In many countries and societies around the world that is exactly what is happening when laws and cultures discriminate against women and girls. What does this mean? It means that in some countries sons are valued more than daughters simply because they are male.

When girl children are not valued in a poor family or society, it means that parents who don't have a lot of money to begin with may not give their daughters enough food to eat or take them to see a doctor when they are sick. Worldwide, more girls suffer from malnutrition than boys. Sons may be better fed than girls and receive better health care so they will be healthy in order to earn income for the family.

These same values carry over to education. If there is not enough money to send all of a family's children to school, the boys will go and the girls will stay at home and help the family—even if the girls are the better students.

And in many countries, girls and women do not have protection against violence from men. Of the 193 countries in the world, only 44 have laws protecting women from violence in their own homes.

Discrimination is wrong because it hurts some members of society. But that's not the only reason why boys and girls need to be treated equally. Ending unfair treatment of girls is key to development and to ending poverty. Studies have shown that societies in which women have the same opportunities as men are wealthier and more prosperous. When you allow your whole society — instead of just the males — to go to school, work, and take part in the government, you have that many more people working to make things better.

Girls who are educated are more likely to educate their own children, and provide them with better nutrition and health care. These things are just as important to poor families as money is. This is why fighting gender discrimination and inequality is one of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).

Fighting gender discrimination can be difficult because it can go against traditions. But there are now projects that focus on helping people understand that a girl child is just as valuable and important as a boy child. These projects also help people understand that women are as smart and capable as men and that they can do things as well as men can. This message is especially important for poor countries, societies, and families that could be benefiting from the skills and talents of their girls and women.

What does it mean?

Discrimination:  Treating people in a different, usually bad, manner because of their class, race, gender or some other category instead of who they are as individuals.

Gender inequality:  Giving men and women different opportunities because of their gender.

Related Links
www.gpac.org/youth