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Over the course of history, the gap between the number of women and men has slowly been diminished in most of the countries in the world; however, in Asia, the issue of gender imbalance still remains. The gender gap is not the result of a single cause, but rather the consequence of a multitude of events that have taken place throughout the past several decades. Although the gender gap may not be concerning at a first look, its effects are severe, and it further promotes violence and discrimination against women. Moreover, in recent years, the gender gap in Asia has only widened even more, particularly due to the inequalities that the COVID-19 pandemic brings. According to the World Economic Forum, it will now take 135 years to completely diminish the gender gap一before the pandemic, the number was only at 99.
There are various causes that have contributed to the significant gender gap between men and women in Asia, but some factors that have the greatest influence include the long history of discrimination that women in Asia have faced. One apparent reason for the large gender gap is the discrimination that women have faced through history, particularly due to the partriarchal values that are held as well as the cultural and social norms that still persist in Asian countries. Women lacked basic rights, and it was often thought that daughters would not be able to financially support their families the way sons could. As a result, many families thought that it would be best to have sons rather than daughters, and went to great lengths just to have a son. Take, for instance, sex-selective abortions. Especially common in India, sex-selective abortions occurred in great numbers due to the advancments in technology, leading to a decrease in the number of girls (Stauffer, 1). Years later, a law preventing the screening of the baby’s sex had to be enforced in order to prevent further abortions of girls (Stauffer, 1). Even so, illegal sex-selective abortions still occur today, and they are most definitely not unique to India. Another instance where sexism can be observed is the one-child law, which was only recently banned. One of the most significant contributions to the gender imbalance in Asia, the one-child law made it so that families would have to choose having a boy over a girl (Stauffer, 1). Even once the one-child law was banned, a new two-child law was passed, stripping the basic reproductive rights of women (Stauffer, 1).
Another contributing factor to the gender gap include the lack of women’s access to healthcare (Stauffer, 1). 55 percent of all adolescent girls aged from 15 to 19 are anemic, resulting in a lower body mass index and higher risk pregnancies (Aguayo, 1). Menstrual hygiene management is an issue in many South Asian countries because the topic is taboo. In addition, many girls are not allowed to use sanitation facilities when they are menstruating. Consequently, many girls grow up without being educated about their own body. All of these factors lead to poorer health in women, resulting in more women’s deaths. It is important to note that these are just some of the causes of the large gender gap and that there are far more. Other contributions include the high birth rates in Asia and the restrictions that are placed on reproductive rights.
Furthermore, there are severe consequences to the widening gender gap in Asia. The various forms of violence against women that have already been present occur far more often due to the enlarging gender gap in Asia. Bride shortages lead to more bride migrations, there are more trafficking occurrences, and there is a notable increase in cases of sexual violence against women. Traffickers offer young women attractive jobs in countries such as China, and these girls fall prey to the traffickers with the false hope of finding work (Stauffer, 1). These women are then sold to families who are looking for brides for their sons. Once married, these women are then forced to get pregnant and deliver babies. Oftentimes, they are allowed to leave, but they are forced to leave their newborn babies in the hands of the families. Other effects of the gender gap include instability present in society, labor market distortions, loss of jobs, shortages in income, and significant decreases in income.
Although the critical gender gaps and inequalities still persist in Asia, it is important to note that there has been significant progress made. However, the COVID-19 pandemic threatens to erase the progress that has been made thus far, and the gender gap continues to widen at a faster pace in several Asian countries. The pre-existing inequalities in Asian countries have worsened, and now pose an increased risk for women and girls; issues such as child marriage have become much more prevalent (“Children in South Asian Countries, 1). Additionally, the health and social protection systems present in Asian countries are now fully occupied with treating patients with COVID-19, meaning that vulnerable communities are now at higher risk. Women’s limited access to healthcare led to an estimated 228,000 and 11,000 mortality and morbidity just from the first wave of the pandemic (“Disruptions in Health Services Due To COVID-19 ‘May Have Contributed to an Additional 239,000 Child and Maternal Deaths in South Asia”, 1). The spread of COVID-19 also means that many girls would never return to school, and are at an even higher risk than before the pandemic due to the lack of sexual and reproductive health services (“Children in South Asian Countries, 1). Another significant impact is that millions of children would not be able to access remote learning, with girls being even less likely to receive education remotely considering the patriarchal nature of many Asian countries. Even more concerning is the dramatic increase in cases of violence against women. In fact, more than 37% of women have experienced violence at the hands of their partners, with this percentage increasing even more due to the economic and food insecurities and the lockdown (“Accelerated Action Needed to End Child Marriage in Bangladesh by 2030”, 1).
Given the increasingly concerning issues of the gender gap in Asia, it is crucial to educate yourself and others about it and raise awareness in any way possible. Spread the word, share resources, donate, and volunteer to help close the gender gap and put an end to these injustices. Here are some resources:
Donate to UNICEF to help fight inequalities in South Asia: https://www.unicefusa.org/?form=donate
Work for UNICEF: https://www.unicef.org/rosa/what-we-do/human-resources/current-vacancies
Sources
“Accelerated Action Needed to End Child Marriage in Bangladesh by 2030.” UNICEF, 8 Mar. 2021, www.unicef.org/bangladesh/en/press-releases/accelerated-action-needed-end-child-marriage-bangladesh-2030.
Aguayo, Víctor M, and Kajali Paintal. “Nutrition in adolescent girls in South Asia.” BMJ (Clinical research ed.) vol. 357 j1309. 11 Apr. 2017, doi:10.1136/bmj.j1309
“Children in South Asia.” UNICEF South Asia, www.unicef.org/rosa/children-south-asia.
“Disruptions in Health Services Due To COVID-19 ‘May Have Contributed to an Additional 239,000 Child and Maternal Deaths in South Asia’ - UN Report.” UNICEF, 19 Aug. 2021, www.unicef.org/press-releases/disruptions-health-services-due-covid-19-may-have-contributed-additional-239000.
“World Report 2019: RIGHTS Trends in You Should Be Worrying about the Woman Shortage.” Human Rights Watch, 17 Jan. 2019, www.hrw.org/world-report/2019/country-chapters/global-0.
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