MORE EQUAL SOCIETY WITH TECHNOLOGY
In our society, gender equality has long been a problem because women have historically experienced many injustices and impediments. Nonetheless, there is rising optimism that technology will contribute to advancing gender equality. Starting with education, technology has the ability to give women more power and equitable opportunities. The delivery of education in India has undergone a revolution thanks to technology, which is a crucial element in advancing gender equality. Women in rural areas can now access high-quality education from the comfort of their homes recognizing the growth of e-learning platforms. Women now find it simpler to complete their education and gain the skills required to enter the workforce through online courses and digital libraries.
Technology has been a significant contributor to gender equality in the workplace, in addition to education. With the growth of remote work, women who formerly faced employment restrictions because of social and cultural standards can now work from home, enabling them to more successfully balance their work and family obligations. In addition, technology has given women additional chances to work in traditionally male-dominated areas like STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics). In addition, technology can aid in extending women’s access to healthcare, which is frequently constrained by traditional and cultural restrictions. Women can obtain healthcare services through telemedicine, which eliminates the need for travel and the time and money it requires. Also, it can aid in lowering the stigma attached to obtaining medical attention, particularly for delicate topics like sexual and reproductive health. Technology can aid in addressing concerns of gender-based abuse in addition to healthcare. Women may readily report acts of assault and get support thanks to the proliferation of applications and online platforms. Technology can also be used to inform people and communities about gender-based violence and how to stop it. Technology has the potential to be an effective tool for advancing gender equality, but it is not a panacea that can address every problem associated with it. Technology can assist remove barriers that women and other underrepresented groups encounter when trying to access resources and participate in decision-making processes, as well as it can enable access to information, education, and opportunities. We must be conscious of the dangers that technology poses in terms of its potential to reinforce and perpetuate discrimination and gender stereotypes. For instance, if algorithms and AI systems are trained on biased data sets or are built without taking into account the diversity of users, they may reproduce bias and discrimination. It is essential to adopt a comprehensive strategy that fuses technological advancement with social and cultural change. Participants in this strategy should come from a variety of industries, including those developing technologies, developing policies, civil society organizations, and women’s rights organizations. To make sure that technology is advancing gender equality rather than maintaining prejudice, it should also incorporate constant monitoring and review. Technology can be an effective instrument for advancing gender equality, but doing so calls for a multifaceted, collaborative strategy that addresses the underlying social and cultural practices that support gender disparity. We can use technology to make society more inclusive and egalitarian for all people if we take the appropriate approach.
Governments should give top priority to programmes and regulations that support equal access to technology and digital literacy for all citizens, especially women and members of underrepresented groups. This can involve projects like offering programs to develop digital skills, making technology accessible for free or at a minimal cost, and advocating for its usage in healthcare and education. This can entail setting norms and guidelines for the ethical and inclusive development of technology, funding studies on how technology affects gender equality and participating in public-private partnerships to encourage innovation and cooperation.
