GENDER
Is a social identity which refers to a person.State of being either a feminine or a masculine.
Gender relation
Are social relationships between men and women and the interaction that takes place between them within a particular social or cultural context.
Gender relations in any society influence the way male and female behave towards each other. It also helps to explain the differences between man and woman, the roles they play and why they do so.
Gender roles:
o Are formed by men and women in the society
o Are influenced by time, geographical location, and development level
o Are contextual and cultural specific andcannot be generalized
Types of gender roles:
1. Women- production and reproduction includes child bearing, cooking, cleaning and food production.
2. Men- production and reproduction includes hunting, protecting family, looking after cattle, building houses and food production.
Gender discrimination
Implies treating women unequally from men based on their gender e.g. refusing a qualified female engineer to supervise bridge construction simply because she is a woman.
Gender equality
o Is part of human equality to UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW)
o Refers to equal sharing of power and goods, resources between men and women in the society
o Also equal participation in production distribution, services, right to own and control property.
o Equal access to protection, healthcare, education, employment.
Sex
State of being male or female. It’s to great extent permanent universal and biological determination female or male.
Gender issues
Culture of people of Tanzania has a meaning only if reality of today and can help in construction of Tanzanians of tomorrow. The report of the 4th world conference on women in Beijing highlighted the following areas of concern arising from cultural trends in Tanzania.
Gender disparity
1. Majority of the girls and women are semi-literate, most parents don’t want to invest girls in education.
2. Most women are poor because of economic policies have not been in favour also economic planning is gender blind.
3. Cultural belief- women are readily affected by cultural belief in witchcraft, poor nutrition and ignorance about healthcare.
4. Polygamy- this is also affecting women, polygamy which isn’t only among muslims but also Christians.
5. Marriage- women are also affected by forced marriage of both women and girls.
6. Teaching of initiation- it very often urges girls to be subservient to their future husbands.
Social-cultural practices that hinder equality between men and women in the society
1. Payment of dowry/bride price
Dowry reduces women to the status of property. The higher the bride price, the more the woman’s value. Some women are treated as slaves because of low dowry.
2.Lack of education
In some societies parents are reluctant to send their daughters to school. The assumption is that the girls are bound to be married sooner or later.
3.Basic customary laws
In most ethnic groups, women are regarded as inferior partners of men, which leads to denial of many basic rights to women.
4.Poor and insufficient diet
In some societies women are restricted to eat some food especially when they are pregnant. This leads to malnourishment or undernourished women.
5.Excessive work
Most women work for at least 14 to 16 hours; they work for longer hours than men and engage in various activities.
6.Acceptance of the status of quo
Most women in our society have accepted their position of staying at home and want their husbands to bring everything so they regard themselves as junior partners.
7.Social expectation
Societies expect women to have children. Bearing many children tends to weaken mothers.
Solution to curb negative socio-cultural practise in societies
1. To eradicate laws
Eradication of customary laws in the society should be done through provision of education. The customary law leads to deprival of many basic rights to women. The societies should be educated on the disadvantages of customary laws on side of women, and then gradually they will stop it.
2. To reduce the expectations of the status of women in the Men should be made aware of the fact that the place of women isn’t necessarily in the homes. Women should be encouraged to access themselves in the village district and national affairs.
3. Equal access to education
Women should be educated just like men. The negative opinions about women and their abilities must be changed from the family level.
4. Placing women in responsible positions and influence them of their capability could be demonstrated clearly.
5. Agricultural programs to address women. It has been argued that they are principle collectors and they are working for long periods of time in a day. Therefore agricultural programs must be addressed to women and men equally. They should also seek to solve the women’s problems.
6. Equal and direct access to socio economic activities. Both genders have to have equal access to various information and owning property, education and employment opportunities. In most cases women get information indirectly through their husbands. Women could be trained, educated and developed just like men.
7. Enactment of laws which promote women’s rights
Laws have been passed to stop discrimination against women in Tanzania e.g. law on land ownership and marriage law.
8. Elimination of local beliefs
Some local beliefs that hinder women to access some food which they are pregnant, should be erased in our society.
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