Gender Equality is now a hot topic around the globe. Every development project now has identified Gender Equality as an important part of the development process. Even in Sustainable Development Goals 2030 agenda, under goal number 06 they have identified the importance of Gender Equality, In order to ensure a sustainable future.

Gender Equality can be defined as the state in which access to rights or opportunities is unaffected by gender. While most people believe that it is an absolute necessity, there are some critics who gets offended and who believes that it is just an exaggeration of the reality and this is not a big problem. This misunderstanding mainly occurs because they don’t have a better understanding to what Gender Equality means or the basics of Gender Equality.

So before anything it is crucial to understand what gender, and Gender Equality is. Sex is the biological and physiological characteristics that define men and women. As an example men and women have different reproductive organs and systems, different hormones to regulate body functions.

Gender refers to the term which describes socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities that society considers appropriate for men and women. It is something we have socially defined and built. Gender differences are the differences of the way we as men and women dress behave or act in the society.

There are clear differences between men and women. Out of these many presumed differences some can be real and some are wrong and mythical. There is no argument that men and women are different and are supposed to perform different tasks. But that does not give any of these two parties to discriminate or disregard another part of their rights.

But people often misunderstand that gender equality is all about women. Is it? If then Why? While Gender Equality is definitely not only about women, today we have to focus mostly on women because almost all the time it is women who does not have equal rights or opportunities and it is women who becomes sexual objects or victims of domestic violence. Even though we often talk about women in this topic that does not mean men are not given priority.

It is said that “privilege is invisible to those who have it”. So if we are to make Gender Equality a reality we must take actions to engage the “privileged party” or men in this discussion actively. We have to let them know the problems women has to face in the society and ask them to put on her shoes and take a walk.

Achieving Gender Equality is not only about making women empowered or solving their problems; it is also making the world a better place, strengthening the family and country as well.