Gambian adult females is weak. Violence against adult females. including domestic force and maltreatment is seldom reported. but its happening is believed to be rather common. Even though wife-beating is a condemnable offense ( and constitutes evidences for divorce under civil jurisprudence ) . the constabulary typically see such incidents to be domestic issues that lie beyond their legal power. The Gambia does hold Torahs forbiding colza and assault. which are by and large enforced. The population sex ratio in the Gambia has been stable for the past 50 old ages. proposing it is non a state of concern in relation to losing adult females.
Ownership Rights: Womans in the Gambia have ownership rights to land. but really few have land compared to work forces. Refering entree to land. merely a little proportion of adult females have rubrics to set down belongings. The job is particularly acute in rural countries: traditional and cultural patterns allow adult females to hold the right to usufruct over land but. they don’t ain it personally. This tendency is quickly altering as adult females of the Gambia are increasing having belongingss in The urban countries. The jurisprudence does non know apart against adult females in the country of entree to bank loans or recognition installations. Civil Autonomies: Womans in the Gambia have civil autonomy. There are no limitations on women’s freedom of motion or freedom of frock.
OVERVIEW OF GENDER EQUALITY
What is gender equality? Gender equality is the equal representation of adult females and work forces. Gender equality does non connote that adult females and work forces are the same. but that they have equal value and should be accorded equal intervention. Gender equality describes the absence of obvious or concealed disparities among persons based on gender. Disparities can include the favoritism in footings of chances. resources. services. benefits. decision-making power and influence. It is of import to observe that gender is a societal concept which is based on societal functions. non sexual differences per Se. The dichotomous nature of gender lends to the creative activity of inequality that manifests itself in legion dimensions of day-to-day life. Gender functions are defined by Culture and Tradition.
It differs from topographic point to topographic point. Culture is non inactive. but dynamic. Sexual difference is biological. Gender inequality is socia1. The salient points are: Rules. norms. values and be1iefs The United Nations respects gender equality as a human right. They point out that: empowering adult females is besides an indispensable tool for progressing development and cut downing poorness. Gender equality refers to the equal valuing of the functions of adult females and work forces. It works to get the better of the barriers of stereotypes and biass so that both sexes are able to every bit lend to and profit from economic. societal. cultural and political developments within society. When adult females and work forces have comparative equality. economic systems grow faster and there is less corruptness. When adult females are healthy and educated. their households. communities and states benefit.
Gender
Gender is a societal concept. It refers to the relationship between work forces and adult females. misss and male childs. Harmonizing to Carolyn Hannan ( 2000 ) . gender relates ‘to the properties and chances associated with being male and female. and the socio-cultural relationships between adult females and work forces. and misss and boys’ . These properties. chances and relationships are socially constructed and learned through socialisation procedures. They are passed from one coevals to another. They are nevertheless. context specific and mutable. They are non inactive but dynamic. ‘In most societies there are differences and disparities ( inequalities ) between adult females and work forces in activities undertaken. entree to and command over resources and decision-making ( power ) chances. Gender is an built-in portion of the broader socio-cultural context. The construct of gender demands to be understood clearly as a cross-cutting socio-cultural variable. It is an overarching variable in the sense that gender can besides be applied to all other cross-cutting variables such as race. category. age. cultural group. etc. Gender systems are established in different socio-cultural contexts which determine what is expected. allowed and valued in a woman/man and girl/boy in these specific contexts. Gender functions are learned through socialisation procedures ; they are non fixed but are mutable.
Gender systems are institutionalized through instruction systems. political and economic systems. statute law. and civilization and traditions. In using a gender attack the focal point is non on single adult females and work forces but on the system which determines gender functions / duties. entree to and command over resources. and decision-making potencies. It is besides of import to stress that the construct of gender is non interchangeable with adult females. Gender refers to both adult females and work forces. and the dealingss between them. Promotion of gender equality should concern and prosecute work forces every bit good as adult females. In recent old ages at that place has been a much stronger direct focal point on work forces in research on gender positions. There are three chief attacks taken in the increased focal point on work forces. First. the demand to place work forces as Alliess for gender equality and affect them more actively in this work.
Second. the acknowledgment that gender equality is non possible unless work forces change their attitudes and behavior in many countries. for illustration in relation to reproductive rights and wellness. And thirdly. that gender systems in topographic point in many contexts are negative for work forces every bit good as for adult females – making unrealistic demands on work forces and necessitating work forces to act in narrowly defined ways. A considerable sum of interesting research is being undertaken. by both adult females and work forces. on male individualities and maleness. The increased focal point on work forces will hold important impact on future schemes for working with gender positions in development. Gender equality
Gender equality is the preferable nomenclature within the United Nations. instead than gender equity. Gender equity denotes an component of reading of societal justness. normally based on tradition. usage. faith or civilization. which is most frequently to the hurt to adult females. Such usage of equity in relation to the promotion of adult females is unacceptable. During the Beijing conference in 1995 it was agreed that the term equality would be utilized. Gender Equality means that the rights. duties and chances of persons will non depend on whether they are born male or female. Equality does non intend “ the same as” – publicity of gender equality does non intend than adult females and work forces will go the same. Equality between adult females and work forces has both a quantitative and a qualitative facet. The quantitative facet refers to the desire to accomplish just representation of adult females – increasing balance and para. while the quantitative facet refers to accomplishing just influence on set uping development precedences and results for adult females and work forces.
Equality involves guaranting that the perceptual experiences. involvements. demands and precedences of adult females and work forces ( which can be really different because of the differing functions and duties of adult females and work forces ) will be given equal weight in planning and decision-making. There is a double principle for advancing gender equality. First. that equality between adult females and work forces – equal rights. chances and duties – is a affair of human rights and societal justness. And secondly. that greater equality between adult females and work forces is besides a stipulation for ( and effectual index of ) sustainable people-centred development. The perceptual experiences. involvements. demands and precedences of both adult females and work forces must be taken into consideration non merely as a affair of societal justness but because they are necessary to enrich development procedures. Gender mainstreaming
Gender mainstreaming is a procedure undertaken to accomplish gender equality. non a end in itself. It requires gender specific steps for progressing equality throughout organisational authorizations. within a coherent policy attack focused on the authorization of adult females. Gender mainstreaming is non an terminal in itself. but a means to an terminal. The calls for increased gender mainstreaming are non for increased gender balance within the United Nations but for increased attending to gender positions and the end of gender equality in the work of the United Nations. Gender mainstreaming does non imply developing separate women’s undertakings within work programmes. or even women’s constituents within bing activities in the work programmes. It requires that attending is given to gender positions as an built-in portion of all activities across all programmes.
This involves doing gender positions – what adult females and work forces do and the resources and decision-making procedures they have entree to – more cardinal to all policy development. research. protagonism. development. execution and monitoring of norms and criterions and planning. executions and monitoring of undertakings. It is of import to see the linkages between gender mainstreaming in the substantial work of the United Nations and the publicity of equal chances and gender balance within the United Nations itself. Organizational civilization and organisational values are of import in footings of making work environments which are contributing to gender mainstreaming. Gender mainstreaming is easiest to implement in organisational environments which support attacks such as multi-disciplinary focal points. teamwork. originative thought. flexibleness and risk-taking.
Gender mainstreaming was established as an intergovernmental authorization in the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action in 1995. and once more in the ECOSOC Agreed Conclusions in 1997. The authorization for gender mainstreaming was well strengthened in the result of the General Assembly particular session to follow-up the Beijing Conference ( June 2000 ) . Gender mainstreaming is non being imposed on authoritiess by the United Nations. Member provinces have been involved in the intergovernmental treatments on gender mainstreaming since the mid 1990s and have. in consensus. adopted mainstreaming as an of import planetary scheme for advancing gender equality. The first measure in successful mainstreaming gender equity ends in any establishment is high – degree committedness to set uping a cohesive model. including a principle for why gender equity is of import. a clear scheme. with specific ends and criterions for accomplishing equity. sufficient gender expertness. and equal resources. mechanisms. and regular coverage to keep staff accountable. The mainstreaming scheme does non intend that targeted activities to back up adult females are no longer necessary.
Such activities specifically target women?s precedences and demands. through. for illustration. statute law. policy development. research and projects/programmes on the land. Women-specific undertakings continue to play an of import function in advancing gender equality. They are still needed because gender equality has non yet been attained and gender mainstreaming procedures are non good developed. Targeted enterprises concentrating specifically on adult females or the publicity of gender equality are of import for cut downing bing disparities. functioning as a accelerator for publicity of gender equality and making a constituency for altering the mainstream. Women-specific enterprises can make an empowering infinite for adult females and act as an of import brooder for thoughts and schemes than can be transferred to mainstream intercessions. Enterprises focused on work forces support publicity of gender equality by developing male Alliess. It is important to understand that these two schemes – gender mainstreaming and women?s authorization – are in no manner in competition with each other. The indorsement of gender mainstreaming within an organisation does non connote that targeted activities are no longer needed. The two schemes are complementary in a really existent sense as gender mainstreaming must be carried out in a mode which is authorising for adult females. Gender sensitisation
Gender sensitisation refers to the alteration of behaviour by raising consciousness of gender equality concerns. Gender sensitising “is about altering behaviour and transfusing empathy into the positions that we hold about our ain and the other sex. ” It helps people in “examining their personal attitudes and beliefs and oppugning the ‘realities’ they thought they know. ” Therefore a gender sensitized individual non merely acquires new forms of behavior towards individuals of ‘other’ gender. instead sensitisation besides enables him/her to oppugn his/her attitude. beliefs and values related to the gender concerns. Misconceptions of gender equality
Gender myths and misconceptions- provide a series of images of adult females and work forces that encourage us to understand what they do – or make non make – in peculiar ways. Gender or Sex? A normally held myth is that gender and sex are exchangeable footings. These two footings are non the same and carry different significances. Sexual activity is the biological and is inherited from birth. we are born either with X or Y chromosome. Familial differences are unconditioned and remain stainless. Gender. on the other manus. is the socio-cultural functions assigned to work forces and adult females. and is determined by society through its socialisation agents ( such as our households. equals. schools etc ) . Therefore. work forces and adult females learn to act and work in certain socially prescribed ways. ‘While the fact that we are born male or female is unchangeable. the gender functions can and make alter over clip. and across civilizations. Further. gender differences are based on cultural. economic. societal and cultural factors. so that the differences exist. non merely between adult females and work forces. . The image being painted here is that. differences that are perpetuated by socialisation are non innately instilled on us and therefore non inactive. They evolve with clip. through altering conditions. Concept of Gender
Gender concerns adult females and work forces every bit good. Therefore. it concerns and affects every individual person in the society- misss. male childs. work forces and adult females. ‘Talking about it opens up people’s heads to the issues and makes them more sensitive to each other’s demands. i. e. work forces become sensitive to women’s demands and frailty versa’ . Gender enterprises are conceived to better the predicament of adult females since they are believed to be the most deprived animals in assorted societies. Womans every bit good as work forces specific enterprises are needed. “Recognizing and admiting gender differences does non intend a negation of our feminity or maleness. but it’s a better manner and a good starting point to right inequality and all kinds of ailment fated discrimination” It is of import that we acknowledge that gender differences exist in our societies. and admiting them is the first measure to happening solutions for them. We need to accept that these differences are fabricated to disfavor adult females and to stamp down their full being. It goes Without stating that if we continue to deny this honest truth. inequality will go on to stalk us and will attest itself in many different ways. either through exclusion. development. aggression. or favoritism. Gender and civilization
This paper will non make justness if it does non convey issues of civilization into the bow. When we talk of gender functions. gender equality and the similar. it is of paramount importance that we expand our treatment and expression at issues of civilization. It is no uncertainty that some of the gender stereotypes and misconceptions are culturally perpetuated. The inquiry is: what is civilization? “culture is a manner of life” . The point to observe is that civilization is non entirely about symbols. marks. material things. traditional patterns but besides about gender dealingss. norms and values of a society. It is civilization that informs the behaviour of work forces. adult females. male childs and misss in a society. Culture is a really adaptative phenomena. it is non inactive and alterations over clip. Culture is an of import instrument of development but can besides be a strong obstruction to development particularly with respects to issues such as gender equality and regard for gender rights. It is important to research the dealingss between civilization and gender equality as gender dealingss shape civilization or maybe it is the other manner unit of ammunition. Cultural significances given to adult females and work forces vary from society to society. It is an undeniable fact that traditionally in most African societies ( at least in my ain Shona Culture ) adult females have had a lesser influence in determination devising and less liberty. However the lifting prominence of the publicity of women’s rights has challenged these traditional norms of civilization.
GENDER ISSUES IN THE GAMBIA
A comprehensive vision of gender equality includes every facet of personal and societal development that arises from. and affects. the societal norms. attitudes and behaviors that determine women’s and men’s distinguishable societal functions and position. Equality between work forces and adult females exists when both sexes are able to portion every bit in the distribution of power and influence ; have equal chances for fiscal independency through work or through puting up concerns ; enjoy equal entree to instruction and the chance to develop personal aspirations. involvements and endowments ; portion duty for the place and kids and are wholly free from coercion. bullying and gender-based force both at work and at place. “Within the context of population and development programmes. gender equality is critical because it will enable adult females and work forces to do determinations that impact more positively on A holistic definition of gender equality encompasses such issues as population. households & A ; families. work & A ; the economic system. instruction. public life & A ; determination devising. wellness. media. offense & A ; force.
Population
Within the context of population and development plans. gender equality is critical because it will enable adult females and work forces to do determinations that impact more positively on their life’s. The population of the Gambia is chiefly immature with more than half ( about 63. 55 % ) is below 25 old ages. Aged individuals of 65 old ages and above history for 2. 8 % of the population. The age construction: The 0-14 age bracket makes up 43. 9 % of the population ( males 382. 385 / females 378. 853 ) and the 15-64 age bracket makes up 53. 4 % ( males 459. 315 / females 466. 689 ) . Finally. the 65 old ages and over group represents 2. 8 % ( males 24. 303 / females 23. 919 ) – July 2008 est. Ripening: The proportion of the population aged 65 old ages and supra declined from 3. 9 % in 1971 to 3. 2 in 1993 merely to mount up to 4. 6 % in 2000. This addition in the over 65 old ages group is attributed to increase in life anticipation.
Overall mean life anticipation at birth had increased from 43 old ages in 1973 to about 55 old ages in 2000 Population addition: The population of Gambia was estimated at 1. 038 million and 1. 361 million at the 1993 and 2003 population nose counts with population densenesss of 97 and 127 individuals per square kilometre severally. As at July 2008 the entire population is estimated to be 1. 73 million people while the one-year population growing rate is estimated at 2. 72 % . Migration: Migration is an of import factor in redistributing population and dramatic migration alterations have occurred within The Gambia since the 1990s. Most of these migrations are rural urban migration. work forces tent to migrate more frequently than adult females in The Gambia. There are gender differences in the grounds for migration. types of migration. every bit good as conditions in which adult females and work forces migrators live. FAMILIES & A ; HOUSEHOLDS
Over the past three decennaries important alterations have taken topographic point in the size and composing of families and households throughout The Gambia. The size of families in The Gambia has increased since the 1970s. This is due to high birthrate. migration. increased life anticipation. Some of the most basic determinations adult females and work forces make during their lives concern with whom ( if anyone ) they want to populate. whether and at what age to get married. whether or non to remain married and what size of household they prefer. provided they chose to hold kids at all. Forms of household formation and construction depend on single picks. public policies. economic and societal fortunes of the Gambia. and traditional values. Since the form and timing of life agreements and their effects differ between adult females and work forces there is range for many gender issues to develop.
For case. some issues that most affect households and families in The Gambia are: Diversification of life: The increased rate of childbearing outside marriage. increased rate of divorce and separation. among other things. affect adult females and work forces otherwise. The addition in figure of lone-mother families in The Gambia puts adult females in a vulnerable state of affairs. in peculiar immature female parents. Gender functions and duty sharing: The social response to the altering demands of households. where both spouses work outside the place. has been turning quickly in The Gambia. This applies both to the equal child-care and societal services. every bit good as work forces by and large sharing the family and household duties every bit with adult females. In The Gambia. adult females are still associated with the duty of taking attention of the house clasp. WORK & A ; THE ECONOMY
Significant alterations in the universe economic system. such as rapid globalisation and fast-paced technological advancement. hold shaped the economic worlds of adult females and work forces in different ways. in The Gambia. Women comprise an increasing portion of the labour force in about all parts of the universe. and in The Gambia this has translated into comparatively more equal position of adult females and work forces. However. adult females by and large still endure worse economic conditions than do work forces. Furthermore. the velocity and range of the economic passage in The Gambia has had profound effects on gender dealingss and the lives of work forces and adult females in the state. Womans and men’s entree to economic resources is reflected in their engagement in the work force. the types of occupations they have. their on the job hours. and the wage they receive and related societal security. Women and men’s societal place. gender functions. belongings rights and other statutory and customary rights besides play a important function in specifying the economic position of adult females and work forces.
The undermentioned cardinal issues underline some of the chief gender issues related to work and the economic system. Labor force engagement and type of work: The spread between adult females and men’s engagement in the labour force is broad in The Gambia and many states of the part. Womans and work forces do non hold equal entree to paid work over their lifetime. with adult females sing more fluctuations in connexion with their generative old ages. Labor market segregation: Womans and work forces are concentrated in different sectors and businesss. frequently due to sex-based stereotypes. In The Gambia. adult females constitute 45 % of the economically active population. and work forces make up 55 % . . Women comprise 16. 40 % of employees in the piscaries sector. pieces work forces comprises of 83. 6 % . Work forces make up 77. 93 % of the fabrication sector whiles adult females make up 22. 07 % fabrication sector. In The hotel and eating house sector adult females constitute 41. 33 % pieces work forces constitute 58. 67 % . Men comprises of 97. 34 % in the Financial service. pieces adult females make up 2. 66 % in Financial service. Women constitute 6. 95 % in storage and communicating pieces work forces make up 93. 05 % . Women constitute in the Wholesale and retail sector 43. 49 % pieces work forces constitute 56. 51. This division and segregation of the labour market can impact the economic and societal security of both male and female and their households.
Unemployment: Womans are frequently the first to be affected when occupation chances are missing and more adult females than work forces are unemployed in The Gambia. One of the implicit in causes of ( income ) poorness in The Gambia is the comparatively high unemployment and underemployment rates. peculiarly among adult females and young person. The Gambia’s formal employment sector is really little. using merely over 10 % of the labour force. Unemployment amongst the young persons is estimated over 40 % and 70 % of adult females are engaged in low productiveness rural subsistence agribusiness. Entrepreneurship: In recent old ages. more adult females have become enterprisers in the micro. little and average size endeavor sector. even though the figure of women-entrepreneurs is still well lower compared to work forces enterprisers. in The Gambia adult females make up to 39. 97 % . Commercial. Social and Personal Services while work forces make up 60. 03 % In some of the passage economic systems. the figure of adult females enterprisers has increased well in The Gambia.
Education
Significant advancement has been made in increasing registration and keeping of misss in school. At the lower basic rhythm. the Gross Enrollment Rate ( GER ) increased from 82 % to 92 % from 2001/2002 – 2007/2008 taking into history the “madrassa” registration. During the same period. the GER for misss increased appreciable from 80 % – 92 % and boys somewhat increased from 85 % to 87 % . In the upper basic rhythm the GER increased from 43 % to 65 % . This growing in registration represents an mean one-year growing rate of 15 % . However the period 2005/2006 – 2007/2008 informant a bead in NER for male childs from 62 % to 58 % whilst that of misss somewhat increased from 56 % to 69 % . The gender para index in 2006 was 1. 03 % at the lower basic degree and at the upper basic rhythm was 0. 91 % . . Girl instruction is free in the populace schools up to Rate 9. pieces that of male childs are still paying.
Equal entree to higher instruction: The University of The Gambia is the highest pinnacle of instruction in The Gambia. in 2008. girl’s registration constituted 21. 58 % . pieces boys constitute 78. 42 of the sum. Girl’s registration has increased important from its origin. which was 10 % registration to 21. 58 % registration. Equal entree to the same Fieldss of survey: Some Fieldss of survey have strong gender segregation in The Gambia. reflecting the sex-stereotyped pick of survey. This is reflected in gender segregation of businesss. Occupational segregation in instruction: Although the bulk of instructors are adult females. they are concentrated at the primary and lower secondary degrees. Sex-based occupational segregation within the labour market is reflected in the fact that most principals and directors in the field of instruction are work forces.
PUBLIC LIFE & A ; DECISION MAKING
Administration is manifest in the mechanisms. procedures and establishments through which determinations are negotiated and implemented. It refers non merely to formal public decision-making constructions and procedures ( i. e. national and local authorities ) . but includes decision-making within the household. community and private sector every bit good. A “gender perspective” into administration therefore entails turn toing the ways in which work forces and adult females take part in. and are affected by assorted systems of administration. every bit good as the interaction between these assorted systems. Cardinal places in political decision-making: Towards an improved quality of administration. a more just engagement of adult females and work forces is needed in political parties and authorities places. and public disposal.
In The Gambia work forces make up 67 % of the cabinet and adult females 33 % . At the degree of the National Assembly adult females make up 9. 43 % and work forces make up 90. 57 % . Key places in economic decision-making: At a national degree in The Gambia. every bit good as at an international degree. work forces by far outnumber adult females in economic decision-making. Key places in bench: The bench sphere farther reflects on the gender facets of decision-making in The Gambia. At the judiciary degree there are presently 72 % of female high tribunal Judgess and work forces make up 18 % high tribunal Judgess. Health
In The Gambia. as in about all states of the universe. adult females tend to populate longer than work forces. as their higher life anticipation at birth demonstrates. Infant and child mortality is besides lower for misss than for male childs and for most causes of decease. rates are lower for adult females than work forces. frequently a great trade lower as in the instance of lung malignant neoplastic disease. Because biological science and physiology are two of the few ways in which work forces and adult females irrefutably differ. wellness policies and programmes are logical entry points for the integrating of a gender position. At the same clip. we know that wellness is non merely the deficiency of physical frailty. nor is it a simple inquiry of bodily parts and maps. It is a holistic province of wellbeing. and is therefore deeply influenced by psychological. economic. societal and environmental factors. The ultimate end of turn toing gender issues in the context of wellness is to shut the spread between male and female life anticipation at birth. taking for maximal life anticipation whereby both work forces and adult females can bask healthy and productive lives. The undermentioned cardinal issues illuminate some of the chief gender concerns related to wellness. Biological differences between adult females and work forces: This has of import deductions for the life anticipation of work forces and adult females. every bit good as disease forms qualifying adult females and work forces at different ages in their lives. Life manners and socio-economic influences:
The interplay of factors such as gender functions and stereotypes. copying mechanisms of work forces and adult females and different exposure to put on the line factors are among the things impacting the wellness position of adult females and work forces in The Gambia. Generative wellness: Generative wellness implies that adult females and work forces are able to hold safe sex life and that they have the right to make up one’s mind if. when and how to reproduce. Access to preventives and protection from bad sexual behavior are of import factors in generative wellness. every bit good as the right of work forces and adult females to be informed and to hold entree to safe. effectual. low-cost and acceptable methods of household planning of their pick. Health and poorness: Although income is an of import index of poorness. poorness has many dimensions that need to be considered in any effort to relieve it. One of these dimensions is wellness. with hapless wellness being a cause. every bit good as an consequence of poorness. MEDIA
The mass media non merely reflect society. but besides plays a portion in directing it. Men continue to outnumber adult females in decision-making in the media. although the figure of adult females in the profession has increased over the last decennaries. The media plays an of import function in determining and reflecting gender functions and stereotypes. In The Gambia media representations of work forces and adult females tend to conform to traditional gender norms. reenforcing the aggressive independency of work forces and the inactive dependance of adult females. Although exclusions surely exist. amusement industries preponderantly present work forces and adult females in functions that reinforce inequality between the sexes. The Technical Committee Internal Validation carried out a research on the public media and determination devising places. Below is at that place findings.
POSITIONS| TOTAL # OF MEN AND WOMEN| NUMBER OF WOMEN| NUMBER OF MEN|
Pull offing Director| 1| 0| 1|
Managers| 10| 1| 9|
Chief Producers TV| 5| 4| 1|
Chief Producers Radio| 7| 2| 5|
CRIME & A ; VIOLENCE
Although few instances of domestic force and maltreatment are reported. their incidence is believed to be reasonably common. The figure of offenses recorded by the constabulary. nevertheless underreported. shows that work forces are more frequently than adult females the culprits of offense. They are besides more frequently the victims of homicides and assaults. apart from sexual assault of which adult females are most frequently the victims. Where work forces by and large experience force outside their domestic environment. adult females are more likely to see force and maltreatment inside the domestic domain. perpetrated by person they know. frequently by their ain spouse. Indexs of force are hard to compare in The Gambia due to differences in constructs. definitions. and measurement methods.
However. statistics and indexs are needed on both wrongdoers and victims as policies and intercessions are necessary to forestall offenses every bit good as to turn to the demands of victims. In order to understand the societal procedures that lead to condemnable behaviours. it is important to look at gender issues in offense and force. Perpetrators and types of offense: The figure of convicted felons. sex and age distribution. and the type of offense are indexs that are necessary for gender analysis. Violence against sexes: Large figure of adult females experience force at some point in their lives. At the same clip. force against adult females is one of the most underreported offenses taking topographic point in The Gambia. and the remainder of the universe. notwithstanding work forces similarly face sexual maltreatment and other signifiers of maltreatments. these are instances that are ne’er reported in The Gambia.
Trafficing in worlds: Womans and misss are much more likely to be victims of trafficking than are boys or work forces. Trafficing in adult females and kids encompasses development within the sex industry. other signifiers of bonded labour. such as domestic service and even instances of nonvoluntary organ grafts
RELIGION AND GENDER EQUALITY
There are several noteworthy issues associating to gender and faith. These include both spiritual remark on secular society and positions sing traditional signifiers of spiritual communities themselves. Internal spiritual issues include the functions and rights of work forces and adult females in leading place. fiscal affairs. heritage. . instruction and worship. They besides include beliefs about the gender of divinities and spiritual figures. and about the beginning and significance of human gender. Religious positions on societal issues in the general community notably include remark on values sing household units. We will be discoursing the two chief faiths in The Gambia that is Islam and Christianity. In The Gambia 90 % of the population are Muslims. doing them the largest spiritual group. followed by 9 % for Christians. the base of the two faiths in affairs of gender equality will be noted. ISLAM AND GENDEREQUALITY
The Islamic position on Gender equality will discussed in item. issues runing from the household. societal political and spiritual position on the capable affair of gender equality. The place of Gambian adult females depends more on their spiritual association than their cultural group. For this being the instance Islam have a important interest on the issue of gender equality. Financial security and heritage Torahs
In Islam. fiscal security is assured for adult females. They are entitled to have soldierly gifts without bound and to maintain present and future belongingss and income for their ain security. even after matrimony. No married adult female is required to pass any sum at all from her belongings and income on the family. She may happen it necessary to pass from her net incomes or nest eggs to supply the necessities for her household. while this is non a legal duty. The adult female is entitled besides to full fiscal support during matrimony and during the waiting period ( ‘iddah ) in instance of divorce or widowhood. A adult female who bears a kid in matrimony is entitled to child support from the child’s male parent. Generally. a Muslim adult female is guaranteed support in all phases of her life. as a girl. married woman and female parent or sister.
The fiscal advantages accorded to adult females and non to work forces in matrimony and in household have a societal opposite number in the commissariats that the Qur’an lays down in the Torahs of heritage. which afford the male. in most instances. twice the heritage of a female. Males inherit more but finally they are financially responsible for their female relations: their married womans. girls. female parents and sisters. Females inherit less but retain their portion for investing and fiscal security. without any legal duty to pass any portion of it. even for their ain nutriment ( nutrient. vesture. lodging. medicine. and etcetera ) . It should be noted that in pre-Islamic society. adult females themselves were sometimes objects of heritage. In some Western states. even after the coming of Islam. the whole estate of the deceased was given to his/her eldest boy. The Qur’an nevertheless. made it clear that both work forces and adult females are entitled to a specified portion of the estate of their asleep parents or close dealingss: Employment
With respect to the woman’s right to seek employment. it should be stated first that Islam regards her function in society as a female parent and a married woman as her most sacred and indispensable 1. Neither amahs nor baby Sitters can perchance take the mother’s topographic point as the pedagogue of an unsloped. complex-free and carefully-reared kid. Such a baronial and critical function. which mostly shapes the hereafter of states. can non be regarded as “idleness. ” This may explicate why Islamic “sharia” believe’s a married adult female must procure her husband’s consent if she wishes to work. unless her right to work was reciprocally agreed to as a status at the clip of matrimony. However. there is no edict in Islam that forbids adult females from seeking employment whenever there is a necessity for it. particularly in places which fit her nature best and in which society needs her most. Examples of these professions are nursing. instruction ( particularly kids ) . medical specialty. and societal and charitable work. Furthermore there is no limitation on profiting from women’s endowments in any field. Some early legal experts uphold that a qualified Muslim adult female may be appointed to the place of a justice. Other legal experts hold different sentiments. Yet. no legal expert is able to indicate to an expressed text in the Qur’an or “Sunnah” that flatly excludes adult females from any lawful type of employment except for the headship of the province. Equality before the jurisprudence
Both genders are entitled to equality before the jurisprudence and tribunals of jurisprudence. Justice is genderless. Harmonizing to the Qur’an. work forces and adult females receive the same penalty for offenses such as larceny. fornication. slaying and hurt. Womans do possess an independent legal entity in fiscal and other affairs. One legal issue is widely misunderstood: testimony. A common but erroneous belief is that as a “rule. ” the worth of women’s testimony is one half of men’s testimony. A study of all transitions in the Qur’an relating to testimony does non confirm this claimed “rule. ” Testimony
a. It is widely argued that there is a general regulation in the Qur’an that the worth of a female’s informant is merely half the males. Islamic scholars believed that this presumed “rule” is voided by the above mention ( 24:6-9 ) . which explicitly equates the testimony of both genders on the issue at manus. B. The context of this transition ( poetry. or ayah ) relates to testimony on fiscal minutess. which are frequently complex and loaded with concern slang. The transition does non do a cover generalisation that would otherwise contradict 24:6-9. c. The ground for fluctuations in the figure of male and female informants required is given in the same transition. No mention is made to the lower status or high quality of one gender’s informant or the other’s. The lone ground given is to confirm the female’s informant and prevent unintended mistakes in the perceptual experience of the concern trade. The Arabic term used in this transition. tadhilla. literally means “loses the manner. ” “gets confused. ” or “errs. ” But Islamic bookmans argued that. are females the lone gender that may mistake and necessitate documentation of their testimony?
Decidedly non. and that is why the general regulation of testimony in Islamic jurisprudence is to hold two informants. even when they are both male. Muslim legal expert believe that one possible reading of the demands related to this peculiar type of testimony is that in legion societies. yesteryear and nowadays. adult females by and large may non be to a great extent involved with and experienced in concern minutess. As such. they may non be wholly aware of what is involved. Therefore. documentation of a woman’s testimony by another adult female who may be present ascertains truth and. hence. justness. It would be unreasonable to construe this demand as a contemplation on the worth of women’s testimony. as it is the Lone exclusion discerned from the text of the Qur’an. d. Islamic bookmans noted that unlike pure Acts of the Apostless of worship. which must be observed precisely as taught by the prophesier ( P ) . testimony is a agency to an terminal. determining justness as a major aim of Islamic jurisprudence. Therefore. it is the responsibility of a just justice to be guided by this aim when measuring the worth and credibleness of a given testimony. regardless of the gender of the informant. A informant of a female alumnus of a concern school is surely far more worthy than the informant of an illiterate individual with no concern instruction or experience. Engagement in societal and political life
The general regulation in societal and political life is engagement and coaction of males and females in public personal businesss. Scholars argue that there is sufficient historical grounds of engagement by Muslim adult females in the pick of swayers. in public issues. in lawmaking. in administrative places. in scholarship and instruction. and even in the battleground. Such engagement in societal and political personal businesss was conducted without the participants’ losing sight of the complementary precedences of both genders and without go againsting Islamic guidelines of modestness and virtuousness. Women in leading place
Islamic legal expert noted that there is no text in the Qur’an or “Sunnah” that precludes adult females from any place of leading. except in taking supplication ( nevertheless. adult females may take other adult females in supplication ) There is no grounds from the Qur’an to prevent adult females from headship of province. Some may reason that harmonizing to the Qur’an ( 4:34 ) . work forces are the defenders and upholders of adult females. Such a leading place ( duty or qiwamah ) for work forces in the household unit implies their sole leading in political life every bit good. This analogy. nevertheless. is far from conclusive. Qiwamah trades with the specialness of household life and the demand for fiscal agreements. function distinction. and complementary of the functions of hubby and married woman. These specialnesss are non needfully the same as the headship of province. even if some elements may be similar. Therefore. a Qur’anically based statement to except adult females from the headship of province is neither sound nor convincing. Some argue that since adult females are excluded from taking the supplication for a assorted assemblage of work forces and adult females. they should be excluded from taking the province every bit good.
