Gendernomics Womanomics or Genderdata

Gendernomics Womanomics or Genderdata

Gender inequality is still a global reality –

I could not have agreed more with the above statement from Mr. Justin Trudeau Prime Minister of Canada. The above words are some of the new adjectives describing women empowerment and gender equality in our world today. As presidential candidate Hilary Rodham Clinton claims to have shattered the glass ceiling being the first woman presidential nominee of a major political party in the United States of America, we could only wait in hope and dream that it will be a beautiful end game.Well, we all woke up with our dreams shattered instead, that faithful morning of November 9th 2016.

As a woman bleeding inside feeling cheated doubting myself and my own convictions, I could only hold on to these reassuring words Mrs Clinton made during her concession speech; especially to young women, "...never stop believing that fighting for what is right is worth it ..."never doubt that you are valuable, powerful and deserving of every chance and opportunity in the world to pursue and achieve your own dreams"

Gender is a universal structural inequality which affects people in all countries all over the world. It cuts across other inequalities such as race, disability, age and sexuality and is always a key defining feature of economic inequality within countries. Each woman and girl experiences discrimination differently, but there are also shared realities and barriers. In no country has gender equality yet been achieved.

It is worthwhile acknowledging that gender equality and empowerment of women are vital for economic growth, development, and stability. So we must recognise that the promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women are effective instruments to stimulate development that is truly sustainable. As well, we should also recognise the need for more significant efforts to close gender gaps at national, regional, and global levels through a systematic mainstreaming of gender perspective in all development agendas as crucial.

There is now wide recognition that realising gender equality and women’s empowerment will require action on a broader range of gender equality issues than those included under MDG3. According to Julie Bishop MP, an Austrialian Minister for Foreign Affairs, empowering women is one of the best ways to promote economic growth and to achieve peace and security

The universal Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 5 seeks to “Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls”. A UNDP report on the SDGs stated: “Across regions and countries, evidence suggests that sustainable development strategies that do not promote gender equality and the full participation and empowerment of women and girls will not succeed.” The UN’s 2030 agenda for sustainable development recognises gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls will make a crucial contribution to progress across all the goals and targets of the UN. A number of commentators have pointed to the need for more focus on social transformation in the post-MDG framework, with goals that go beyond the amelioration of poverty to remove its causes. Nowhere is this more needed than in the area of gender equality, which must go hand in hand with the promotion of women’s empowerment and rights if changes are to be deep and lasting.

Aspiration 6 of the African Unions Agenda 2063 seeks to achieve “An Africa whose development is people-driven, relying on the potential of African people, especially its women, youth and caring for children’. This agenda aspires there will be full gender equality in all spheres of life and the African women will be empowered to play their rightful role and actively involved in decision making in all aspects of development, including social, economic, political and environmental. Rural women will have access to productive assets: land, credit, inputs, and financial services. All forms of gender-based violence and discrimination (social, economic, political) against women and girls will be eliminated and the latter will fully enjoy all their human rights. All harmful social practices (especially female genital mutilation and child marriages) will be ended and barriers to quality health and education for women and girls eliminated. Africa of 2063 will have full gender parity

Setting these agendas is one thing but achieving the set goals is another but in any case it is wishful thinking giving us hope for the future.

.Perhaps not surprising enough the 2016 United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), saw a lot of talk on women’s empowerment and Gender equality from not only the Secretary General Ban Ki-moon who has been the champion for girls and women around the world but from many other world leaders.

The good news is that even the men are beginning to recognize the gender equality gaps in the world today, not only that but mainstream organisations such as the United Nations as well as world leaders are also beginning to give this peril the attention that it deserves.

Therefore we as women must not give up on our efforts but seek ways forward to inspire and empower our own. And maybe as in the words of Mrs Clinton"I know we have still not shattered that highest and hardest glass ceiling ... but I know that Someday someone will and hopefully sooner than we can think right now."

Cheers