Fighting Inequality And Discrimination Against Women Is Founding Stone Of A Sustainable Society

Developed and adopted by all member states in 2015, the 2030 agenda for sustainable development creates a blueprint of 17 sustainable development goals. These are specific, tangibly measurable targets that have been listed out for nations to adopt and work towards. They take into account the current scenario and the requirements of the growing population, while also planning for creating a sustainable future.

With a steady rise in population, one of the key concerns that plague the world is the need for decent work and adequate pay. This issue is interlinked with the pay disparity due to gender, race, and religion. Therefore, the need of the hour is to create a society that abolishes gender inequality and all other forms of discrimination.

Also Read: How UN's Sustainable Development Goals Are Helping India Fight Poverty And Make Life Better

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Over the past two years, one of the most noticeable issues in the world is the plight of the migrants. Be it the war-torn refugees from Syria, or the Rohingya¡¯s from Mynmar, the world watched helplessly, awaiting a strong institution to step in and salvage the lives of these people being persecuted for their religions and ethnicities. It is essential to eliminate all forms of inequity, and to create stronger authorities to step in and promote peace and justice in cases of prevalence of sectarianism.

In line with the same, the UNSDG¡¯s list out the need for

1. Gender equality

2. Decent work and economic growth

3. Reduced Inequality

4. Peace, Justice and strong institutions

5. Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure

Why are these goals Important?

35-year-old Sheila is working as a house maid in the Greater Kailash area of New Delhi. She is from Darbhanga, Bihar and was married to a man in Delhi almost 20 years ago. She has 3 children, one of whom is studying chartered accountancy while the other two complete high school. Her husband used to work in a local shop, and he died of in an accident about 7 years ago. As a child, Sheila was keen to study and pursue a degree, but her parents pulled her out of school to take care of the kitchen while her younger brother studied. It was dictated to her to be adept at household chores, as she would soon have to marry and take care of her husband and bare children. As a result, Sheila is now rendered incapable of taking up any profession despite eagerly wanting to. To make ends meet after her husband¡¯s death, Sheila has to work as a maid cleaning various houses daily.

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Many girls are subject to the same fate as Sheila¡¯s , or worse. For them to rebel against patriarchy, they need the support of strong institutions. While India has a powerful judicial system, it is chocked by delays and lack of staff. Over 4 lakh cases of crimes against women are reported every year, but over 3 crore cases remain pending in the system.

While Shiela¡¯s situation is owing to her lack of preparedness for taking up a profession, the global atmosphere (at the moment) is also harsh on the skilled candidates. Lack of jobs with adequate pay is a growing concern. The UN peg¡¯s India¡¯s unemployment rate at a high 50% of those qualified to enter the workforce. Moreover, the female participation in the workforce is declining at an alarming rate of 27%, with a pay gap of 24% (in favour of males).

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Owing to lack of opportunities, a high percentage of the workforce is under-paid or engaged in hazardous work. These statistics would be difficult to fathom, given the growing GDP and wealth, but to put it in context- about 1 percent of the world¡¯s population holds about 50% of the world¡¯s wealth. India¡¯s figure is higher than the world average, with the top 1% controlling about 58% of the country¡¯s capital. The way forward is to encourage innovation and industries, especially the small industry sector.

There is a strong need to work towards the above mentioned inter-connected goals to be able to create a balanced society that provides merit-based opportunities, and protects the out-numbered sections from being oppressed.

What measures have been taken?

Schemes such as the ¡®Beti bachao beti padhao¡¯ aim to change the mindsets that indulge in female foeticide or gender bias. Prominent politicians, actors, sportspersons as well as local leaders aim to discourage discrimination against the girl child and encourage equal education and work opportunities for girls. Moreover, schemes in local and government banks allow women to get loans in an easy manner to set up their businesses.

To eliminate caste and income-based disparities, schemes such as Jan Dhan- Aadhar- Mobile have been put into place. The National Skill development mission, Mahatma Gandhi Rural employment guarantee, amongst others, are schemes that are working to provide decent work and economic growth to all strata. These are greatly aided by the work of local NGOS and the UNDP.

The Supreme court is consolidating its position as strong guardian of the constitution and its citizens by ordering the setting up of special courts for speedy trials. It has especially directed that these courts be set up in Kerala and Bihar for looking into criminal cases against local MLAs and MPs in the states, giving out a strong message that miscreants would not be allowed to hold power.

With FDI in retail, and the boom in the ecommerce sector, emphasis is being laid on supporting industry and innovation.

These are lofty goals that pose the additional challenge of fighting against orthodox traditions and influencing mindsets, but the changes would result in a more impartial society, which is secure for all.

What Can you do?

Opening up the conversation about inequality and speaking up against discrimination are the founding steps. As most of these UNSDGs require a fundamental shift in the mentalities, influencing a person or a group to adopt a more inclusive and progressive outlook can go a long way. Social media also plays a vital role in disseminating this important message.

Working towards creating an atmosphere of safety and opportunity for the weaker sex or sections of society are also essential. These include respect for household helps, and for women in all situations. Standing up for the rights of those being exploited also helps give them the strength to take a stand.

Equality is a fundamental human right which is essential for a peaceful world. Inclusive economic growth that focuses on empowering all segments, would lead to better lifestyle creation as well as increased productivity. Imbalanced growth leads to large discontentment and subsequent disorder. Collective progress, with decent opportunities for all is the only way forward to a more sustainable future.

Damini Chopra is an actress who appears in Hindi and Telugu films. She also works with NGOs that focus on child and women rights. This article is the second of a three-part series that examines these inter-related goals, and brings out their importance and relevance in today¡¯s society and the future.