March 8th is International Women’s Day. This year’s theme is #EachforEqual – an equal world is an enabled world. However, achieving gender equality is not only in the hands of women. It requires the engagement of all — regardless of sex, gender, and sexual orientation.
“A gender-equal society would be one where the word ‘gender’ does not exist: where everyone can be themselves.” — Gloria Steinem
To celebrate International Women’s Day 2020, EngageMedia is presenting three documentaries from Southeast Asia which discuss different challenges women face every day that show existing manifestations of gender inequality in their communities.
Thailand:
The video shown above was originally produced by Asia Indigenous Peoples Pact (AIPP), a regional organization founded in 1992 by indigenous peoples’ movements.
This four-minute animation video outlines the recommendations from Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) and United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) that guide and help us to move in the direction towards a fairer and more equitable planet by achieving the equality, particularly for indigenous women. The video had been translated into many languages.
Indonesia:
Laki-laki Baru – The New Men’s Movement is a program campaigned by Timor’s Circle of Imagine Society (CIS) that aims to unravel issues on masculinity in a patriarchal culture and promote gender equality among the youth in East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), the southernmost province of Indonesia.
East Nusa Tenggara (NTT)’s patriarchal culture places males in a superior position so they are often met with special treatment. Their community believes that it is normal for men to fight, get drunk, and change partners. At home, they are served by their mothers and sisters, while their fathers work to provide for their families. As a result, many boys grow old without a sense of responsibility, and, sometimes, are vulnerable to violence.
The New Men’s Movement aims to change the social paradigm in the community and transform young people, especially men, to be more sensitive to gender issues and to be more productive in their communities.
Malaysia:
In this video, PopDevRightsMalaysia explores how gender equality is perceived in the family.
The video questions how enforced gender roles affect gender equality and how it affects relationships, families, and society at large.
In the end, we must remember that gender equality does not only benefit women and girls; but men and boys, families, communities, economy, and the country. A gender-equal world can be healthier, wealthier, and more harmonious and we need to make it happen. Let us be #EachforEqual.
About the Author
Rezwan Islam has long experience in citizen and social media. For over 15 years, he has been writing for local and international citizen media sites/blogs.
