“Gender Sensitization:
Time to change the Mindset”
By:-
Gita Rani Chand
CMR Technical Campus
Kandlakoya (V), Medchal, Hyd.
Introduction:
Gender Sensitization refers to the modification
of behavior by raising awareness of gender equality
concerns. This can be achieved by conducting
various sensitization campaigns, workshop, program
etc. Sensitization in the domain of Humanities and
Social Sciences, is seen as “the awareness informed
disposition or propensity to behave in a manner
which is sensitive to gender justice and equality
issues.”
Introduction:
Gender Sensitization “ is about changing
behavior and instilling empathy into the views
that we hold about our own and the other
gender. “ It helps people in” examining their
personal attitudes and beliefs and questioning
the ‘realities’ they thought they know’.
Session Overview
The Indian Society is still in the process of
modernization where sections of the
population continue to have traditional
mindsets. The traditional Indian thinking
considers males as superior to females and
there are plenty of examples to show that
young girls are discriminated against at home.
Statistical evidence shows that boys in India
have three times greater possibility of being
taken to the hospital in case of serious
ailment (Sickness).
Session Overview
(Contd.)
In many poor (rural) Indian houses males are
fed first and the left-overs are eaten by the
females. The dropout rate in Schools is much
higher in case of girls. The scenario is even
more grim in rural India where parents prefer
to send the boy child to school and keep the
girl child at home to assist in household work
or to work in any other income-generating
activity. This discrimination at home weakens
the personality of women in general and they
look upon themselves as inferior to men right
from childhood.
Session Overview
(Contd.)
At the same time, boys are made to
believe that they are inherently superior to
females. Most boys and girls attend schools
loaded with this mental baggage. The
indoctrination
received
at
home
compounded by the already existing social
differentiation between males and females
give rise to attitudes in the male folk,
which are far from egalitarian.
Key Point to be discussed
 School
and college girls are being denied
access to mobile phones and wearing of jeans
is being frowned upon, while there is
absolutely no restriction on the male
counterpart. So why do we still view a girl
child as a lesser human?
 It is time for us to introspect honestly and try
to recognized our failure as a family and
society, in failing to produce citizens that view
high moral and ethical standard as
cornerstones of our life. Too often and too
easily, we tend to shift the responsibility to the
school
instead
of
recognizing
that
foundational values always come from home.
Key Point to be discussed
 School
and college girls are being denied
access to mobile phones and wearing of jeans
is being frowned upon, while there is
absolutely no restriction on the male
counterpart. So why do we still view a girl
child as a lesser human?
 It is time for us to introspect honestly and try
to recognized our failure as a family and
society, in failing to produce citizens that view
high moral and ethical standard as
cornerstones of our life. Too often and too
easily, we tend to shift the responsibility to the
school
instead
of
recognizing
that
foundational values always come from home.
Equality- Who say boys and girls
are Equal?
A
recent survey highlighted the fact that when
young school boys were asked who should
scarified the meal in case it fell short on the
table, most replied the mother as the first
choice, followed by the sister. So who is
responsibility for male holding the view that
the first person to sacrifice a meal should be
the mother and followed by the sister, as the
second choice? Why male members are
served meal first, in many homes, and the
females members forced to eat what’s left?
Equality- Who say boys and girls
are Equal? (Contd.)
 As
a society, we have failed to encourage
thought and debate on this vital issue on
gender sensitization. A society can only be
progressive if we recognize that it comprises
both male and female members of equal
value. This is not an issue of who plays what
role. Roles can have equal relevance and all
our decisions and actions that influence our
lives must be in the backdrop of gender
equality.
Parents and Schools Have to
Come Together
Both the family and the school play an
important part in a child’s development,
therefore both need to come together and
discuss ways to ensure that gender parity in
thought and action is practiced at home and
school. The School can play an important role
in setting up guidelines and advise parents on
gender sensitization as also on various aspects
of parenting especially in the context of
gender equality.
Conclusion:
Time for Call-to-Action
It is regrettable that after 69 years of our
‘independence’ we are still ‘slaves’ of medieval
thought, practices and lifestyles. India has
traditionally been a wonderfully open society
in absorbing various cultures, religions and
practices and therefore gender equality
should have been the acceptable norm.
unfortunately, it has remained an exception
and the documentary on recently issues as a
call to action for our society to address this
vital issue.
Finally, it is never too late to change for the
better and change has to begin at home, we
need to collectively ensure that our to the
younger
generation
gives
an
equal
opportunity to all.
The next generation is growing up fast and we
owe it to them….
Any Questions?