Nam: Hi everyone…

Bình: So lets go through the definition of gender equality. Gender equality is, first and
foremost, a human right. It implies that women, men, boys and girls of all classes and races
participate as equals and have equal value. They enjoy equal access to resources, freedoms
and opportunities to exercise control. This means that gender is irrelevant when it comes to
valuing different behaviors, aspirations, needs, and opinions equally. The idea of gender equality
also extends to the legal, social, and political rights, freedoms and protections that a state must
offer to all citizens regardless of gender.

Vu: There have been many extraordinary women who have played an important role in
local or world history, but not all of these have necessarily been advocates of women’s
issues. The women’s movement is made up of women and men who work and fight
to achieve gender equality and to improve the lives of women as a social group. In
most societies, women were traditionally confined to the home as daughters, wives and
mothers, and we are often only aware of women in history because of their relation to
famous men. Of course many women throughout history did in fact play an important
role in cultural and political life, but they tend to be invisible The women’s movement
began to develop in North America, mainly because women there were allowed to
go to school earlier than in Europe - and women who can read and write, and who are
encouraged to think for themselves, usually start to question how society works.

Nam: While the process of fulfilling the dream of treating both sexes equally, there are
still some challanges we have to face with. 1. Lack of women in leadership 2. Poverty
and lack of economic opportunities 3. Workplace discrimination and inequalities 4. An
imbalance in unpaid care work 5. Social norms and cultural practices 6. Inadequate
access to education and health care 7. Food insecurity 8. Violence against women and
girls 9. Inadequate funding for gender equality initiatives 10. Legal barriers and poorly
enforced legislation 11. Lack of access to clean energy and sanitation

Bình: So how can we educate children as well as ourselves to the right of gender
equality? Ensure educational materials are free from gender stereotypes. Challenge
expectations of professions typically associated with a particular gender, for example
include a female construction worker or soldier and a male secretary or nurse. Avoid the
term ‘guys,’ which may make female students feel excluded, use gender-neutral
pronouns like ‘everyone.’ Do not refer to stereotypical characteristics like ‘boys don’t cry’
or ‘girls don’t fight’ which limits understanding of gender roles. Address phrases like ‘you
play like a girl’ or ‘man up,’ and point out the gender implications of these statements
and help find alternative phrasing. Avoid segregating boys and girls into separate lines,
separate sports activities and mix seating up in the classroom.Ensure any educational
materials used show genders in equal measure.Mix boys and girls to work on projects
together. Explore gender concepts and roles from different communities. Help students
identify instances of gender bias, through awareness activities or historical events, laws
and cultural changes.
Vu: As a man, what can we do for the fight for equality ? For gender equality to be
achieved, men must also be educated on perspectives, experiences and challenges
women face and then engaged as their crucial allies working hand in hand to transform
the world into a place where men and women can thrive equally