In the recent past, women have been fighting for equal rights and confronting their abusers. However, a lot needs to be done because women are still facing lots of issues to date. Here are 5 issues women are facing all over the world.
- Job discrimination and pay inequality
One of the major issues women are dealing with in the current age is the wage gap. This can mainly be attributed to various things among them the glass ceiling which keeps ladies from promotions and an inherent hiring bias against females. It is true that women occupy a significant percentage of the workforce. However, they mainly work in fields that have lower pay like agriculture, food service, community service and education.
According to research conducted, men have double the chances of being recruited as opposed to women. The reasoning behind this is that men are perceived to be more skilled than women. In addition, even in advanced positions, women can be paid less than males who are in the same position.
- Teen dating violence
Unhealthy behaviours in relationships can start during the teenage years. For teenagers, abusive relationships can have adverse side effects because their emotions are still in the development stage. Some of the side effects include suicidal thoughts, depression, and alcohol and drug abuse.
According to studies, 21% of high school girls encountered sexual or/and physical violence during dating. Moreover, among the adult female victims of domestic abuse, 22% first dealt with some kind of partner violence at 11 to 17 years of age.
- Lack of women in leadership
According to studies, more women are pursuing undergraduate and master’s degrees than men. A good percentage of these women are pursuing medical and law courses but still, in spite of their learning efforts, women are hugely underrepresented in positions of leadership. Black women, especially, have a wider gap than white women. Of all physicians and surgeons, 37 per cent are women but only 16 per cent of these women are medical school deans. Politics: Challenges Of Women Seeking Public Office
- Reproductive rights
One of the major differences between women and men is that women give birth. As a matter of fact, it is among the biggest issues women face. Reproductive rights debates revolve around abortion and birth control. Between the two, the abortion debate is the hotter topic as pro-choice supporters justify their claims to pro-life supporters.
When it comes to birth control, especially in Kenya and Africa at large, the burden of birth control is left on women. Men rarely take measures to ensure that they are playing a major role in practising birth control in marriages and relationships. Therefore, reproductive rights is a major controversial topic not only in Kenya and Africa but all over the world. Furthermore, the issues circling this topic are some of the hardest decisions any woman will face. Women’s reproductive health and rights; are we heading in the right direction?
- Female genital mutilation
Female genital mutilation is one of the major issues of concern for numerous people all over the world. The UN perceives this practice as a human rights violation and as a result, it has become a prevalent dialogue topic. Surprisingly, FGM is a global issue practised by various cultures. The practice can have religious ties with the intention of preparing young women for marriage. The physical and emotional toll that this practice takes is great and should not be ignored.
Issues Surrounding The Increasing Rates Of Teenage Pregnancies In Kenya
- Lack of sanitary products
According to research conducted by Menstrual Health, 65% of girls and women in Kenya do not have the capacity to afford sanitary pads during their menstrual periods. As a result, most Kenyan women devise ways – in some instances, deplorable ways- to cope with their menstrual days. This is, especially, the main issue for ladies who experience a heavy flow or those that get their periods twice a month because of their shorter-than-average monthly cycle. During those times, women who cannot afford sanitary towels cannot seek casual jobs to provide for their families. On the other hand, teenage girls who cannot afford sanitary towels during their menstrual periods skip school and remain at home until their periods are over.
Speaking of women and the issues they face, check out Relationships: Women And The Degrading Nature Of Sex With Men
