The Welfare of Women and Need for Gender Equality Advocacy

The text addresses a number of issues that I found to be interesting and worth noting. Among these issues are the difficult working conditions that women endure. According to the text, in addition to working in dangerous conditions, women are often paid less than their male colleagues. The hardships that women workers endure show that employers regard women as cheap labor without the political or economic power they need to agitate for their rights. Another important issue that the text explores is that men dominate most of the high paying jobs. The text makes it clear that historical injustices and inequalities have kept women out of these jobs. It is encouraging that thousands of bold women are tackling the injustices and making their way into fields from which they were previously barred. According to the text, in the US and much of the Western world, women are making remarkable strides in such fields as dentistry. There is a clear need for these nations to continue to support women in their quest for equality.

I think that international development agencies have the right to include the promotion of gender equality in their mandates. My opinion is based on my understanding that there are nations which either lack the capacity or are willing to pursue gender equality. These nations need pressure from the international agencies. I feel that it is not morally wrong for these agencies to fail to promote gender equality. I hold this view because I know that the agencies operate in complex and difficult environments. Additionally, most of the agencies have more pressing concerns and obligations such as tackling poverty and eradicating illness. It would simply be unfair to demand that these agencies should advocate for gender equality. I think that the agencies should simply be encouraged to promote equality instead of being subjected to moral pressure. Such other stakeholders as governments and the business community should play a leading role in improving gender equality.