On September 20, the United Nations Women launched a new campaign called HeForShe, the first of its kind for the UN. The objective of the HeForShe campaign is to involve men and boys globally in the fight for gender equality.
Over the next year, the campaign intends to mobilize one billion men and boys as advocates and agents of change for gender equality.
The launch of the campaign has brought up topics of feminism and gender roles. Traditionally, feminism was a movement led by women for women; however, today more men are joining the fight for gender equality.
It’s important to look at the facts: the Gender Gap report for 2013 shows that globally the highest areas of inequality are economic and political. It’s vital to bring awareness to the fight that women still face for equal pay, land and business ownership, and political power.
By liberating women and encouraging men to be involved, we grow stronger as a global community.
It’s also time to look at breaking the gender-role stigma.
As children, we are assigned our gender roles at birth because of the sex we are born with, and taught what behaviour expectations are required to be “normal” to fit into our society.
Females are taught feminine attributes, while males are taught to be masculine.
It’s important that children aren’t forced into the traditional gender roles because gender includes a complex mix of beliefs, behaviours, and characteristics. By confronting traditional gender norms, an individual has the liberty of choosing their role in life.
The HeForShe campaign’s ultimate goal is to create a solidarity movement for gender equality that brings together one half of humanity in support of the other half of humanity, for the benefit of all.