Ending The
Underestimation
Is The Way To
EQUALITY vs EQUITY
Know the Difference
- Equality is about providing equal or the same opportunities to everyone regardless of their gender, caste, creed or religious beliefs.
- Equality that doesn't take into account the social and economical differences of an individual
- Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances and therefore, allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed by that individual to reach an equal outcome for all.
- Equity, in its simplest terms, relates to racial and social justice, and “fairness”.
Women's Day Contest Alert
Beyond Equality: understanding equity & the methods to achieve it
Although Women’s Day has been celebrated for many years now, the discourse has just been confined to equality & hasn’t even scratched the surface of what is called Equity. But it’s time we understand the difference between the two & adopt the methods of exercising Equity.
Equality is all about providing equal or the same opportunities to everyone regardless of their gender, caste, creed or religious beliefs. However equality doesn’t take into account the social and economical differences of an individual.
Equity recognizes that each person has different circumstances and therefore, allocates the exact resources and opportunities needed by that individual to reach an equal outcome for all. Equity, in its simplest terms, relates to racial and social justice, and “fairness”.
“The route to achieving equity will not be accomplished through treating everyone equally. It will be achieved by treating everyone justly according to their circumstances.” —Paula Dressel.
Social systems are not inherently unfair, but rather deliberately constructed to favor certain groups for a prolonged period, leading to seemingly unintentional but actually discriminatory outcomes. Both equity and equality pertain to how individuals are treated and are relevant in various fields such as law, government, and economics.
In what ways does equity aid our socio-economic policies to create a brighter future?
- Promotes inclusivity & diversity in communities
- Equity drives creativity, innovation.
- Increases social mobility
- Opens the door to endless possibilities.
- Removes obstacles to progress.
- Provides more opportunities for women to excel in professions currently dominated by men.
- Helps create a safespace for people to get recognized for their talents and skills instead of their genders.
- Encourages free expression of thought by eliminating fear of bias.
- Promotes collaboration and meaningful participation within communities, workplaces and at home.
What are some ways we can incorporate the principle of 'equity' into our daily routines and actions?
Equity at home
Is by assigning chores to everyone in the family equally to teach them domestic responsibilities, with the goal of becoming more independent and responsible.
Equity in the workplace:
- Prioritize diverse, inclusive hiring committees.
- Employ blind application processes, meaning names and educational institutions are removed when resumes are under consideration.
- Utilize the same standards for all employees when conducting performance reviews and awarding promotions.
- Ensure equal access to mentoring programs.
- Conduct exit interviews with employees to record valuable data that can be helpful to address any drawbacks
In society and communities:
- Identify the key obstacles that hinder the process of growth for equitable policy making.
- Encourage diverse community members coming together to participate in developing welfare schemes.
- Establishing schemes that focus on proper allocation of available resources among community members.
- Carry out regular assessment & regulation of the existing policies & schemes
- Creating a more inclusive strategy that results in beneficial outcomes for those historically oppressed & marginalized sectors.