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Social Workers Challenge Injustice

University of Southern California

School of Social Work
SOWK 505
Assignment #1b: Short Essay Paper
Social Workers Challenge Injustice
By:
Daniel R. Gaita, MA
January 22, 2016
Professor Anne Blair, MSW, LCSW

Social Workers Challenge Injustice

Social Workers Challenge Injustice ?

I.

Introduction

Scholarly works produced by esteemed and proclaimed leaders in the field of gender
equality are as vast and present throughout the developed worlds prestigious libraries and
institutions as are the piles of dead bodies of victims of gender inequality which lay buried in
the little discussed global mass graves that dot the landscape of our vastly dysfunctional ilk
of humanity. While it might feel good to an entitled socialite academic to pontificate on all
the progress being touted from the United Nations (UN) specific to the Convention on the
Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) (UN,1995). I can
attest, first hand, that women and girls of this world whom are most in need of relief and
advocacy arent even aware the UN exists. So this is my challenge to the social work field: if
you really want to be part of challenging true global injustice and gender inequality, you had
better be ready to leave your ivory castle to get your hands dirty, because the people torturing
and raping the women and girls of this world dont give a fuck about your conferences and
conventions. Most dont even know they exist.
II.

Social Workers Challenge Injustice?

Today, social workers are being tasked and prepared to challenge social injustice. We
are trained to pursue social change, especially for those most vulnerable and oppressed. It is
our duty to primarily direct our efforts at correcting suffering from inequality, poverty,
unemployment, and discrimination. While doing so we are expected to remain sensitive to
culture and ethnic diversity while striving to enable access to information, services, and
resources (National Association of Social Workers, 2008). Yet, global gender inequality is
still pervasive. The distribution of justice in countries most in need is laughable.

Social Workers Challenge Injustice

Educational opportunities are a disgrace in many non-developed countries. Universal access
to healthcare remains a fallacy to both poor and rich nations. While, so called global models
of transformation remain just that, models (Littlefield, 2015).
Case in point, over forty-seven years ago the United Nations General Assembly
adopted an international bill of rights for women, also referred to as the Convention on the
Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW). Since then there has

been over forty-one sessions convened. The purpose of these meetings is to support womens
equality everywhere in the interest of all humans and covers the many spheres of our
human existence including but not limited to: political and public life, education,
employment, health, economic and social benefits, law, marriage and family life, sex role
stereotyping and prejudice (UN Women, 1995). So how far have we come?
III.

Pervasive Inequality

Sure, progress has been made in the realm of gender equality, especially in developed
countries where laws have better probability of dictating human behavior. Even still, in
operational nation-states, like the United States, women still face social exclusion based on
their income, disability, ethnicity, and location (Littlefield, Et. Al., 2015), exemplifying how
poverty and economic injustices are still witnessed throughout the wealthiest nations
national landscapes. Now imagine how horrific the complexities of global gender inequality
become for women and girls in nations not as developed as the United States. You cant.
Consider the many other nations whereby access to education is limited to the most
fortunate 25%, with less than a 20% overall national literacy rate (UNDP, 2015b; UNDP,
2012); where clean drinking water is the concept of ill-faded hopes and dreams; where 91
babies of every 1000 born, die; where the life expectancy is only 47 years (UNICEF, 2013);
where female gender mutilation (FGM) is commonly carried out on 98% of girls between the

Social Workers Challenge Injustice

ages of four to 11 years (WHO, n.d). Where is the United Nations then? Where are all the

expert lawyers and scholars of the world while these girls are being brutally tortured, rapped,
murdered and enslaved? Where are all the social workers?
IV.

Conclusion

Yes, the realm of global gender equality is both complex and multidimensional and
although it has been extensively discussed and studied (Lopez-Claros & Zahidi, 2005; World
Bank, 2012) we have much real work to do if we are ever to witness the day when women
are true partners in this human experience. If social workers are ever to be truly effectual in
helping those whom suffer the most, they had better start showing up with the Marines and
be ready to fight along side those willing to die for the righteous cause of gender equality.

Social Workers Challenge Injustice

References:
Blanchfield, L. (2010). A new United Nations entity for women: Issues for
Congress. Retrieved January 5, 2014, from
http://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/row/R41257.pdf
Littlefield, M., McLane-Davison, D., & Vakalahi, H. (2015-02-02). Global Gender
Inequality. Encyclopedia of Social Work. New York, NY: NASW
Press/Oxford University Press. Retrieved from.
http://socialwork.oxfordre.com.libproxy1.usc.edu/view/10.1093/acrefore/978
0199975839.001.0001/acrefore-9780199975839-e-932?
rskey=Bcq8yo&result=1
Lopez-Claros, A., & Zahidi, S. (2005). Womens empowerment: Measuring the
global gender gap. Retrieved from
http://www.weforum.org/pdf/Global_Competitiveness_Reports/Reports/gend
er_gap.pdf
National Association of Social Workers. (2008). Code of ethics of the national
association of social workers. Retrieved from:
https://www.socialworkers.org/pubs/code/code.asp
United Nations Development Programme Somalia (UNDP) (2015b) Gender
Equality and Womens Empowerment Strategy. Retrieved from
http://www.undp.org/content/dam/undp/documents/projects/SOM/00060507
_Gender%20Strategy%20for%20Somalia%20Final.pdf
United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) (2012). Somalia Human
Development Report 2012: Empowering Youth for Peace and Development.

Social Workers Challenge Injustice

UNICEF (2013) Somalia Statistics. Retrieved from
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/somalia_statistics.html
UN Women, (1995). Fourth World Conference on Women, Beijing: Declaration on
Womens Rights. Retrieved from
http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/beijing/platform/declar.htm
World Bank. (2012). World Development report 2012: Gender equality and
development. Retrieved January 5, 2014, from
http://siteresources.worldbank.org.libproxy1.usc.edu/INTWDR2012/Resourc
es/7778105-1299699968583/7786210-1315936222006/Complete-Report.pdf
World Health Organization (WHO) (n.d.) Female Genital Mutilation and other
Harmful Practices: Prevalence of FGM. Retrieved from
http://www.who.int/reproductivehealth/topics/fgm/prevalence/en/index.html