Somewhere in America, a woman might be taking classes at Harvard with some of the best students in the country and attempting to become the next president of the United States.  However, somewhere else in the world a woman might have to ask her husband to simply get a job outside of home and make a living for herself. A woman might not feel comfortable walking alone at night, pepper spray in one hand and 911 already dialed on the other. Although many people think gender equality is evident in our world today, it is often shown in many ways that it is not. From jobs and education to sexual assault and domestic violence, there are many places within society in which women are seen as inferior.

Equality in the Workplace

For starters, a place where women and men are very often not seen as equals, is the workplace. An article by Arancha González for The Guardian states that, “Women face gender-based job restrictions in 100 countries, often confining them to low-paying activities, more often than not in the informal sector. In 18 countries the law gives husbands the right to prohibit their wives from working outside the home.” This shows that women all over the world do not have the same opportunities as men, and this is extremely evident when the topic of work comes up. These women are held back and aren’t given a fair chance to earn as much money as a man. These men don’t have to ask their wives if they can leave the house and make a living of their own, they just demand that their wives ask them. In another article, it states that very often, women will get payed less than their male counterparts even though they find themselves completing the exact same job. In order for men and women to be equal in the workplace, they need to be given the same opportunities. The government should put laws in place that make it so companies have to give the same chances to men and women doing the same job —this includes being paid equally. People doing the same exact job should also be payed the exact same salary, regardless of gender or any other factors.

Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence

Another way that gender equality isn’t exemplified in our society today is the amount of sexual assault and domestic violence taking place. In an article written by the United Nations Organization it states, “One in five women and girls, including 19 per cent of women and girls aged 15 to 49, have experienced physical and/or sexual violence by an intimate partner with the last 12 months. Yet, 49 countries have no laws that specifically protect women from such violence.” This shows that women are having to face sexual assault at alarmingly high rates. These women are being seen as inferior by their partners—people who should be their equals—and therefore being taken advantage of.These women’s governments are not doing anything in order to prevent these acts or to punish the people committing them. The governments in these countries need to create laws that do specifically protect women from this violence so that they can live in an environment that more closely resembles our own in America. This same article by the UN Organization also states that only 52% of women make their own decisions in relationships regarding contraceptive use and sexual relations. This goes to show that women aren’t being allowed to make decisions that impact their own bodies. Women should be able to decide for themselves if they want to involve themselves in something and how they should proceed in doing it.

Women Need Education Too

Education is a prominent way in which women all over the world are not being given the same opportunities as males. In an article written by the One Organization, it states,”Some 121 million children are not in school and most of them are girls. If a family can afford school fees for only one child, it will likely be a boy who attends.” This shows that in other countries, women are seen as people who don’t deserve an education or don’t need one. Some people believe that men are the people doing all the work, and so they deserve to go to school and get an education. This type of thinking keeps women all around the world from getting good jobs and being well-educated. This article also states that girls are the ones who would have to stay home, keep house, and raise children. All while males of their same age are out attending school and learning how to be successful in life. The way to help women become more educated around the globe would be to make it so they could attend school, and stay in it long enough to truly learn something from the experience. Once again, new laws should be put in place that help women in other, less-developed countries become educated and truly get the same chances men are getting.

It is clear to see that there are many different ways displayed all over the world in our society in which women don’t have equal rights as men, and aren’t being treated fairly. Our society needs gender equality so that men and women can have equal rights to jobs, education, respect, rights, and the ability to live freely and comfortably. Women should be able to feel safe as they walk home alone, they should be able to get a degree, and they should be able to pursue their dreams.