Effects of Gender Discrimination on Mental and Physical Health

23/09/22

Child Protection

64

Gender discrimination in India remains a significant issue, impacting individuals across all walks of life. It includes both deliberate injustices and unintentional biases that disadvantage people based on their gender. While women in India have made remarkable progress in fields such as politics, business, science, and sports, many still face discrimination in education, employment, wages, and social mobility. Globally, gender discrimination has serious psychological repercussions, and India is no exception. Studies show that Indian women and individuals of marginalized genders experience higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression due to gender-based violence, workplace bias, and societal pressures.

Right to Equality is a fundamental human right and should be accessible to all, regardless of their gender. While the fight for gender equality began in Western countries with the suffrage movement in the late 19th century, in India, it did not start until 1975. Gradually, as a result of mobilisation and with little assistance from numerous civil society organisations, the idea of “Feminism” evolved in India, which claimed gender equality as a requirement and a right.

Over the past few decades, there has been progress: more girls are attending school, fewer are being coerced into early marriages, more women are holding elected office and other leadership posts, and laws are being changed to promote gender equality. Despite these advancements, there are still numerous obstacles to overcome, including the continued underrepresentation of women in political leadership positions and the prevalence of discriminatory laws and social norms.

However, on a scale of 146 nations, India still ranks 135 in the Global Gender Gap Index 2022. This results from the gender-based problems in our society, including discrimination against women, women lagging in educational achievement, the drop in political empowerment, and the gender disparity in economic involvement.

The COVID-19 situation forced people to stay inside, and led to a high number of domestic abuse cases in the nation, at a time when the already-existing gender inequality was at its worst. Before we explore how gender discrimination affects a woman’s mental and physical health, let’s first understand what gender discrimination means.

What does Gender Discrimination Mean

Any action that explicitly denies chances, benefits, or rewards to a person (or a group) because of their gender is known as gender discrimination; it is also referred to as sexual discrimination. Gender discrimination occurs when someone’s gender is taken into account when choosing who receives an opportunity.

Impact of Gender Discrimination

Women and Men are both impacted by the multifaceted problem of gender inequality. Some of the impacts are listed below:

Women and Health

Despite the fact that sex-selective abortion is illegal in India, there have been situations where women have been compelled to terminate if the fetus is a girl. At the same time, a lot of girls get married in their teenage years which seriously jeopardises their health and well-being. Trafficking is another factor impacting women’s mental and physical health. These practices demonstrate that a woman lacks control over her body and her rights.

Child Marriage and Improper Family Planning

Girls are forced into marriage to start a family before they are 18. This is the outcome of families’ traditional, antiquated beliefs that education is solely for boys and girls are the ones who are intended to take care of homes. Early marriages lead many women to conceive when they are still too young to care for themselves or for their unborn child which further leads to an effect on their physical and mental health.

Employment Opportunities

Inadequate education brought on by gender disparity affects women’s economic status. Women with little or no education participate less in politics and societal affairs. Women politicians are more likely to consider welfare concerns, including child care, maternity health, and violence against women. These problems won’t be solved if the right amount of participation isn’t given.

A Ray of Hope to Beat Gender Discrimination

Gender equality is a fundamental right that applies to both boys and girls, men and women. Based on this knowledge, Bal Raksha Bharat (also known as Bal Raksha Bharat) believes that it is essential to address gender inequality and discrimination head-on to protect children from harm and to advance our vision for a world in which every child realises their inherent right to grow up with proper health, education, and safety.

To eliminate gender discrimination and guarantee that we reach every child, especially the most vulnerable, a focus on gender equality is necessary. To challenge inequality, it is essential to transform gender and power relations, as well as the institutions, customs, and beliefs that support them. Age, colour, socio-economic class, gender identity, geography, health state, and ability are all characteristics that contribute to vulnerability. Gender discrimination interacts with and worses these other elements. Due to the dedication to advancing gender equality and empowering girls worldwide, Bal Raksha Bharat is working relentlessly to ensure that girls too get equal rights. We must begin at the childhood stage if we want to create a future that is more equitable, inclusive, and devoid of gender prejudice.

Read Also: Gender Issues in India

Pulkit Arora

Manager-Brand & Communication

“With over 12 years of dedicated experience in the social development sector, I am passionate about championing child rights and community empowerment through innovative communication strategies. As a Digital Marketing Manager for digital Campaigns and Communication with Bal Raksha Bharat (Save the Children), I have honed my expertise in orchestrating impactful campaigns online and fostering partnerships with key stakeholders to drive positive change."