Am I typical of most males in not really spending time or paying much attention in the past to gender equality? Possibly. And if I wasn’t about to go off on my IBM Corporate Services assignment to do some work in this field, it’s quite possible that I may never have given this issue due consideration. Shame on me.
My eyes are really beginning to open now though. An issue that would pass me by before is now right in my line of sight. I’m only really blinking at the moment in terms of my personal understanding and awareness, but the more I understand, the more I can focus.
Clearly, gender issues are not unique to Ecuador. This is a global set of challenges. The client I will be working for, SENDAS, runs projects, among various initiatives, that help empower women on the premise that will help reduce the amount of poverty in Ecuadorian families. One of the key stakeholders for SENDAS is UN Women, the United Nations organisation that focuses on gender equality and female empowerment across the world. A good resource for helping me open my eyes a bit further as I prepare for my assignment.
On the UN Women’s web site it states that gender equality is a basic human right. Yes, I always would have agreed with that but I would never have realised the extent to which that basic human right is not a given everywhere. Their web-site puts the macro issue in the spotlight for us all to see so succinctly:
“Empowering women fuels thriving economies, spurring productivity and growth. Yet gender inequalities remain deeply entrenched in every society. Women lack access to decent work and face occupational segregation and gender wage gaps. They are too often denied access to basic education and health care. Women in all parts of the world suffer violence and discrimination. They are under-represented in political and economic decision-making processes.”
I hope that I can do my job in Ecuador better if I have a deeper understanding of what my client is striving to achieve. That UN paragraph above on its own makes me stop and think long and hard. That’s more than I’ve done before. I’m invested now and I’m keen to do my bit, however tiny it is in the grander scheme. Cynics may think I’ve become a feminist overnight. That would be an immature view. I’m beginning to learn that there’s a real issue here that affects families all over the world, including husbands, fathers and sons just like me. To be open-minded you sometimes need your eyes to be open too.
For further reading go to http://www.unwomen.org
As for me now, one week until I fly out!
#IBMCSC #CSCECUADOR4
Stephen's Story 
It is a crazy world we live in, on the news yesterday was a football scout who abused boys between 8 and 11 years “on an industrial scale” and an Oxfam employee who abused his power and slept with prostitutes whilst working in Haiti. You could never imagine a woman would do this.
I think it is great what you are doing Stephen and it is also great that we can share your journey and our eyes can be opened too.
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As Stephen states, within this rushing, gushing modern day environment. These issues are real, and sometimes we need to be forced to stop, think and focus what is important. From confusion and chaos grows realisation, but all of us need time and space to realise this. Well done Stephen, we could learn a lot from your experiences.
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Great post! I agree that there’s often a sentiment that gender equality only benefits women, but as you say it affects entire families and therefore all of society as well.
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There is another issue at stake here as well. In a recent Lancet Commission on Women and Health in which I was involved, it was estimated that women’s UNPAID work amounted to $1.3 trillion per year. The poorest in any sub group are always women .
It will be a stunning Eye opener, as you say, Stephen. 👍🏻
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Thank you Stephen, I am looking forward to reading more about your IBM CSC journey.
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