Against Discrimination

#27 John Paul Lordan

1. How do you know if there is discrimination against women in the workplace? Give at least three (3) reasons for this discrimination?

         Discrimination against women can come in different forms like sexual harassment, gender pay gap, withheld promotions, different job title and prevented participation in training opportunities. Some of the reasons for this discrimination include pregnancy, appearance and physical ability.

1. Pregnancy - A woman might attempt to conceal a pregnancy for fear of being passed over for a promotion due to some weeks of leave-time. Similarly, a pregnant woman might choose not to disclose her condition during an interview because of the assumption that she will be unable to work long hours after her baby is born.
2. Appearance - In some instances, women are victims of discrimination because of their clothing or physical appearance. An employer might hire an attractive woman over other qualified candidates simply because he believes she is likely to bring in more sales. Similarly, a woman hired can be a victim of sexual harassment in a workplace dominated by males.
3. Physical ability - If a woman does not appear physically capable, she may not get promoted or hired for jobs requiring physical strength. This is a form of discrimination because the employer is making assumptions based strictly on gender without giving the opportunity to complete strength and endurance tests.

2. What principles should be in place to prevent this gender discrimination? Give three (3) principles.

        Three (3) principles that should be in place to prevent gender discrimination include Equal Work for Equal Pay, Anti-Sexual Harassment and Equal Opportunity.

1. Equal Pay for Equal Work - Persons who work with substantially equal qualification, skill, effort and responsibility, under similar conditions, should be paid similar salaries.
2. Anti-Sexual Harassment - To guarantee that the working environment is free from any sexual harassment and is conducive for a harmonious and productive work. It seeks to value the dignity of individuals and protect the human resources of the country by guaranteeing full respect for the human rights of the people.
3. Equal Opportunity - Prohibits discrimination in employment or in the provision of training and education on the grounds of any of the following protected characteristics like gender, disability etc. It seeks to give a fair chance to people to take part in economic and community life.

3. What is the difference between men and women when they lead?

        In some studies, it was found that women adopted participative styles of leadership and were more transformational leaders than men who adopted more directive and transactional styles of leadership. Women in management positions tend to place more emphasis on communication, cooperation, affiliation, and nurturing than men as well as having more communal qualities. Communal leadership behaviors tend to be more open, fair, and pleasant; people in these roles show responsibility. On the other hand, men were seen to be more “agentic” and be more goal and task oriented. Agentic leaders tend to be more active, task oriented, independent and focused decision makers.