Name: Haniya Hasna P.

Ladiasan Date Submitted: 04-26-2023, Wed

Grade & Section: 10: Hope

ARGUMENTATIVE SPEECH

Topic: Gender Equality and Human Rights

Title: Building a More Equal World: The Role of Gender

Equality in Advancing Human Rights

INTRODUCTION
“Freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been emancipated from all
kinds of oppression.” That was a quote by Nelson Mandela, a man, which has clearly
stated a fact that gender equality is phenomenon, and we must raise our awareness. It
is important to know how it affects our society, and we must make awareness and
change about this, immediately. My name is Haniya Hasna P. Ladiasan, from 10-
Hope, and will be tackling about gender equality and human rights. When people have
equal access to opportunities and resources regardless of their gender, this is known as
gender equality. It speaks of men and women having equal obligations and rights. But
in our communities, the importance of gender equality has long been minimized.
According to the UN, there are still some regions of the world where women and girls
face discrimination in the workplace, in schools, and in the health care industry. A
study conducted in April and May by the Pew Research Center's Global Attitudes
Project shows that there is a discernible difference between beliefs on the
homogeneity of the genders in developed and developing countries. In other words, a
lot of people around the world think that males should be treated better in various
areas, particularly in the workplace and in education. Despite evidence that gender
equality is being practiced in our communities, a review indicated that some people
still think that men are more superior than women. According to studies, even though
many individuals claim to support gender equality, many still think that men should be
given preferential treatment when it comes to higher education, prestigious positions,
or even occasionally the most menial jobs.

BODY
Sub Topic 1:
 First, the introduction of programs promoting gender empowerment will make
sure that both men and women are aware of gender equality and how they may
support one another in the fight to better their quality of life. Additionally, it will offer
practical ideas for reducing male dominance in our culture. For instance, initiatives
promoting gender empowerment will show males how to make the most of their
strengths. They should use their power to uphold and defend the feminine character
while assisting women in reaching their full potential, which the world today sorely
needs. If you take a closer look, you'll see that men and women are capable of the
same things. Men are starting to understand that they cannot continue to view women
as mere commodities. Those times are long over. Women no longer want to be viewed
as fragile, passive, or weak, and they will not put up with abuse at the hands of male
manipulators, including exploitation, injustice, torture, hatred, and insults. The recent
emergence of women's liberation movements can be attributed to this.
These indicate that women are becoming more awake. It is crucial to understand that
there are significant social and economic costs when men and women do not have
equal opportunities to participate in decision-making. These costs primarily harm
women, but they also have an effect on their communities and countries. However,
initiatives to promote gender equality will make us realize that, depending on their
level of drive, men and women should be given an equal opportunity to succeed in
society and access to resources.
Secondly, the use of gender equality policies will ensure that gender equality is
attained and upheld in our communities. The majority of nations now recognize that
women and men should have equal rights. Women still have fewer possibilities than
men, despite the fact that these countries have developed rules granting them access to
education, economic opportunity, and health rights. It is crucial to understand that
disparities between men and women harm progress and prosperity (Sainsbury, 180).
Therefore, measures that take into account the needs and vulnerabilities of both men
and women should be put into practice. These laws should make sure that men and
women can participate equally in planning and making decisions affecting various
facets of our society, including the political, social, and economic ones. Although
there has been progress toward gender equality, men still outnumber women in the
fields of politics, business, and employment. In contemporary societies, gender
discrimination in the workplace continues to be prevalent. In fact, research shows that
women labor roughly two thirds of the world's working hours yet only make 10% of
the global income. The gender pay gap is still an issue in the workplace, too. The
Equal Pay Act was enacted by President John F. Kennedy more than 50 years ago.
And it's unfortunate that, fifty years later, we're still debating the gender wage gap and
how women make less money than men. Women will be provided with equal
opportunities as their male counterparts thanks to the implementation of gender
equality policies.
Third, the development of initiatives to promote gender equality will provide
men and women a unified voice. Women have historically been treated as second-
class citizens, as evidenced by the fact that they often face discrimination at work,
have fewer employment opportunities than men, and that the media, particularly films
and music videos, frequently portrays women negatively. Regarding physical and
mental strength, society views women as being less superior to males. For instance,
there are some regions of the world where women are not even permitted to drive.
This indicates that many people still do not comprehend the abilities of women. To
ensure that both men and women are aware of their unique strengths and how to use
them for the benefit of society as a whole, a significant gender awareness campaign
should be launched.
Sub Topic 2:
COUNTERARGUEMENT
Critics contend that women's rights are a female concern. As a result, efforts
that involve men are prone to failure. They go on to say that men and women typically
live in two different worlds and have very different views on gender equality. Many
men, according to their studies, don't think there is an issue with gender equality
(Seguino, 15). Only a small percentage of men acknowledge that gender inequality is
a significant problem in our culture. On the other hand, gender inequality is typically
viewed as a significant and ongoing concern by women. Therefore, they contend that
implementing men-inclusive tactics like gender awareness campaigns, passing gender
equality laws, and introducing programs for gender empowerment won't be effective.
They also say that men should not be involved in discussions on gender equity
because it is a feminist problem. Because gender equality is a problem for both men
and women, I do not agree with these critiques. When men take on tasks and career
responsibilities that are customarily held by women, for instance, they could
encounter criticism or prejudice. It follows that gender equality is a problem that both
men and women experience equally. In order to restore gender equality in our society,
it will be crucial to adopt men's inclusivity practices.
Other detractors claim that because men dominate the majority of the key
governmental posts, efforts to establish gender equality policies are unlikely to be
successful and will take a very long time to accomplish. As a result, they advise using
alternative strategies to alleviate gender imbalance, such as making advertisements.
But what these opponents fail to mention is that many of the TV commercials we
watch tend to be biased against one gender. Additionally, a lot of nudity, particularly
from female actors, is featured in most music videos and movies. Therefore, it seems
unlikely that employing advertisements to address gender equality will be the greatest
strategy to bring about change in society.
MY POSITION
I absolutely believe that both men and women have the same rights. It is unfair
that a guy must put in more effort than a woman simply because he is a male, or that a
woman must work more simply because she is a woman. Women and men should
have roughly equal rights. Here is a wonderful justification for why gender equality in
our society ought to be encouraged. A woman and a man stand for the male and
female aspects of one soul, which are two different sorts of divine power. A person
has to have both kinds of divine power, which give one the ability to give and receive
with subtlety, in order to live a full life. Women typically embody the sense of
personal dignity, whereas men are typically stronger physically, more outwardly
focused, and more aggressive. Men, on the other hand, may seem aggressive, but they
are not brutish, and a lady's qualities, while complicated, are not frail. For equality
between men and women, both forms of authority are required.
CONCLUSION
Gender equality must be restored in order for our communities to progress. The
potential of women and girls must be used by society to improve the living standards
of others. Equal access for women and girls to health care, education, and employment
is most likely to foster sustainable economies. Poverty, impunity, injustice, and
violence are some of the common consequences of gender inequality (Squires). It is
important to understand that violent behavior is often associated with male behavior,
and many people believe that it is a normal aspect of men, which is why violence is
often masculinized. Women are usually the victims of gender-based violence because
men see themselves as physically stronger than their female colleagues. Male
dominance in our society results in the marginalization of many women, altering the
social and economic structure of our communities. Furthermore, gender inequality
begets poverty because it denies one party many chances, including lack of access to
education. It is important to understand that aggressive behavior is frequently
connected with male behavior, and many people believe that it is a typical element of
men. This is the major reason why violence is frequently masculinized. Women are
typically the victims of gender-based violence because men perceive themselves to be
physically stronger than their female counterparts. Male dominance in our society
results in the marginalization of many women, altering the social and economic
structure of our communities. Additionally, gender disparity feeds poverty because it
deprives one side of many chances, such as lack of access to healthcare and education,
as well as lack of opportunity for productive work in society. Gender equality is
therefore essential in the battle against poverty because it ensures that everyone in
society makes contributions to the growth and elimination of poverty. It is clear from
these effects that gender inequality has many detrimental effects on our societies, thus
we should put policies in place to assist us achieve gender equality once again. Like
Nelson Mandela said, “Freedom cannot be achieved unless women have been
emancipated from all kinds of oppression.” Let us all be inspired by this to take action
to promote gender equality and human rights. Let us break the stigma, promote
awareness, and speak up.

Resources:
https://www.un.org/ruleoflaw/thematic-areas/human-rights-and-gender/
https://arabstates.unfpa.org/en/topics/human-rights-gender-equality-0
https://www.unicef.org/gender-equality2