The gender gap that has been present around since the beginning of time has seen a significant smoothening. Workplaces to households, public roads to private institutions have all seen an increase in female representation. The gradual loosening of patriarchy’s hold on society has opened a vast multitude of doors for women across the globe, giving them well-deserved opportunities for obtaining what was until recently distant. Every field that has seen women step in has thrived. Education, healthcare, IT, finance and humanities have all seen progress which was never even imagined until they were achieved by these deserving individuals. They have set up a standard that new generations will look and try to live up to.
Globally speaking, women have a strong hold on the education sector. Countries across the planet see women in teaching and training positions. And while there is undoubtedly a prominent presence of women in the sector, one cannot miss the disturbing distribution of this number. Most of the female workforce of the education sector holds teaching positions in the pre-primary and primary grades of schooling. This number sees a consistent decrease as the grades step up. It takes the hardest hit as soon as it touches the sections of tertiary studies, that is; all forms of formal studies that follow secondary education like universities, colleges and training schools. The women who have teaching positions in the primary section of schools are a whopping 68 percent of the workforce, however there is a big disparity when regional representation comes into picture. While central, eastern, and south-east asian, european, northern american, latin american and the caribbean represented three-fourth of the countries’ educators, sub-saharan africa shows only 48 percent as their female representation in the primary section educator workforce.
Apart from teaching positions, women are also less likely to obtain leading positions in the education sector. There are many underlying reasons to it which, at large, and at the end of the day, point to the invariably followed conventional ideas on gender. Disappointing as it is, women are doubted on their capabilities as a leader. This results in an opportunity gap between men and women, giving the latter a downward push. There is also the underlying ideology that women need to always be present for their family, thus being an unadvisable candidate for positions that require heavy investment of time and effort. This idea is problematic not only because it limits what a woman can handle, but also indirectly dictates on what a man should not take up as a responsibility, labelling them as “women’s jobs”.
These disparities take a toll on the basis of region as well. While many countries are seeing a steady uprise in female representation, many still do not see the necessity of the same. That raises the question of why female representation is important. Women leaders are more likely to focus on factors of empowerment, inclusivity and collaboration in education. They not
only become a trustworthy source of knowledge, but also create a safe space for discussion of all kinds, void of any biases. They lend a soft hand in the everlasting harshness of the world and build an environment that is open to all and welcomes everyone warmly.
Drawbacks exist perpetually. Women who do reach leadership positions, despite everything that tries to push them off the pedestal, still find themselves not completely out of the grips of stereotypes and discrimination. They are not viewed as individuals of authority and are undermined on the basis of their gender and the conventionally associated responsibilities which they seemingly ignore. They are undervalued in comparison to their male peers and seen as a liability instead of a potential asset. Discrimination and disparities on the basis of gender has always been present in workspaces and, albeit having seen improvements on various scales, still continues to hinder the personal and professional growth of women.
The staircase to gender equality is being built rapidly, but unevenly, making it imbalanced and fragile. Women will obtain equality on every basis only when the ancient structures of patriarchal beliefs are broken down and individuals understand the necessity of women in leadership positions. Education is one of the first aspects of humanity that an individual deals with. For so many decades, women have provided a nurturing hand to improve the state of things in this field, and yet they find themselves not respected in leadership positions. Society is, gratefully, seeing brighter days ahead, with paving the path for themselves in the field. With their heads held high, they have proved their worth and continue to fight for what is right. They show that true strength does not lie in the physicality of the being, but the mental power that helps them through every storm that comes their way.