The unseen impact of gender inequality on children’s futures

Gender inequality is a pervasive issue that affects millions of children globally, particularly in developing countries with high density of population. It deprives girls of opportunities and hampers a nation's progress by underutilising the talents and contributions of half its population.

According to Press Information Bureau 2024 press release, India has made significant advancement in addressing gender inequality, climbing 14 spots on the Gender Inequality Index (GII) in 2022, moving from 122nd to 108th out of 193 countries. However, the journey is far from over, requiring sustained and strategic efforts to position India among the top-ranking nations on the GII.

In this blog, let’s explore the root causes and the affects of gender inequality on shaping children’s futures.

Key causes of gender inequality

Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment and opportunities based on gender. Let’s find out the key causes of gender inequality.

• Poverty: Poverty deepens gender inequality as families prioritise boys' education, expecting future support. Girls often face domestic chores or low-paying jobs, limiting opportunities and reinforcing disparities across generations.
• Unequal access to education: Disparity in accessing education limits girls by barriers like safety, early marriage, and domestic roles. This reduces a girl’s career prospects, earning potential, and participation in decision-making.

How gender inequality affects children

The effects of gender inequality on children are multifaceted, impacting their physical, emotional, and cognitive development. The key impacts are:

• Robs independence: Communities prioritising boys’ education often burdens girls with domestic tasks or early marriage, limiting their career and independence.
• Health risks: Due to widespread gender discrimination, girls become exposed to the possibility of teenage pregnancy with little awareness about health and nutrition, which puts their lives in danger.
• Early marriage and child labour: Cultural norms push girls into early marriage, child domestic work and exploitative labour, disrupting education, increasing health risks, and reinforcing dependency and disempowerment.

CRY UK’s role to combat gender inequality

At CRY UK, we fight gender inequality through education, protection, and community empowerment, addressing issues of child marriage and child labour to create a world where all children can aspire, regardless of gender. Our initiatives aim to create lasting change through:

• Promoting equal access to education:

  Ensure girls have the same educational opportunities as boys by addressing barriers like safety concerns, school distance, and early marriage. Our initiatives raise community awareness, encourage families to prioritise girls' education, and provide resources for quality education in underserved areas.

• Awareness campaigns: Counsel families through awareness campaigns, door-to-door visits to change their perspective about the importance of educating girls in order to promote gender equality.
• Adolescent girls’ collectives: Form peer groups to educate communities and children about the harmful effects of child marriage and child labour.
• Linking families with government programs: Ensure girls stay in school and complete their education by connecting daily wage-earning families with employment opportunities and also encouraging children to avail scholarship programs for higher education.

CRY UK’s effort to stop gender inequality

Here is Rajeswari, a courageous girl from Andhra Pradesh who, with CRY UK’s support, stopped her early marriage and continued her education, overcoming many community challenges.

Read Rajeswari’s full story

Conclusion

The path to gender equality in India is challenging, but achievable with the right approach. By combining legal reforms, educational initiatives, and changes in societal attitudes, significant progress can be made. Non-profit organisations like CRY UK play a vital role in promoting child rights and gender equality. Through partnerships, campaigns, and grassroots efforts, CRY UK has positively impacted over 40,000 children.

By supporting CRY UK, you can help protect children from the harms of gender inequality. Donate now to make a lasting impact and join us in ending gender discrimination.