It’s not uncommon these days to hear: “What is the point of feminism in 2023? Haven’t we already achieved gender inclusivity and equality?”

The answer is no. We haven’t.

Many organizations have worked toward achieving gender equality for decades, yet so much is yet to be done.

Today, girls and women continue to face barriers and challenges derived from structural discrimination based on sex and gender and discriminatory social norms. In this context, feminism can be seen as a movement to put an end to sexism, sexist exploitation, and oppression and to achieve full gender equality in both law and practice.

 

 

The 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign is an opportunity to build on our progress and call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls, specifically. The global movement, celebrated each year from Nov. 25 (the International Day For Elimination Of Violence Against Women) to Dec. 10, which is International Human Rights Day, began more than 30 years ago. It is still used as an organizing strategy by citizens and governments around the world to show how important it is for women to live free from violence.

It has been more than three decades since the first celebration of 16 Days of Activism — and yet one in three women today still experience physical or sexual violence, mostly by an intimate partner. Globally, that’s an estimated 736 million women who have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both. This figure does not include sexual harassment. By overlooking the extent of sexual abuse and sexual harassment, we find ourselves in what I call the “illusion of gender equality.”

And yet, some people think feminism is no longer needed.

Why? For two primary reasons: First, some people think gender inequality is an “over there” problem - something that occurs in other places but not in their day-to-day lives or community. Second, some people think it’s a “back then” problem — something older generations grappled with, but isn’t an issue any longer.

Of course, that’s not true.

There’s a clear lack of understanding when it comes to needing feminism to achieve gender equity. In fact, last year a study found one in three men think feminism does more harm than good. It shocks me to hear some people say we don’t need feminism in our modern society — as nothing could be further from the truth.

Read the full article about feminism and gender-based violence by Sophie Salmore at Global Citizen.