Gender
Senior 4 · General and Religious Studies
Gender
Lesson 3 of 3
35 min
Read this illustrative case. Gisa wants to become a nurse. His uncle laughs: "Nursing is a woman's job; be a doctor or nothing." Keza has the best physics marks in her class. Her aunt advises: "Choose something easier; engineers do not find husbands." Both give up their first choice.
Who has lost? Gisa and Keza, certainly. But so has the hospital that needed a good nurse, the factory that needed an engineer, and the families those two would have supported with work they loved and did well. A stereotype does not stop at one person. This lesson follows its effects through three levels: the individual, the family and society.
Definition
Discrimination: treating a person less well because of who they are, for example their sex. Article 16 of Rwanda's Constitution prohibits it and makes it punishable by law.
Gender-based violence (GBV): in the words of the National Gender Policy, "violence directed against a person on the basis of sex and or gender", including physical, mental or sexual harm, threats and coercion, in public or private life. It "involves the abuse of power" and affects women, men, girls and boys.
Internalised stereotype: a stereotype that the people it targets come to believe about themselves. Example: a girl who decides she "is not a science person" before she has tried.
Self-esteem: how much a person values themselves and believes in their abilities.
| Level | Effects on girls and women | Effects on boys and men |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | Fewer choices of subject and career; lower confidence in science and leadership; more unpaid work and less time to study | "Boys don't cry" teaches them to hide distress and avoid help; pressure to earn money early pulls some out of school |
| Family | Less say over money and decisions; heavier workload; higher risk of violence | Fathers miss closeness with their children; one earner carries all the pressure |
| Society | Women's talent is under-used in work, science and leadership | Boys' lower secondary enrolment; men's poorer health-seeking |
The data from earlier lessons fit the table:
The most harmful effect of a stereotype is to make violence seem normal. The Rwanda Demographic and Health Survey asks women and men whether a husband is justified in beating his wife if she burns the food, argues with him, goes out without telling him, neglects the children or refuses to have sex with him. Figure 3 shows the share who agreed with at least one of the five reasons.
Two findings need explaining. First, women agree far more often than men (50% against 18% in 2019–20). This is what an internalised stereotype looks like: many women have learned the belief that a "good wife" obeys, and that a wife who does not may be punished. Second, agreement fell between 2010 and 2014–15 and then rose again, which shows that attitudes do not improve on their own; they need continuous education.
No reason justifies violence. Beating a spouse is a crime in Rwanda, not a "family matter", and it harms the children who see it as well as the spouse who suffers it.
Warning
Getting help. Gender-based violence and any sexual contact with a child are crimes. In Rwanda a child is anyone under 18, and any sexual contact between an adult and a child is abuse; the child is never to blame. If you or someone you know is affected, tell a trusted adult and call a free Rwanda Investigation Bureau line: 3512 (domestic and gender-based violence), 116 (child abuse), 3029 (Isange One Stop Centre, which gives medical, legal and counselling help in one place) or 166 (emergencies).
| Who | What they can do |
|---|---|
| Individuals | Notice and question their own "finish the sentence" beliefs; support friends who make non-traditional choices; refuse jokes that mock a sex |
| Families | Share chores between sons and daughters; make decisions about money together; let boys show feelings |
| Schools | Encourage girls in science and boys in care subjects; give leadership roles to both; take reports of harassment seriously |
| Faith and community leaders | Teach the equal dignity of women and men; speak against violence at weddings, sermons and assemblies |
| The State | Laws against discrimination and violence; MIGEPROF's policies; GMO's monitoring; RIB's helplines and the Isange One Stop Centres |
Warning
Common mistakes
Important
Discuss. In 2019–20, half of women but fewer than one man in five agreed that wife beating is justified for at least one reason. Suggest two reasons for the difference, and design one activity for a school club that would change these attitudes among both girls and boys.
UN Human Rights Office: "Gender Stereotypes: How Bias Fuels Discrimination", about 8 minutes. Note one effect at each level (individual, family, society) that the speakers describe.
Practice
Key points
Further reading
Sources and credits
Written by Ganzaa: the opening case, Figure 3 (drawn from DHS data), the tables, the analysis and the exercises.
This lesson adapts CC BY-SA material and is shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Quick check
Which finding is the clearest sign of an internalised stereotype?
