Sociology is a subject which study society and human behavior. Sociology is a social science focused on society and its features. As gender is a important feature of a society, sociology focused on gender studies too. Sociology has many braches like medical sociology, rural sociology and applied sociology. Applied sociology is an important branch among them. Applied sociology is the application of ideas, concepts, theories, and models to address everyday problems or situation. As sociology consider gender Equality as a major concept, applied sociology also discussed about its application ideas and problems of gender inequality. In sociology gender is refers as the characteristics of women, men, girls and boys that are socially constructed. This includes norms, behavior, and roles associate with being a woman, man, girl or boy. Society has different expectation between men and women. This society discriminates men and women in many aspects such as education, professional, culture and etc. This gender discriminates harms all of society, with gender stereotypes putting pressure on people of all genders to live up to an un realistic ideal. it starts in early childhood and follows people all the way in to adulthood. This gender discrimination causes gender inequality, it deprives men and women’s opportunities and experiences. So its important to eliminate gender inequality from society.
Most women are victim in gender inequality. With the prevalence of gender inequality, and its social norms practices, females become exposed to the possibility of child marriage, teenage pregnancy, child domestic work, poor education and health, sexual abuse, exploitation and violence. As UNICEF says every child deserves to reach her or his full potential, but gender in equalities in their live and the lives of those who care for them prevent this reality. According to the UNICEF reports the most insidious form gender inequality turns to violent. Some 1 in 20 girls between the ages of 15 and 19 around 13 million have experienced forced sex in the time of both peace and conflict. Adolescent girls face the highest risk of gender based violence. Hundreds millions of girls worldwide are still subjected to child marriage and female genital mutilation even these have been internationally recognized as human rights violation. For every year world economic forum release global gender gap report, according to global gender gap report 2023 no country has yet achieved full gender parity. although top nine countries (Iceland, Norway, Finland, Sweden, Germany, Nicaragua, Namibia and Lithuania) have closed at least 80% of their gap. Many Asian countries are left behind in this report. Among 146 countries Afghanistan ranks in last, India ranked in 127th place, Pakistan ranked in 142nd and our country Sri Lanka ranked in 115th place.
Gender inequality is one of the major issue in Sri Lanka. In past the history Sri Lanka make a significant progress in gender equality. In 1960 Sri Lanka elected Srimavo Bandaranaike the world first head of state and Sri Lanka’s first female prime minister. In 1976 to 1985 a number of policies and laws were enacted to enhance the rights of women in Sri Lanka. But in recent years gender inequality and gender based violence are increasing in our country. Chapter 3 of the constitution of Sri Lanka provides for the protection of fundamental rights, In article 12 of chapter 3 recognize the right to equality and equal protection of law as well as the right to protection from discrimination on certain specified grounds. But now a days many incidents of violating this law are happening in our country.
As UNDP says in Sri Lanka out of 8.5 million economically active population, 72% are males and only 35% are females. In Sri Lankan population women constitute 52% of the population, but female representation in parliament is only 5.3%, the labour force participation of women as of 2021 is 33.6% of the total population. According to the findings of the study conducted in 2019 by United Nations Population Fund 90% of Sri Lankan women and girls have faced sexual harassment in public buses and trains at least once in their lifetime. This findings and facts shows us the gender inequality situations in Sri Lanka.
Women play a leading role in some of the key sectors in Sri Lankan economy. Tea plantation, garment industries and migrant workers are some sectors which women got leading role in economy. But in all these sectors mostly women are employed mostly at lowest rank. For example, in the sector of migrant workers women are mostly employed as house maids and in tea plantation most women are employed as tea leaves pickers, in Sri Lanka tea industry 50% females are appoint as tea leaf pickers.
Sri Lanka culture plays a significant role for women in choosing their occupations. Traditionally most female children are encouraged from childhood to choose professions such as teaching. Most of the females from their schools they choose subjects like dance and music to become a teacher. their families too encouraged them to become a teacher rather than to become engineer or doctor. Mostly Females are encouraged to choose indoor jobs that do not involve in hard work like travelling. Most girls choose their career in teaching, banking and nurse they hesitate to become a business women, or politician. They think indoor jobs are safety for them. So the hardest situation in employment causes the gender inequality in Sri Lanka. So its very important to ensure gender equality in Sri Lanka.
To ensure gender equality we want to find some suitable measures to eliminate gender inequality in Srilanka. Based on the issues discussed above, some suitable measures that can be taken to reduce gender inequality in Sri Lanka are mention below.
Vigorous enforcement of laws to protect equality.
Dispelling culturally and socially misconceptions about gender
Achieving gender equality in higher education
Effective performance of ministry of women and its related institutions
Increase political participation among women
providing equal opportunity to women in employment
Providing business loans to women
Article 12 of chapter 3 in Sri Lankan constitution provides the rights of equality and equal protection. This law eliminates gender discrimination but today implementation of this law is questionable. Today gender discrimination is rampant in many sector, lack of knowledge about this law is a main reason for it. Chapter 3 of Sri Lankan constitution protects fundamental rights of Sri Lankan people, but women’s rights are deprived in various cases such as child marriage, rape and domestic violence. In such cases judgment is not given quickly, therefore by strictly implementing this law women can be protected while this will also eliminate inequality against women.
Another possible measure to eliminate gender inequality is dispelling culturally and socially misconceptions about gender. There are more and more misconception in society about genders such as males are heads of families, provision of money for family is thought as the sole role of the father, females are not having any economic responsibility, females are the ones who should perform household chores like cooking and washing, and females should be under protection of her husband. These are some misconception that causes gender inequality in society, by eliminating this misconception we can eliminate gender inequality. This can be made possible by realizing that women are equally responsible as men in building a better society and family, and men have equal role as women in household works and child rearing.
Achieving gender equality in higher education also a possible measure in Sri Lanka to eliminate gender inequality. Sri Lanka is making remarkable progress in the term of education, More and more women are being admitted to universities in recent years. According to the UGC statistics in last three academic years more women than men are admitted to universities. In the academic year 2017/2018 62.9% of female and 37.1% males were selected to universities, in the year of 2028/2019 64% of females and 36% of males were selected and in the year of 2019/2020 64.1% of females and 35.9% of males were selected to universities. this statistics shows us the improvement of females in education, but this statistic reveals that men are getting poor in education. Increasing usage of drugs and alcohol are the main reason for this, so government wants to take suitable action to reduce drug uses among men. By controlling drug uses we can achieve gender equality in higher education.
Effective performance of ministry of women and its related institutions is another possible measure to eliminate gender inequality. In 1978 women bureau was created in Sri Lanka now it was established as ministry of women, child affairs and social empowerment. The vision of this ministry is “An advanced society that enjoy the full benefits of development fairly and equally”, so purpose of this ministry is to create equality between men and women. This ministry want to create more polices to support women in working places and education centers. This ministry wants to implement more plans to empower women in society. Many women in Sri Lanka suffer to overcome their struggle but they are more marginalized by society. Many women go abroad due to their poverty and many women face persecution there. Ministry of women wants to take care of these things and they should take precaution action to prevent this. Women’s organizations should be established in all communities and an easy mechanism should be developed to complain about the domestic violence and work place violence. This can ensure the safety of women as well as men. So by this we can eliminate gender inequality in Sri Lanka.
Increasing political participation among women also a possible measure to eliminate gender inequality. All around the world female participation in politics is in low level, In Sri Lanka female representation in parliament is less than 10% but looking back in history we can see some female leaders like former president Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumarathunga and her mother former prime minister Srimavo Bandaranaike. These female political leaders who came in to power are belonged to political families, either there father or husband was former political leaders their political support and family background push them into politics. Apart from them there are some female leaders too most of them are popular celebrities and others are belongs to richest families of country. In this country it’s impossible for ordinary women to enter politics. By improving political awareness among women and giving them moral and financial support to participate in politics can improve gender equality in Sri Lanka.
By providing equal opportunity to women in employment we can eliminate gender inequality. According to the Sri Lankan Labour force statistic the employment rate of females has not even reached 50% in last four years. In the year of 2019 34.5% of women participate in Sri Lankan work force, in the year of 2020 32% of females contribute in work force, in 2021 31.8% female participated and in last year 2022 32.1`% of females contribute to Sri Lankan work force. these labour force statistic shows us the gender inequality of employment. So by improving women to participate in work force we can eliminate gender inequality. Government must ensure women’s respect and safety in work places to recruit women in work force.
Providing business loans to women also can be a possible measure to eliminate gender inequality. Commonly the word business man is mostly used than business woman, because most of the women don’t show interest in business. According to the women business and law report of 2021 they indicate eight sectors, they are mobility, work place, pay, marriage, parenthood, entrepreneurship, asset and pension. In this report they marks out of 100 to this sectors. In that full 100 points are given to mobility and marriage, assets got 80 points, pesion got 50 points, pay got 25 points, entrepreneurship got 75 points, work place got 75 points and at last parenthood got 20 points. This report shows how women are lagging behind in economic and financial matters. To change this situation a special loan facilities for business can be provided for women by this women can be engaged in business and financial sector like men and this can eliminate gender inequality.
Gender equality is a main indicator in development. As a developing country, it’s important for Sri Lanka to eliminate gender inequality. Men and women can be equally respected through the possible measures mention above. Gender equality can be achieved by eliminating gender discrimination in rights and opportunities. Men and women should be treated equally in social, cultural, economic and political aspects. When discrimination occur in this aspects that causes gender inequality. This discrimination can be eliminated through the above measures and gender inequality can be eliminated. Women should be respected in the society as brave as men. Women should not be considering as week person than men. Every human has the freedom to make their own decision but in most cases it’s their families and society that make decision for women. The above mentioned measures will change this situation these measures will help to realize the important of women in the society. By it gender inequality can be eliminated from Sri Lanka.
Refference
Economic statistics of Srilanka, (2023), Department of census and statistics Ministry of finance, Economic stabilization and national policies.
Sri Lankan Labour Force Statistics (2022), Department of census and statistics Ministry of finance, Economic stabilization and national policies.
Chulani Kodikara. The National Machinery for the Protection and Promotion of Women’s Rights in Sri Lanka
Global Gender Report, (2023), World Economic Forum
Women, Business and the Law 2021 Economic Summary, (2021), World bank
Ms. Vindhya Weeratunga. Gender Inequality – Is It an Issue in Sri Lanka
Overview (childwomenmin.gov.lk)
Women in tea factsheet - Ethical Tea Partnership : Ethical Tea Partnership
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