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‘Men don’t cry’, ‘girls should not mix up with boys’, ‘this game is only for girls’, ‘men should earn the livelihood’, women should take care of the household activities’. Our society has preconceived roles for both genders. Gender inequality begins at home only. We may admit or not, we keep partial attitude towards girl child as compared to a boy. The societal parameters of discriminating between a boy and a girl have to be done away with. It becomes our duty to sensitise our children regarding gender inequality. Moreover, charity begins at home. So, parents should teach their children that there is no specific task meant for men or only for women. Teach children to respect each others irrespective of the gender. The Right to Education Act 2009 as well as Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan has rightly mentioned gender as one of the goals of elementary education in Indi
Bir Devinder Singh Bedi
Begin from grassroots
It is high time that we spread awareness about the challenges faced by girls in the country. Right from childhood, children should be sensitised to respect women. School teachers and parents should be trained, not only to conduct regular personality building and skill-enhancing exercises, but also to keep a watch on the actual behavioural patterns of the children.
Aashima Arora
Kit on gender sensitivity
Our education system needs to be gender sensitive and gender friendly. Schools can play an important role in inculcating gender sensitivity in etiquettes and manners of students. The Right to Education Act (2009), has clearly mentioned that gender equality is one of the expected outcomes of elementary education in the country. With the growing concern over the lack of gender sensitisation among youth, the CBSE has developed 'a kit on gender sensitivity' for teachers to enable them to ensure unbiased participation of both boys and girls in the learning process.
Shubhangi
True purpose of education
Education is the key element to fight male-dominated scenario in the society and to bring gender equality. Boys and girls start developing their gender identities right from birth. Both the genders are segregated right from the childhood. Even there are some etiquettes and manners that are applied separately for both the genders. Schools need to address unhealthy gender biasedness through the process of schooling.
Kriti Khosla
Stop stereotyping
The need for gender sensitisation has always been felt in the past, but in the present scenario, where stark gender roles, overt gender discrimination and denigrating women has been ingrained into our daily lives, it has become more important for educational institutions to make it mandatory. Our education system has to be gender friendly and gender sensitive. Implementing curriculums on gender sensitisation is very important to recognise the importance of two sexes (male and female) as well as to change the stereotype mindset in men that women are weak and unequal. Schools, colleges and universities should lay stress on inculcating values of equality, inclusivity and diversity. Moreover, educational institutions must strive to create an environment in which both men and women can learn to think critically and solve challenging problems. In nutshell, gender sensitisation is by far the most effective and non-confrontationist approach of reforming the society, a pillar to sustainable development that requires explicit commitment, more systematic, well planned and more professional approach to make it mandatory in educational institutions.
Ravi Chander Garg
Set up a redressal bench as part of curriculum
Gender sensitisation must be considered one of the important issues of the course curriculum not only at school level but also at colleges and universities. Students must be made aware of the issues and problems. Teachers and professors at each stage, must share their views about gender equality and other related issues by organising seminars and debates. Schools and colleges must form clubs and societies which may deal with gender sensitising issues. Students must share their personal incidents with each others. A gender sensitisation cell is not synonymous with women issues or women development cell. These clubs should serve as a fundamental platform for all the sexes to discuss problems and come up with solutions. Courses should cover various topics on culture, tradition, arts, moral principles having a compulsory gender course. There must be a redressal bench, which may enable students to speak up, to spread awareness regarding the issue among their peers.
Farzana Khan
Respect the gender, be the change
The future of our country depends upon the young generation.As a school is the foundational block of every child's life ,they must be taught to respect the gender. Gender sensitisation should be implemented in schools to teach the young generation that both boys and girls are capable of doing any work. If we want a society devoid of gender discrimination and violence against women ,there is need of gender sensitization.There is a need of promoting gender equality through different events like seminars, debates and so on by providing the boys and girls a platform to express themselves .Do your best to move towards a society of equality
MANMOHAN KAUR
Establish a cell to address sensitive issues
Gender sensitisation refers to the modification of behavior by raising awareness of gender awareness equality concerns. This is a very serious cause of concern and must be a part of course curriculum in schools, colleges and universities. Gender sensitisation can be promoted through various activities such as debates, seminars, conferences, discussions and through theatrical performances. This will help the students to question what is wrong. Each institute should establish a gender sensitising cell, where both boys and girls, under the supervision of teacher may discuss various issues related with them and may reach on single or multiple solutions.
Dr Mohd Saleem Farooqui
Create equal space for both genders
Gender sensitisation should be made mandatory in educational institutions as they can play an important role in inculcating gender sensitivity in etiquettes and manners of students. It is necessary to create gender-responsive institutions in which the academic, social and physical environment and its surrounding community take into account the specific needs of girls and boys. A detailed action plan with a definite road map is required in the institution's curriculum to achieve gender equality.
Kritika Bhalla
Make it a part of elementary education
The Right to Education Act 2009 and it's operating arm, the Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan, has clearly mentioned that gender equality is one of the expected outcomes of elementary education in our country. It should be very much important, especially in a patriarchal country like India, for children to be aware of gender sensitisation because it is essential for building a healthy society.
Harshpreet Kaur
Don't let children internalise sexist attitudes
Children start believing what they see or hear. So starting early is the only way out. Teachers and parents should be trained, not only to conduct regular personality-building and skill-enhancing exercises, but also to keep a watch on the actual behavioural patterns of the children so as to make them gender sensitised. Teach them humanity before anything else.
Simranjeet Kaur
Create an inclusive environment
Gender sensitisation should be made mandatory in the educational institutions. It is the need of the hour to understand the sensitive need of a particular gender. It can be done through debate, discussions, seminars and other performances. Both male and female should be encouraged to be class leaders. Give equal opportunity to both boys and girls.
Harsh Kaur
Teachers should be free of bias too
Gender sensitisation should be considered mandatory in educational institutions. But to sensitise children, teachers need to be free of bias too. They need a thorough check of their attitudes and mindsets. They knowingly or unknowingly show gender insensitivity. School counsellors work with the students who struggle with gender- based bullying and gender- identity issues. But there is a lot that needs to be understood and a lot more needs to be done to make gender sensitivity programmes successful in schools. A community of students, parents, teachers and support staff play a pivotal role in enabling a gender- neutral system. Change once we accept the complex layers of gender sensitisation.
Devna Munjal
Acknowledge the difference
It is very important to make gender sensitisation mandatory in all the educational institutions. Students should be taught to respect everyone irrespective of their gender. Also, parents and teachers should not discriminate between boys and girls. There are many stereotypes prevailing in our society regarding gender. People think these stereotypes to be true and act accordingly. Although, Article 14-16 of the Indian Constitution provides no discrimination on basis of sex, equality before law, equality of opportunity but the fact is that our society works more according to the prevailing norms in the society. Hence, gender sensitisation should be made mandatory to create gender equality, while acknowledging the differences created by God.
Pallavi Bajaj
Catch them young
Gender sensitising is about changing behavior and instilling empathy among both the genders. I believe that schooling is a process through which society creates the kind of individuals we wish to see in the world. It's imperative that school curriculum lays strong emphasis on inculcating values of equality among people. The change must begin from a young age. Young minds can be easily moulded. It is imperative to end discrimination in the society. If we want a society to be devoid of discrimination, boys and girls should not be treated as inferior. Everyone should do his bit towards a more equal and inclusive society.
Sanskriti Verma
Simplify gender roles in a patriarchal country
In a patriarchal country like India, where stark gender roles, overt gender discrimination and denigration of women and girls is ingrained into our daily lives, It is extremely important to identify and address this problem from a very young age. Boys and girls start developing their gendered identities from birth. The upbringing at home also influences them. While egalitarian gender roles may not be present at home, the school can become a space of transformation where children, especially those hailing from disadvantaged backgrounds, learn to question gender roles, identify areas of gendered discrimination, and work towards changing them. Change must begin from a young age.
Jasmine Kaur Bajaj
Make students aware
Teachers should change their behaviour towards the students at school. Debates and workshops should be organised in which each gender should symbolise the other and talk good about each other. They should be taught empathy. Students should realize that male and female if work together can make world a better place. Seminars, workshops, lectures, debates and various other activities should be organised to make students aware about this phenomenon.
Ekroop Kaur
Education to go a long way
The true purpose of education is to create the kind of individuals we wish to see in the world, based on values of equality inclusivity and diversity, all of which are essential for building a healthy society. The change has to start from the grassroots. In many families in both rural and urban areas, while boys are encouraged to study and have a career, girls are taught to concentrate on household chores. Boys are encouraged to participate in motor activities while girls are asked to participate in more quieter activities. Only when both the boys and girls learn to question this typical gender bias at the school level, will the situation change. We lack in providing a safe society to women. If boys are taught to understand how an egalitarian society is beneficial to all by questioning gender norms, only then will boys learn to treat women as equals. Education can play a critical role in making the society safer for women and that can happen by making gender sensitisation a part of the school curriculum.
Karanpreet Kaur
Train young minds
We live in the 21st century, but gender inequality is still one of the biggest setbacks in our society. In order to eradicate this shortcoming, it is really necessary to educate our children and youth to respect everyone irrespective of their gender while accepting the differences. Therefore, gender sensitisation should be made mandatory in educational institutions and can be achieved by conducting awareness campaigns, training programmes and workshops.
Tanya Bajaj
Tackle it at young age
Educational institutions must be insisted to give due importance to gender sensitisation as these are the places where individuals we want to see in the world are created. In order to avoid gender bias, it's extremely important to identify and address the problem at a very young age. Upbringing at home also influences boys and girls. We need clear directives to understand and address gender norms through educational institutions.
Rajni Matta
Nurture gender sensitivity
As a part of the teaching curriculum, moral education and gender sensitisation must be inculcated in all students and teachers. They should be made sensitive to handle situations such as menstruation in girls, puberty and sexual issues in both the sexes. The staff should have a separate male and female counselor for boys and girls
Dr Ashwani K Malhotra
Unbiased participation of genders
Education creates future individuals. It has become necessary to address the issue of gender discrimination. So, we need to be sensitive towards various genders which can be done through education that we get rid of this patriarchal thinking at a young age which means that the educational institutions needs to impart knowledge and create awareness regarding the same among the youth. It's time we break this stereotype
Shivani Aggarwal
Egalitarian roles need of the hour
Gender sensitisation is all about being unbiased towards any gender. It is to provide equal opportunities to each gender for their equal development in the society. The society should not condition the minds of the children to differentiate between boys and girls. When a boy tells his parents that he wants to be a chef when he grows up, his decision is not being supported because usually the ideology is such that men should take up jobs like engineering and banking. J Nehru said, “To awaken the people, it is the woman who must be awakened.” People don't educate their girls and if she is educated, she is supposed to be a teacher, doctor not a pilot, a soldier, a air hostess because it doesn't match with the stereotypes of society because society wants her to be a nest defender who can do house hold chores. Campaign in educational institutions is important to spread awareness about gender sensitivity. Gender equality begins at home, it is important for parents to treat both girls and boys equally in sports, education and birth celebrations.
Abhilasha Singh
Education should not be concentrated in one gender only
Gender sensitisation in educational institutes should be made mandatory. It should not be concentrated on one gender only. In the present milieu, people are concentrated on the uplift of women, but neglecting males, who are also an integral part of society, in that pace should not be the criteria. Educational institutes need to teach equality not biasness or greatness of one particular gender to students. It needs to be handled with great care because tomorrow’s generation needs to respect each other equally.
Navdeep Kaur
Education system needs to be gender sensitive
Our education system needs to be gender sensitive and gender friendly. Educational institutions should encourage students to interact with each other rather than dividing them. The participation of both boys and girls should be ensured in all types of activities, team sports and games.
Ravleen Kaur
Equal treatment to all
Gender sensitisation refers to equal respect and treatment to everybody, irrespective of their gender. It should be mandatory in schools. It can be made effective by giving equal opportunities to both boys and girls. There should be two monitors in the class, a boy as well as a girl. Groups should be made in the classrooms in which boys and girls will equally participate regarding social problems. Girls should be given equal chance in each and every activity. Teachers must give due attention to girls complaints.
Ritu Priya
Teach boys and girls to share equal responsibility
Gender systems are often dichotomous and hierarchical, gender binary systems may reflect the inequalities that manifest in numerous dimensions of daily life. Gender discrimination can be of many forms, including sexual harassment, pregnancy, unequal pay for men and women and discrimination on the basis of provision of jobs and education. We often see such discrimination at the time of inheritance or devolution of estate. To overcome gender inequality we need to have gender-sensitive society. Educational institutions can play a great role in it. School-parent partnership needs to be strengthened. Teachers should nurture values and virtues in children. Both boy and girl monitors should be appointed. Boys and girls should be addressed and called equally. Mix groups for group activities and games should be formed. Both boys and girls should share activities. Lesson on gender sensitivity and moral traditions should be incorporated. Government has also started taking initiatives regarding gender concerns. These have been included in the curriculum as well.
Dr Jasdeep Kaur
Make gender sensitisation compulsory
A lot of problems including dowry harassment, poverty, female foeticide, domestic violence among others are a result of gender discrimination in our society. Gender sensitisation should be made compulsory in educational institutions. Education has a great impact on the mind of children. It has the power to change the mindset of people. A full-fledged subject should be introduced as a part of syllabus. Gender equality should be taught to children of elementary school. Women studies should be introduced as a subject at higher level as well. Children should be well-versed about their roles as a responsible citizen. Women welfare schemes should be made by the government to provide them more provisions for self-dependency. Moreover, strict rules, regulations and policies should be made by the government and their proper implementation should be checked timely. Strict laws should be made for those involved in gender inequality and malpractices.
Komal Beri
Role of primary schooling imperative
Gender sensitisation is an ideal option to deal with the issue of 'gender equality'. By making gender sensitisation mandatory, the youth will have a better vision of their equality rights, be it a man or a woman because primary schooling is responsible for a child's mental status. Schooling helps a child perceive his/her surroundings. Several sensitising campaigns, trusts and NGOs are working to make this work in realilty.
Palak goyal
OPEN HOUSE COMMENT
Gender is a social, psychological and cultural construct. Unlike sex roles that are biologically determined, gender roles have a huge component of societal, cultural and historical factors. According to Susan Basow, a psychologist who has done extensive research on gender roles and stereotyping, a gender role is society's evaluation of behaviour as masculine or feminine. For instance, cooking is considered feminine, while fishing is viewed as masculine. Gender stereotyping is very common. These stereotypes are oversimplified beliefs and rigidly-held generalisations. Stereotyping often leads to discrimination and prejudice. The socialisation agents and forces that reinforce stereotypes include parents, teachers and peers, apart from the almost all-pervasive media. However, home and school are the places where stereotypes tend to be transmitted and reinforced very early in a child's life. Gender stereotypes perpetuate inequity with respect to access to resources and opportunities and also promote biases that encourage denial of the right to education, property, mobility, basic healthcare and in many cases the right to reproductive function, too! The result is marginalisation of women, often accompanied by physical and psychological violence. Shorn of all rhetoric, gender sensitisation is simply a modification of behaviour by creating awareness about concerns related to gender equity. Education in schools and educational institutions is expected to be gender neutral. But unfortunately, teaching in schools is seldom gender neutral. The attitude of teachers and administrators usually has a strong gender component to it. Gender sensitisation in schools includes adoption of gender-sensitive teaching methods that eschew sexism in the language used by teachers, creation of non-sexist learning environment and a special focus on counselling to help foster positive self-image and confidence in girls. Breaking down stereotypes through role playing, art and craft projects is another step. And last but not the least, avoiding differential expectations from male and female students is very important!
Minna Zutshi
QUESTION
How can Ludhiana city tackle the problem of encroachments?
Suggestions in not more than 70 words can be sent to Ludhiana.feedback@gmail.com
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