Striving for true equality

Yanna Smith
Ewan Francois Orlam



Society is becoming more and more inclusive to the girl child and at the same time a very hostile environment for boys.

We live in age of unparalleled inequality. Let's break down the term “gender equality”. Gender refers to male and female, and equality to the 50/50 representation of these genders.

The world's perception of gender equality shifts all the attention to girls, thus forgetting that their male counterparts also face inequalities. For instance, the attitude of teachers at my previous school when learners don't do their homework epitomises this.

When girls don't do their homework it is regarded as a shameful act, but it is no such a big issue when boys don't do it. This encourages the male child to become comfortable with mediocrity in the classroom.

Girls soar ahead, and boys are left behind. Civilisation has in general given males the idea that they need to change their oppressive, loud, dominant nature and become gentle, meek, mild and as effeminate as possible.

Society is unapologetically asking men to lose their identity. Its message to males is: “You and your masculinity are not welcome here!”

It therefore comes as no surprise that the male is struggling in school, work, marriage and in the family.

Don't get me wrong, I am not trying to be insensitive towards women. Do I know that this gender has been previously disadvantaged? I don't know; is water still wet?

There are enough programmes and policies in place for woman to strive. But if we don't wake up to the male losing he's masculinity, then we will have problems.

History will repeat itself and one gender will dominate society, from the economic and political areas to the social ones. Equality in society can only be achieved when we don't see a gender.

Let us eliminate masculine and feminine professions; there should only be human professions. If there is no gender than we are all just people. All people have a desire to succeed in life.

All people are willing to learn, ascertain and build up knowledge. Now people can and must have rights, not a gender.

I love how article 10 subsection 1 of the Namibian constitution, which reads: “All persons shall be equal before the law.”

What is Namibia's position on achieving total gender equality? Are we close, far away or in the middle, at a comfortable distance?

Let's not lie to ourselves.



*Ewan Francois Orlam is a first-year student at Unam. His aspirations include becoming a reputable chartered accountant and the future governor of the Hardap Region.