Promote Gender Equality Analysis

In an effort to promote economic and social development, investing in gender equality does serve as an effective strategy. However, there are others such as debt relief and aid that continue to promote economic and social development in a country.

The pursuit towards gender equality is seen directly in the third Millennium Development Goal (MDG 3) that is to “Promote gender equality and empower women”, 1 of 8 goals meant to be completed by 2015. Many more girls are now in school compared to 15 years prior to the MDGs. Developing regions, such as Latin American and the Caribbean and Southern Asia, have achieved the target to eliminate gender disparity in primary, secondary and tertiary education through investment in national and international

With the same opportunities to education, they will be treated more fairly by families and communities, gaining more self confidence and a possible improvement in diet and health. Early marriage often compromises girls’ development and results in early pregnancy and social isolation. Child pregnancy reinforces the vicious cycle of low education, high fertility and poverty. However, reduced fertility rates and birth rates often follow education and empowerment of women. They are more likely to delay marriage (and child birth) and have better knowledge of contraception. In Singapore, women empowerment was a factor in the decreased fertility rate to 1.6, way below the replacement rate of 2.1. On the other hand, in Sub Saharan Africa, where the government does not prioritize gender equality and combatting disparities, the fertility rate is 2.5, well above the replacement rate, and their economy remains

Traditionally, most migrants have been male. However, females have now almost equaled males in the numbers and in some regions even exceeded them. Traditionally, women are to stay at home and look after the children, following them being married young and having children young. However, now more women have become emancipated, getting educated, finding a job, having later marriages and gaining independence in living and work related decisions. This is seen in the increase of domestic workers from Indonesia to Hong Kong, now at 340 000 migrants. Through this migration and consequent job, the migrants grant themselves a chance at independence, travel and financial security. They are able to work overseas and send remittances back home to their families and their