Lesson plan: How women's status affects economic conditions September 21, 2000 Web posted at: 7:27 PM EDT (2327 GMT) RELATED SITES

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Objectives

Students will:

• List injustices suffered by women in various countries.
• Explain how unequal treatment of women can affect a country's economic growth.
• Research countries to find out more about the living conditions of women and girls.
• Describe improvements that have been made in countries because of legislation.
• Defend a position on issues raised by the U.N. report "State of the World Population 2000."

Standards

National Council for the Social Studies
V. Individuals, Groups and Institutions

High school students must understand the paradigms and traditions that undergird social and political institutions. They should be provided opportunities to examine, use and add to the body of knowledge related to the behavioral sciences and social theory as it relates to the ways people and groups organize themselves around common needs, beliefs and interests.

Materials

CNNfyi.com article, "Abuses against women affect economies, U.N. report says"
Internet access
Videocassette recorder

Suggested time

One to two class periods

Procedures

1. Ask students to think of problems caused by the mistreatment of women. List students' suggestions on the board. Tell students that this lesson will focus on a U.N. report on unequal treatment of women and problems that women face in particular countries. Have students read the CNNfyi.com article "Abuses against women affect economies, U.N. report says." Then ask the following:

• What unequal treatments are noted in the article? What countries allow these treatments on women? According to the U.N. report, is the increase in secondary schooling for females significant to the increase in economic growth? Why or why not?
• Give examples of how countries can improve their economies as well as the status of women. What assumptions can you make about the link between abuse, illness and early deaths? Which statements support or demonstrate the willingness of countries to improve conditions for women? What improvements have been made as a result of legal or administrative code changes?
• Stan Bernstein, a senior research adviser with the U.N. Population Fund, said that the report is an attempt to underscore "what the costs of inequality are, what has kept it in place in the past and what's being done to address it now." Explain what you think he means by this statement. What do you think can be done to address inequalities for women?

2. Have students research the U.N. report further using media resources. Direct them to each choose a different country listed in the report to analyze the treatment of women and the effects the treatment may have on the countries' economies. Students may work individually or in groups.

3. Ask students to present their findings to the class. Based on what they learn, instruct them to defend a position on issues raised by the U.N. report.

Accommodations

Linguistic: Students may publish their opinions on a school Web site or write an article in the school newspaper or newsletter.

Kinesthetic: Students can act out a public service announcement instructing women to protect themselves from violence and mistreatment. These public service announcements may be videotaped and shown to other classes.

Assessment

Direct students to present their opinions for ending a particular practice. Have them present a convincing plea based on the reasons they chose. Instruct them to begin their presentations with a simple, clear statement of their position and to close them with a reiteration of the statement.

Challenge

Direct students to role play viewpoints of countries that condone positions that the U.N. report criticizes. They do not have to agree with the positions, but challenge them to attempt to understand how a person could condone actions that the students believe are cruel and inhumane. What genuine beliefs about humanity would these people have to hold? How could they justify their views of women? If time permits, these presentations may be videotaped and shared with other classes.

United Nations
Human Rights Watch

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