“Behind every successful man, there is a strong woman.” – Anonymous.
As cliché as this famous saying goes, there’s a big chunk of truth behind it. Behind every man’s success, there is a strong woman who’s holding the fort when he’s unable to, a strong woman who caters to the man’s needs so he doesn’t have to, a strong woman who takes up the man’s responsibilities so he would not need to worry about anything else other than to successfully chase his dreams.
Often time, a woman’s role as an equal partner often gets overlooked, and despite the amount of hard work she has put into managing everything, she still ends up as just a shadow to her man’s success, that is if she’s lucky. Sometimes, she barely even gets a mention.
The truth is, gender stereotypes and bias have always existed, for decades. For years, women have always been asserted of their role as men’s support system, never the person in charge who’s capable of paving their own way to success. This has always been the belief for many years, and surprisingly, it still is in the 21st century, up to this very day.
Ask any woman, and most of them, if not all, will tell you they have experienced being discriminated simply for being born with the XX chromosome. Discrimination at the workplace is often unheeded – heard and noticed by many, but disregarded, even by women themselves. Have we ever stopped and asked ourselves, why is this happening? Why are we allowing this?
Since young, women have been taught to tolerate being disrespected at or looked down upon. “Boys will always be boys.” As if women need to expect to be treated poorly by the opposite gender, as if it is inevitable; and because of this, there are still plenty of sexual violence against women cases in every continent of the world. Women are being murdered simply for rejecting men’s advances. This is despicable and should not have a place in today’s modern society.
An equal world is an enabled world. A gender equal world can be healthier, wealthier, and more harmonious, what’s not great about that? Gender equality is essential for economies and communities to thrive. Both men and women have different roles and strengths, but what the society often mention to acknowledge is that both genders are equally strong. Women are educators, and primary caretakers of children and elders in every single country of the world. International studies demonstrate that when the economy and political organisation of a society change, women take the lead in helping the family adjust to new realities and challenges.
Yet at the same time, women have contributed plenty in technology, in sports, in health, in economy, and in creatives too to name a few. Throughout history, women play an integral part in the development of society. The central role of women in society has ensured the stability, progress, and long-term development of nations.
According to the United Nations, women’s voices and participation in all aspects of society are more important than ever, as witnessed in the context of the global economic crisis, during the political transitions in the Arab world and elsewhere, and environmental disasters.
“Behind every successful woman, there is herself.” – Bart Jackson.
Today, the median female share of the global workforce is 45.4%. The role of women in the urban and rural workforce has expanded exponentially in recent decades. Women’s formal and informal labour can transform a community from a relatively autonomous society to a participant in the national economy.
Gender equality and the empowerment of women are gaining around worldwide, but despite this momentum, there is a long way to go before women can be said to enjoy the fundamental rights, freedom, and dignity that are their birth right and that will guarantee their well-being. Celebrating women’s achievements and increasing visibility, while calling out inequality, is key.
“When women are empowered and can claim their rights and access to land, leadership, opportunities, and choices – economies grow, food security is enhanced, and prospects are improved for current and future generations,” – Michele Bachelet, Under-Secretary-General and Executive Director of United Nations Women.
Here at LBS Bina Group, we have plenty of women staff who have tirelessly contribute on a daily basis to ensure the growth of the company. It is vital to us for their hard work to be seen and acknowledged. Individually, we are all responsible for our own thoughts and actions, however we need to be mindful that we are all parts of a whole – our individual actions, conversations, behaviours, and mindsets can have an impact on our larger society.
We can actively choose to challenge stereotypes, fight bias, broaden perceptions, improve situations, and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, each one of us can help create a gender equal work environment, and pave our way towards a gender equal world. After all, equality is not a women’s issue, but a business issue.
