Gender Discrimination

Social work code of ethics (2008) explained that social workers should act to removed and stop discrimination among individuals, group based on their race, ethnicity, origin, religion, skin colour, gender, identity age, status, beliefs, religion, ability and disability. As professionals, they should accept the responsibility of addressing and eliminating this issue in the lives of people they serve through practice, policy, research and education. Discrimination may affect people differently, denial of treatment because of the differences resulting in disadvantage support such as resources, access and opportunities (Hardiman, Jackson & Griffin, 2018). Many forms of discrimination exist such as age, gender, employment, housing, racial, skin colour etc. Among the most practised forms of discrimination include gender and disability discrimination. The paper develops an insight into gender and disability discrimination. Among the key highlighted areas include the policies, practices and effects involved with the outlined discriminatory activities. In addition, the paper develops various recommendations on how to remove and lower discrimination rates in the social work field.

Gender is categorized on the basis of the sex of an individual that is male and female. In most societies, gender defines and categorizes the responsibilities of different individuals. Individual behaviours are also developed through the knowledge of a person gender. As a result of the categorization, gender discrimination may result since both genders will have different rights and roles based on the community description. In most cases, women from a large population of victims of gender discrimination (Shastri, 2014). Despite women being the most populated gender in the community, they suffer discrimination based on several factors. Among the key factors include illiteracy. High illiteracy levels among women prevent them from pursuing high standards in a community that is leadership and employment.  As a result, women are forced to pursue low careers due to lack of the know how to perform intellectual duties in the community.

The international community has realized the existence of discrimination in the working fields. According to its developed knowledge, it outlines that both men and women have an equal capacity of delivery given they all have a fair growth. As a result, the community has developed recommendations for implementation to promote the women level to that of men in a bid to promote gender equality. Among the key development recommended include community interventions in the support of the women. The key activities that will be developed include address of gender norms and women development schemes such as financial schemes for women (WHO, 2009). The schemes will offer training on how to develop businesses and investment. Also, the financial schemes can be used to support local business for women. The development will offer women the knowledge of wealth creation making them self-reliant promoting their worth in the community. Governments have also developed policies that allocate funds for women empowerment. Furthermore, governments have developed laws that promote the representation of women in the political class that is the creation of women representative seats and recommendation for a two-thirds gender rule in political positions (Women Leadership and Development, 2015). The representatives are in return expected to propose bills that will help further promote the women in the society from gender discrimination. Various non-governmental organizations have also raised to help promote gender equality among communities. The organizations have also lobbied with the government in developing strategies that will help eradicate gender inequality in the society.

Efforts to Address Gender Discrimination

Discrimination has adverse effects to the society more so to the economic state of individual families and countries economy at large. Among the key effects include an increase in poverty levels in a community (Zarar, Bukhish & Khasheli, 2017). Due to the lack of education among women, there is a low level of elite people in the community considering women form the largest part of a community population. As a result, there is low income gained since only a few are employed and in the earning class. More so the low level of employment affects a country production capability lowering its revenue. In return, the country cannot support development programs in the community due to low levels of government revenue. Poor development contributes to poverty levels in the community. In addition, women discrimination in health facilities has contributed to an increase in mortality and morbidity rates of mothers and children (Shah, 2014). The increase in mother and children death is mostly observed during the delivery where mothers need special attention from the medics to ensure safe delivery. Also, regular checkups to monitor the health progress of expectant mothers plays a great role in lowering the mortality rates. Therefore, medics neglect of mothers has largely increased the mortality and morbidity rates. Among the most affected countries by health discrimination among women include Pakistan where women are highly oppressed by the males in the community. Gender discrimination has also contributed to poor governance since their affairs are not included in the process of law development of a country. As a result, the country develops laws that are gender biased lowering its democratic nature (Aza, Egharevba & Azuh, 2014). In addition, the strategies developed do for the development of a country do not consider the contribution of women to the country’s growth. In return, the country realizes stunted growth since it cannot meet its maximum production level. Among the key fields that contribute to poor development include inadequate labour and denial of access to particular goods which lowers the business market and revenue. Similarly, the exposure of women to violence based on gender inequality lowers their health status which lowers their contribution to the growth of a country.

 Disability is a major base of discrimination in work environments more so in the employment sector where business look down upon the disabled. According to research conducted by research and economic administration, it was found out that the employment opportunities for people with disabilities were 2.6% lower in comparison to the healthy (Alfasi, 2008). Furthermore, the disabled are offered low salaries in the industries compared to healthy employees. The deduction is justified on the basis of absence following frequent medical check-ups to ensure they are healthy. More so companies do consider the high cost of training of the disabled in order to help them adapt to the working environment. Israel acts as a good example where disability discrimination takes place. According to the research, it was found that the salaries paid to the disabled between the year 2002 and 2006 were 2000 NIS less in comparison to those paid to the health workers. The disabled are also discriminated in health centres despite their high need for frequent health checkups. Nurses and medics do often neglect them due to the much time consumed attending to them.   

Impact of Discrimination on the Society

Following the oppression developed by the discrimination of the disabled, international community and local governments have developed strategies to help curb the vice. Among the key developments made include the development of UNCRPD by the international community through the United Nations. UNCRPD was a treaty signed by the United Nations that entail the and describe rights of the disabled (Njelesani, Siegei & Ullrich, 2018). The document also outlines the role of local governments in promoting the status of people living with disabilities in the community more so in the business field that is employment and salary development. Governments have also developed a program for educating the disabled in order to offer them with the knowledge required in the business platforms (Thompson, 2017). The acquisition of business knowledge will help them in adjusting to the business field with much ease. In addition, governments have ensured that the disabled are represented in the leadership structure where their representative develop strategies to upgrade their lifestyle and also to ensure they equality to the general population. The representation helps develop the democracy of a nation since all the stakeholders are equally represented in the government. Furthermore, various governments have developed the allocation of finances to support the disabled. The finances help the disabled to access medical services which in turn improves their contribution to community growth.

Disability discrimination is involved with various effects which include stress among the disabled. Due to discrimination, the disabled do fell neglected and often develop stress due to excessive thinking (American Psychology Association, 2017). As a result, they tend to develop stress-related diseases such as blood pressure. In return, their output levels are affected leading to low economic production by a company. Furthermore, the developed sickness also increases the mortality rate and morbidity rates of the disabled. The increase in mortality level is also a result of discrimination in the medical facilities. At adverse levels the disables do lose their ability to work which in return result to suffering among their dependents’ since they can no longer meet their needs.  

One of the recommendations is that the Government should embrace the feminism empowerment theory. The move will help the government in developing strategies in support of female affairs in the community. More so the development will help female social workers to identify their rights and how to find justice in case the rights are violated. Similarly, the government should develop anti-oppressive working laws to help curb the exploitation of the disabled in the society. The laws should develop a proportion for employment of the disabled in the society to help alleviate the discrimination in employment. In addition, the law should restrict the deduction of salary to the disabled. The government in conjunction with the international should help develop knowledge among the disabled concerning their rights. More so justice bodies should be developed that will help the disabled whenever they are seeking justice following discrimination. Legislation should also be done to develop medical facilities for the disabled where they can get proper care. Technological developments that seek to improve the life of the disabled through the development of artificial organs should be funded. The innovations made in the biomedical engineering will help upgrade the lives of the disabled and improve their contribution to the community. In return, the country will realize economic improvement due to the contribution made by the disabled.

Disability Discrimination

In conclusion, discrimination is a vice that deteriorates the performance of the society by assuming the presence and role of key community stakeholders that is females and the disabled. Discrimination development is owed to lack of clearly defined protection laws to the victims. As a result, the lawmakers should develop laws in protection of women and the disabled in the society. Similarly, they should develop strategies to help improve their worth in society. Furthermore, the community should be educated on the effect of discrimination to help eradicate the vice in the society. Similarly, the non-government organization should help develop knowledge concerning the contribution of the discriminated groups in the society. In addition, laws should be developed concerning the access to medication for women and the disabled in the community. The law should develop the role of the medics in ensuring their health and medication. The law will help reduce discrimination in health facilities by developing facilities that are closer to the disabled to ensure that they receive adequate treatment more so to cater for emergency services. The strategy will help lower maternal mortality that is mostly attributed to the lack of quick attention due to inaccessibility of health facilities during emergencies. Lastly, institutions should increase the representation of the vulnerable in the society to ensure that they are adequately represented and their issues can be comfortably handled through their various bodies of representation. The representation will also help the development of the democratic nature of a country.

References

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