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3 Reasons Why We Should Start Taking Action in Reducing Inequalities

24 Nov 2021

Inequality is one of the crucial yet most difficult issues to be addressed worldwide. Inequality has been an ongoing issue for centuries, covering various aspects like age, race, gender, religion, wealth, income, healthcare, and education. Unfortunately, the Coronavirus pandemic has made the gaps among all aspects more visible. Even though everyone is heavily impacted by the situation, some people aren’t fortunate enough to have the privilege to proper resources.

According to the United Nations (UN), four global factors influenced the existence of inequalities worldwide, such as climate change, technological enhancements, urbanization, and international migration. The development of technology in every life aspect does provide accessibility and convenience for every human activity. Yet, it also lessens job opportunities and increases wage inequality among low and middle-skilled laborers. If laborers are paid less, it can lead them to a financial crisis, which leads to poverty because they couldn’t afford everything at once. So, when you think of it, inequality has strong correlations with other ongoing issues worldwide.

 

Now, let’s dig deeper from the educational side. 

Around 62,5 million students in Indonesia are forced to learn from home since schools and institutions are closed since early 2020. From those 62,5 million students, UNICEF reported only 66 percent of them have proper internet access for online learning. Even before the pandemic started, children and youths living in rural areas have already lacked access to better education. Can you imagine how difficult this situation is for those who are living in those areas? This circumstance can affect a child’s opportunity in decent jobs and welfare since they didn’t receive the same educational quality as those who have more access in bigger cities. 

 

What about in terms of healthcare?

A study in 2019 stated that socioeconomic factors highly influenced inequality in healthcare access in Indonesia. Some Indonesian citizens are still struggling to access secondary and preventive care due to geographical and financial barriers, based on a survey of 93 percent response rate. In fact, during the pandemic, people who have received insurance through the National Health Insurance (JKN) program have not yet received adequate health services. It shows us that the government still has to put a lot of effort into improving Indonesia’s healthcare system and infrastructure. Having equal access and distribution to healthcare should be a priority for all people regardless of where they live and their current condition.

 

It’s time to put an end to discrimination.

Discrimination is an unfair treatment or judgment that often happens despite who, when, and where. Although discrimination can happen to anyone, it frequently occurs within minorities and specific groups based on their gender, race, and ethnicity. According to the UN’s report in 2018, nearly 2 in 10 people reported having been personally discriminated against at least on one of the established grounds by international law. In Indonesia, discrimination often occurs to women, indigenous people, particular ethnicity such as Papuans, and other minorities. Unfortunately, the Indonesian law and policies aren’t sufficient and thorough enough to protect the citizens against discrimination. Regardless of the existing circumstances, we as humans should learn to stand up for what’s right and fight together against discriminational behaviors.

 

In the end, inequalities can not be gone on their own. It is through our actions that equality is possible to achieve. Although rising global equality sounds heavy, we can start small by noticing and standing up against inequality issues around us.

“Equality is not in regarding different things similarly, equality is in regarding different things differently.” – Tom Robbins.

 

 

References:

Teresa Nabita Tiffany