Philanthropy in Gender Equality Efforts The Approaches to Gender Equality

The Welfare Approach

The Equity approach

Anti-poverty Approach

The Efficiency Approach

The Empowerment Approach

Scenario

Philanthropic budget of $500,000

Scenario

Philanthropic budget of $10,000,000

Scenario

Philanthropic budget of $100,000,000

The protection, survival and development of girls and boys on an equal basis and the eradication of discrimination on the basis of sex in all walks of life especially in education, work and society is the basic meaning of gender equality. It also refers to the equal rights of girls and boys and women and men (http://www.unicef.org, 2015).

It is well established that in the modern society, discrimination in any form and at any place is unacceptable. Acts of discrimination on the basis of sex in education and in social life, is further more damaging to a human beings as individuals. This is so because such discriminations denies or robs from the person being discriminated against, the opportunity of career advancement, financial gains and equal opportunities often resulting mental trauma ('GENDER EQUALITY FRAMEWORK', 2008). Ultimately such discrimination can lead to a sense of helplessness and may even be viewed as a form of torture by the individual being discriminated against. Thus sometimes discriminations on the basis of sex also often is also compared to and becomes topics of debate about the possible violation of human rights for the persons discriminated against (Johnson, 2001).

The basic concept of gender equality is based on the human rights principle of equal rights. The human rights principle on equal rights says that every individual should get equal right sot be treated equally (Genderequality.ie, 2015). Therefore deriving from this concept and globally established norms, it can be said that the gender equality also entails this basic human rights norm of equality where men and women should receive equal treatment and there should not be any discriminated against any woman on the basis of gender (http://www.unicef.org, 2015). This was also one of the objectives of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights that is aimed at the creation of equal laws and opportunities in social situations like the democratic activities, education and equal pay at work. However in the general discourse of the topic of gender equality, the aspect of the third or the forth gender is not yet included as it is still a topic of debate and discussion.

The concept of gender equality entails the expectation that organizations, both private and social, should engage in programs that are designed so as to contribute to gender equality in clearly defined, measurable ways and in accordance to the universal declaration of human and civil rights. In short it can be said that the job of promoting meaningful gender equality is the responsibility of all organizations and entities in every walk of life and in every sphere of society (http://www.unicef.org, 2015).

The reasons for the demand for gender equality emanates from the social and cultural context of valuation of the activities and the notion about the roles and responsibilities of the two genders. One of the prime reasons for the demand of gender equality is fact that girls and boys are often faced with different impediments to the complete realization of their human rights (Conceptual Approach to Gender Equality & Women's Empowerment, 2009). Different societies treat girls and boys in different manner. In many cultures and societies, including some in the developed world, girls are often faced with various forms of discrimination which tend to limit their ability to develop their capabilities either through education or otherwise, direct their life course to their choice and abilities, access socially available resources, enjoy freedom from violence and continue to enjoy equal social status. Therefore gender equality or removal of gender inequality is often aimed and focused at interventions that are specifically targeted towards the removal of discrimination against the girls and women (Valimaa, 2004).

The concept and the fight against gender bias in society, since is focused and aimed at women, entails the regarding of women, first and foremost, as human beings who are completely entitled to the right to exercise their human rights and freedoms. / it is after this that women should be expected to complete and exercise their other roles, for example as mothers for service delivery to children (GENDER EQUALITY FRAMEWORK, 2008).

The approaches to creating equitable right s and equal treatment for women and establishment...

The aspect of empowerment of women has the potential to encourage the women to fight for their equal rights to opportunities and treatment in a significant manner. This empowerment can be derived from education, social and democratic rights and economical freedom and rights. Empowerment of women and the female kind also has the potential to create and foster overall development of the family in particular and the community and thus the society at large. For example, a well-educated and empowered woman would have the knowledge that to ensure that for the health of the children it is necessary to space the births of their children and would also have more knowledge about the health and nutrition of the children and take appropriate to ensure healthy children and adopt healthy and better improved sanitation practices (GENDER EQUALITY AND FEMALE EMPOWERMENT POLICY, 2012). Thus a set of healthy serves to fulfill the purpose of a family and a community better than an unhealthy one. This ultimately leads to a betterment of the society as whole.
Nations as whole tend to benefit from gender equality and the empowerment of women. The promotion of gender equality and the empowerment of women would help the cause a nation's efforts to reduce poverty and create employment and job opportunities. Therefore the benefits that are to be derived from the gender equality are immense and wide ranging.

The Approaches to Gender Equality

There are several approaches to establish gender equality. These approaches are classified primarily on the basis of the problems that the women face and the aims and objectives of eradicating the problems. The way development professionals and the countries that are concerned with the development assistance viewed the problem of gender bias and inequality described the approaches to gender equality. The changes in the surrounding worlds and the third world policies reflects the changes in the approaches towards women and gender equality. In the initial periods of the concept of gender equality and during the period of the declaration of the universal charter of human rights by the United Nations, there were three primary approaches to gender equality with specific focus on equal rights for women. These were later supplemented with two more approaches based on the change sin view and needs.

Though these approaches tend to be viewed as being prescribed in a linear order, the fact is that their creation was random and based on observations and needs of the society and the women in the society. The approaches can be used in singularity as well as in conjunction with each other to construct an overall framework and approach for the devel9pmentof women and the creation of gender equality in education and several other aspects in society. Most of the approaches were developed to be used in the form and included in the policies of government and various organizations that worked for and intended to promote the cause of gender equality and women development (Conceptual Approach to Gender Equality & Women's Empowerment, 2009).

The Welfare Approach

This is the first approach to the welfare of women and towards the establishment of gender equality with focus on women's equality. This approach was first used in the 1950-60s. This was the beginning of the age of social welfare where there was economic growth. Social welfare was seen as a part of the economic growth where people could take care of themselves. Social welfare only applied to those whose did not have the capacity to or were unable to take care of themselves by taking advantage of the economic growth. This was the path that was taken by the developed nations and there were two ways or paths that were created for the assistance to the development of developing nations. The two ways or paths were to provide financial assistance for financial growth and aid in the form of relief to help in the development of the vulnerable sections of the population (GENDER EQUALITY AND FEMALE EMPOWERMENT POLICY, 2012).

The welfare approach entailed the view of women as passive beneficiaries and not the original beneficiaries of the aid or relief. The role of the women were seen primary as a mother and housewives and bearing and bringing up of children and taking care of the family was considered to be the most important role of the women in society. Helping the vulnerable section of population through the form of direct food aid, heath care services and nutritional help were the primary modes of aid and relief for the vulnerable sections of the society. The concept of this kind of welfare befit approach for the women was that helping the women would ultimately help the entire family and thus entire communities. Therefore the aim was not only…