Is that so? Is the feminist struggle over? Do you really think that in our modern advanced societies gender equality is already archived? If someone thinks so, he or she is totally blind. The examples of the gender gap are everywhere all the time. It’s true; many things for women have changed in the last centuries, but still not enough and definitely not everywhere. The life of European women is not the same as the lives of women in the Middle East, Africa, or America. The gender gap and the lack of equality is everywhere in different forms. So why do we still need feminism in 2015?

Even though now days women (and not everywhere yet!) have their own bank account, credit card and driving license, the bank will always call your husband if there is a problem, and you will often receive nasty comments from men on the road while driving. Even though women have the right to vote in western countries, in any party you choose there will always be more male candidates than female. Although today men are taking a bigger part in the housework and the children caring, when something goes wrong it will always be the woman’s fault and responsibility to solve it; the teacher from school or kindergarten will always call you, and not your man.

Luckily today, women can earn their own money and can choose to work almost in anything they want, but too bad that they still receive lower salaries than their male colleagues who do exactly the same job. Need more examples of gender inequality?

It is true, today women can chose to be whoever they want to be, they can wear what they want to (still not everywhere) and work in many different fields. However, some clothes you choose to wear will always attract insulting comments… and even though you dream about becoming a prime minster, pilot, model or a writer, it will be hard to achieve these dreams while doing most of the housework, taking care of the children and working. In the end of the day we don’t even have time to fantasize.

In reality, the feminist struggle and the struggle to achieve gender equality is not over. The wage gap between men and women proves it every year. Women earn less, much less! The world is still dominated by men. Half of the world’s population is economically discriminated every day! Each and every woman still needs to stand up for her rights- at work, at home, on the streets, in the parliament and in religious institutions.

The international women’s day gives all of us an opportunity to stress the need for this continuous struggle. There are many changes that need to be made on national and also on international levels. Policy makers slowly recognize the need for laws that will finally end violence and discrimination against women and girls. Human rights for women and girls are extremely necessary. Even in 2015, there is a long way ahead before most of the countries in the world achieve social, legal, economic, civil and political equality. The feminist struggle is not over yet!

Ronie-Barel

Ronie Barel

verhuisde van Israël naar Nederland, activist, blogger

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