At the beginning of the millennium, the United Nations implemented a plan of action on the entire underdeveloped world. This plan consists of eight goals which serve as a blueprint to initiate a unified movement of global development. Among goals like "reduce child mortality" and "end extreme poverty and hunger," the United Nations also includes the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women as one of the eight broad goals for development. The United Nations included the goal regarding gender equality not only as a way to improve the development of third world countries, but also because this issue, like the other issues on the list of goals, is an extremely serious problem that must be collectively addressed. The promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women can serve as a positive catalyst in the development in countries that are considered underdeveloped. It is not possible to have a fully developed country if an entire gender which makes up half the population is proverbially left behind.
The United Nations created goals that are based upon actions that would be considered morally correct. For example, among these goals are the vows to combat diseases and improve maternal health. Most would agree cross-culturally, these are ethical objectives to target upon. The goal of gender equality, as do the other objectives, goes far beyond being an issue of ethics. The empowerment of the female gender is part of the break of the ubiquitous traditionalism that holds most of these countries back from developing.
The lack of gender inequality in most third world countries is hindering to the improvement of the social and economic status of the countries. This is because gender bias denies women the opportunities to receive an equivalent education to their male counterparts. Besides the great amount of improvement that education would bring to women's lives, this would also allow them to become being major wage earners. Therefore women would become a powerful addition socially and economically to the developing countries.
Also, to get an overall scheme of what the vast improvements that gender equality would have on a country, the means that the issues are being scrutinized have to be examined as well. According to the Millennium Goals Report 2005 made by the United Nations, there are specific target areas that are monitored in gender equality. The enrollment of females in primary schooling is being surveyed. The ratio of wage earnings and the amount of political representation in the highest levels of government are also two areas of improvement that are being examined. This is important to look at because it shows that if women excel in these areas, gender equality could possibly be achieved. Not only will gender equality be achieved, but therefore improving in the development of these countries. As previously mentioned, with the improvement of education and wage earning for women, the socio and economic improvement of a country will come as well.
This brings into question the matter of governmental representation of women. It could possibly, like education and wage earning of women, also add to the development of a country.
In 2005, it is extremely prevalent that women lack equal representation in the highest levels of government, "holding 16% of Parliamentary seats world wide." The implementation of increasing women's presence in more official arenas will improve the lives of women and the entire country as well. The official, higher level political participation of females will encourage a shift from the usual grass-roots politics that most women partake in by giving a physical example that their efforts could make change in a more systematic way, only adding to the strength in the political system.
With the initiation of females in higher positions of authority, the first female politicians will manly serve as a symbol for other women. This is a very important step because these women will serve as an inspiration to get other women involved in politics that may have never contributed or made any efforts regarding political issues. These women also pave a much needed path for women in these developing countries to attain positions of government authority.
These women that hold office in higher levels of government will also eventually be able to address issues that concern women that may have never been concentrated on. Subjects directly relating to females have never been on the political agenda for countries that are in the process of development. These topics regarding women would include health, education, legal restrictions and work force policies. These matters all need to be addressed to achieve gender equality and the improvement of quality of life for women.
On a larger scale, the involvement of women in higher levels of authority will improve the development of the entire country by enabling women to have a voice and contribute individually to government policies and the welfare of the country. This article was provided to you by http://www.managementthatworks.com
Source of reference
United Nations Department of Information " The Millennium Goals report 2005"
DPI/2390 May 2004
< http://unstats.un.org/unsd/mi/pdf/MDG%20Book.pdf>