In these hard times, the globe is slipping into a considerably worse scenario on a daily basis due to inaction. The aforementioned neglect is visible in the most, if not all, countries around the world. The key differentiating element is male preference for the female population, which leaves our women underemployed and mostly dependent on their male counterparts for all of their fundamental requirements. Nonetheless, it is critical to address the scourge of gender discrimination by following Singapore's lead, which is one of the top ten best countries in the world for paying women equal pay for tasks that both sexes do. In this paper, I will debate the ethical problems gender inequality brings, giving reasons why gender equality is the right step to take towards a better future. Lastly, I will analyze a key political conspiracy that proves gender inequality is an archaic form of women discrimination.
Question 1
Equality is the fundamental aspect of Singapore, which is evident in their flag. The flag of this great nation symbolizes the color that depicts the fairness and brotherhood of man. Also, the five stars on the national flag symbolize ideals which include, justice democracy, progress, and peace. Therefore, it is evident that the country considers the equal treatment of both women and men, giving them similar advantages over issues affecting the society. Thus, this equality is a reflection of the people and physical landscape transformation over the last half a millennium ("Five gender gaps Singapore women still face in 2015", 2017).
Considering the Singaporean women, their access to social amenities, that is; education, health care, jobs, protection from violence, and equal pay is vital to the progressive growth of Singapore's economy. In light of this, the female labor force statistics of Singapore, regarding employment for ages between 24 to 25, records at an all-time high of 76 percent contrary to the norm of mothers who were remaining at home or were helping out in their family stores for minimal to no pay. Today, women lawyers, office workers, doctors, bankers, legislators, and entrepreneurs are rising to take the job market as equals to their male counterparts.
Despite the promising future, Singapore is envisioning for their women; gender inequality shows its ugly head once in a while. For example, our women are underpaid in comparison to the men, yet they are in a similar job. According to the 2014 Labor Force Statistics, there is a differential gap of up to 10 percent or more in all job-related classes except for minor support and clerical occupations ("Labour Force and the Economy: Median Gross Monthly Income and Gender Wage Gap | Ministry of Social and Family Development," 2017). Moreover, due to care giving and child-rearing, women in their thirties are often not employed. Men can equally take up household duties to relieve their wives and get them in employment on a regular basis, thus, involving both the parties in bringing up their young ones while managing their homes.
In empowering the modern- day woman to become breadwinners and wage earners, we dispel the age-old tradition and evolve the Asian values hinging on society to make them more compliant to our new life choices. Improving the Asian values will allow for men to stay at home and learn to be the prime caregivers of families, while women represent themselves at the senior management levels ("Five gender gaps Singapore women still face in 2015", 2017). Also, the dwindling numbers of female candidates available for the higher position will increase, allowing for a creative, open-minded and consultative role the companies and its bosses will adopt to maintain a work plan targeting the workforce balance of the gender in all professional environments.
In conclusion, the gender inequalities mentioned above are a form of destructive energy towards the morale of women, who are the backbone of our country. However, women with the aid of the society are continually fighting for equality through asking, confronting and tackling the severe gender questions facing the country in less suitable environments. Moreover, only with the ideals of gender equality, will Singapore unite under one flagship to achieve progress, democracy, justice and peace.
Question 2
The World Economic Forum (WEF) holds Singapore in high regards worldwide regarding gender balance across its social, political platform in comparison to other countries. Nevertheless, the republic is not recording any significant improvements from the previous position of fifty-fifth out of 135 countries in 2012. Disappointingly, the country has declined from its position to the 59th place out of 142 countries conferring to the 2014 Global Gender Gap report of WEF ("Labour Force and the Economy: Median Gross Monthly Income and Gender Wage Gap | Ministry of Social and Family Development," 2017). The basis of the report was to evaluate each member stateabout four key areas, which are; political empowerment, economic participation, and opportunity,health, and survival, educational attainment. In all of these areas of assessment, women were lagging behind men apart from education which had a significant upside.
The WEF claims that for over nine years that it has been actively conducting their survey, it is evident that there is only a minimal improvement inequality, in particularfor women in the workplace. The final statistics shows that the trajectory the world is taking would result in an 81-year period to successfully close the gap of gender inequality. Given that the economic participation and opportunity for the current gender gap stands at a sixty percent, it will be possible to bridge the gap owing to a significant four percent decrease in the gender gap from the year 2006.
Moreover, the detailed study of the statistical data the WEF organization presents only addresses the relative gap between women and men into eachstateirrespective of that country's level of general progress. Consequently, the report further suggests that a lower-middle income country such as Nicaragua, which is closing up to 79 percent of its gender gap, has a rank of number 6. Likewise, the United States has a global rank of number 20, its women attaining about 74.6 percent contrary to the rate U.S. men achieve ("Labour Force and the Economy: Median Gross Monthly Income and Gender Wage Gap | Ministry of Social and Family Development," 2017). Back to Singapore, the gender gap is relatively narrow, hence undermining the interests of its women on educational, economic participation, health and the important opportunistic matters. The gender discrimination also spreads to political issueslike leadership positions and political representations.
In a country having a large number of women to men, Singapore has a gender parity score of 0.7, having to bridge its gender gap up to seventy percent. Thanks to the equality drive of the country, from equally paying women, the female characters are displaying a positive outcome when it comes to catching up with men in the literacy department. It is evident for educational enrolment from primary, secondary and tertiary levels are increasing, and additionally, the women can hope to outlive their male counterparts for they have a relative longer life expectancy ("The global gender gap: Here's how Singapore compares to the rest of the world," 2017).
The political conspiracy that undermines the female populace in Singapore is astonishing due to the WEF assessment that scores the country poorly in the area of leadership. Plainly, with a 94 percent male dominance in ministers against the minimal six percent female representation; the country has a global ranking of 128 regarding the leadership share women have in ministerial positions. ("Labour Force and the Economy: Median Gross Monthly Income and Gender Wage Gap | Ministry of Social and Family Development," 2017). Giving Singapore score of zero for it did not ever have a female head of state. Moreover, the state has an averagerating, by the WEF rankings, when it comes to the proportion of women who are in the economy bagging occupations like, managers, senior officials, and legislators. In this economy regard, Singapore is number 62 worldwide, with a relative score of 0.46.
A current review of human resource (HR) consultancy by Robert Half reveals that 52 per cent of HR directors in Singapore are confident that women are not receiving the same profession opportunities which men receive ("The global gender gap: Here's how Singapore compares to the rest of the world," 2017). Lastly, even when women are asked about their crippling career advancements in comparison to men, the common reason was a lack of balance in their work-life which will allow women to tend to their parental duties. The work-life imbalance was a prime factor that hinders women to dutifully keep up with men in various areas of profession inclusive of the political arena.
References
Five gender gaps Singapore women still face in 2015. (2017). The Straits Times. Retrieved 2 April 2017, from http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/five-gender-gaps-singapore-women-still-face-in-2015
Labour Force and the Economy: Median Gross Monthly Income and Gender Wage Gap | Ministry of Social and Family Development. (2017). Msf.gov.sg. Retrieved 2 April 2017, from https://www.msf.gov.sg/research-and-data/Research-and-Statistics/Pages/Labour-Force-and-the-Economy-Median-Gross-Monthly-Income-and-Gender-Wage-Gap.aspx
The global gender gap: Here's how Singapore compares to the rest of the world. (2017). The Straits Times. Retrieved 2 April 2017, from http://www.straitstimes.com/business/the-global-gender-gap-heres-how-singapore-compares-to-the-rest-of-the-world
