Description
Attached for you is a reflection about United Nations Sustainable Goal No. 5, discussing gender equality. This reflection needs to be corrected and aligned with the provided guidelines in the document, page 10 -14 formatting and content. You must read the document to be able to make the needed changes.Here is feedback about the weak structure for you to take into consideration when making the necessary adjustments to the reflection in order to improve the overall coherence.Dear Amani,I have reviewed your reflection on Sustainable Development Goal 5, focusing on Gender Equality. There are specific areas where you could further deepen and enhance your reflection, but the most significant issue it your setting out of the document. The lack of headings as per the guidelines makes in dificuate to review and would be a costly mistake in your final portfolio. Some notes – (not I cannot note the sections as these we not given) Elaborate on your initial motivations for taking the course. Reflect more deeply on how your feelings and attitudes towards gender equality have evolved. Explore how this new understanding of gender equality can be applied in daily work. For example, consider specific policies or practices you could advocate for or implement to promote gender equality within the Ministry. Choose a specific area of gender equality you wish to explore further, such as its impact on innovation in organizations. Use academic research to support your evaluation. Outline specific steps or initiatives you could undertake to achieve this goal. Please note that if this reflection is written correctly and aligned with the document provided, I will be using your assistant in future projects. To save both of us, time and effort. Note: all reference must be academic (Theory/Journals/Books/Websites (must be credible).
Unformatted Attachment Preview
As part my next generation management module I was asked to preform a pod
activity related to united nation Sustainable Development Goals, my choice was goal
number 5 which discussed Gender Equality. my pod specifically focused on women
rights and empowerment. Therefore, I register at The UN Women Training Centre
eLearning Campus to undergo a 3 module course on gender equality framework. The
UN Women Training Centre is a global and innovative online platform for training for
gender equality. The course was interactive where we have to complete some
reflection questions and quick quizzes to move on to the next part of the course. By
the end of the course and passing all the requirement successfully I was reward
certification of completion on I Know Gender 1-2-3: Gender Concepts to get Started;
International Frameworks for Gender Equality; and Promoting Gender Equality
throughout the UN System course.
Women empowerment is a hot topic in Saudi community since King Abudallh ear,
where he order establishing colleges for women and increase seat numbers for
women in existing colleges and institutes. In addition to starting a movement to
encourage women to inter work filed. The empowerment movement is presented in
Saudi vision 2023 as I am now a part of Defense ministry, which 5 year ago was not
possible. As resulted of the big changes I was asked to undergo a course called NATO
approved gender focal point. I declined because I was not expert enough and not
familiar with the concept which means a someone specifically appointed within an
institution or organization to oversee and promote more attention to gender
equality matters in day-to-day activities. (Ruprecht, 2005) if I know about SDGs back
then maybe the situation could be different. That is why I chose to focus on Gender
equality as it is part my current job and would contribute to the effective use of my
personal development plan competency external relationship management.
The course encompasses three main models, the first one is a primer that goes over
terms that are important for understanding the next two models. Talking about the
following term and what it means according to the UN. First explain what are the
gender concept: Gender norms refer to established societal expectations and
standards on the suitable and accepted duties for each gender. These norms dictate
how work is allocated across different age groups. Gender roles refer to the
prescribed behaviors and responsibilities that individuals are expected to adhere to
based on their gender and biological sex. The final aspect is Gender relations, which
elucidate the dynamics of interaction, power distribution, and resource allocation
between individuals of varying sexes and genders. The second idea discussed was
Patriarchy, which refers to the male domination in positions of authority and power
in all aspects of life. Followed by, Gender stereotypes which are socially constructed
ideas that strongly impact behavioral expectations based on gender roles. They differ
from gender roles, which change over time, particularly through women’s
empowerment and the transformation of harmful masculine norms, reducing gender
discrimination. Through the first module the speaker highlight that stereotypes leads
to Gender discrimination and is addressed by international documents like CEDAW,
emphasizing the rights of girls and women, aiming to end discrimination based on
race, religion, or gender. Next, the presentation discusses the concept of gender
diversity, which pertains to deviations from culturally established norms associated
with an individual’s designated sex at birth. Preceding to explain Gender equality
meaning which is to ensures equal rights, responsibilities, and opportunities for all
individuals, irrespective of their assigned gender at birth or societal constructs of
gender identity and expression. To achieve gender equality, actions that support
women’s rights and give them power must be carried out by people of all genders.
Keep saying that empowerment means people taking charge of their lives, having
more options, and changing social norms. For example, this can be done by boosting
self-confidence and giving people easier access to resources. Then it was talked
about how important it is for men to be involved in gaining gender equality. To wrap
up the first module, they introduce the strategy to achieve gender quality which is
gender mainstreaming. It is an important way to promote gender equality and
women’s freedom, not as an end goal but as a way to get there. In conclusion, these
are the most prominent ideas presented throughout the modules.
In the last five years and more, Saudi Arabia has seen notable strides in fostering
gender equality and empowering women across various spheres. Initiatives such as
vision 2030 aimed to diversify the economic and increase women participation job
market. Taking that in consideration I want to explore more the benefits of gender
equality in deferent domains. Research indicates that companies with genderdiverse boards exhibit a greater number of patents, particularly those that are
unique, and demonstrate higher levels of innovative efficiency. Additional
investigations indicate that boards with a mix of genders are linked to CEO incentives
that are more accepting of failure and focused on long-term goals. These boards also
foster corporate cultures that are more innovative and have a greater variety of
inventors. These features contribute to an enhanced level of innovative
performance. (Griffin et al., 2020)
Although gender equality is a human right for all men and women, yet the current
state of the corporate environment indicates that there are still barriers that need to
be overcome in order to attain genuine gender equality. UN promote gender
mainstreaming to achieve gender equality Internationally. It entails incorporating a
gender viewpoint into the planning, design, implementation, monitoring, and
evaluation of policies, regulations, and expenditure programs to promote gender
equality and fight discrimination. (“Gender Mainstreaming”, n.d.) One of the main
enabling condition is to have an enable environment, studies argued the formation
of an enabling environment is mostly driven by political will, which is considered the
most influential factor. Political buy-in is crucial in creating this enabling
environment (Ramparsad, 2019). Furthermore, according to the findings of other
studies, gender equality in the workplace has the potential to positively influence
both the image and the efficiency of an overall organization. By doing so, it would be
able to acquire advantages over its competitors (Rubio et al., 2019). In addition, It
has been demonstrated by a number of studies that sustainable development is not
feasible without the empowerment of women and the gender equality of all people.
As a consequence of this, it is argued that gender equality is not just a matter of
human rights but also a prerequisite for and an indication of sustainable
development. Moreover, it is recognized that gender inequality is pervasive in all of
the civilizations of the globe, and that it is impossible to achieve sustainable
development if strong measures are not taken to address this issue. (Bayeh, 2016).
After finishing this training course my knowledge about sustainable development
goals have increased as I can now make the connection between SDG 5 which
address gender equality and is linked to SDG 11 is integral to fostering sustainable
inclusive cities and communities and building peaceful, just and strong institutions
(SDG 16)worldwide. Understanding the significance of being a gender focal point
might have empowered me to effect positive change within the institute, making it
more inclusive, diverse, and supportive of all genders. Embracing this role often
involves being a catalyst for change, fostering an environment where everyone feels
valued and empowered to contribute equitably. Furthermore, UN website defined
focal point as is dedicated to the enhancement of the status of women, which
includes the creation and implementation of policies, advocacy for work-life balance,
and the resolution of grievances pertaining to formal and informal conditions of
employment for women. (“UN Women – Focal Point for Women in the United
Nations”, n.d.). with this knowledge in mind, I would try and seek that opportunity.
Proudly writing about the actual touchable results I can see and currently living in.
the effective use of gender equality and women empowerment open a chance for
women to work as soldiers effective from 2019 women we allowed to participate
and enrolled in Defense sector as soldiers. (“Saudi Arabia rules women are permitted
to join the army”, 2019) This huge movement in it self is presenting SDG5 in Saudi
Arabia as men and women have same enrollment standers, paychecks, and
promoting system. I plan in the future to spread the awareness and encourage
women and girls to feel the empowerment and take the opportunities offered. As
senior first sergeant in Ministry of defense I find myself in many positions advocating
for change and calling for chances for my colleagues and I to prove our skills not
realizing that there are other women going through the same experiences and I can
benefit from their journey by login in UN women training Center.
References
“Gender Mainstreaming”. (n.d.). UN Women – Headquarters, available at:
https://www.unwomen.org/en/how-we-work/un-system-coordination/gendermainstreaming.
“Saudi Arabia rules women are permitted to join the army”. (2019), France 24, 10
October, available at: https://www.france24.com/en/20191010-saudi-arabia-ruleswomen-are-permitted-to-join-the-army-1.
“UN Women – Focal Point for Women in the United Nations”. (n.d.). , available at:
https://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/fp.htm.
Bayeh, E. (2016), “The role of empowering women and achieving gender equality to
the sustainable development of Ethiopia”, Pacific Science Review, 1 January,
available at:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psrb.2016.09.013.
Cavero-Rubio, J.A., Collazo-Mazón, A. and Amorós-Martínez, A. (2019) ‘Public
recognition of gender equality in the workplace and its influence on firms’
performance’, Women’s studies international forum, 76, pp. 102273-. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.wsif.2019.102273.
Griffin, D., Li, K. and Xu, T. (2021) ‘Board Gender Diversity and Corporate Innovation:
International Evidence’, Journal of financial and quantitative analysis, 56(1), pp. 123–
154. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1017/S002210901900098X.
Ramparsad, N. (2019) ‘Mainstreaming gender in the public service, developing
conducive spaces’, Hervormde teologiese studies, 75(4), pp. 1–13. Available at:
https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v75i4.5569.
Ruprecht, L. (2005), “Handbook for gender focal points in UNESCO National
Commissions”, UNESDOC Digital Library, available at:
https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000140572 (accessed 18 December
2023).
Appendix
Report Style Requirements
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• Font – Arial or Calibri
• Font size – 11 to 12
• Referencing – Harvard Referencing (must use DCU Cite Them Right)
• Spacing – 1.5
• Word Limit – Max 2000 (excluding appendix & bibliography)
• Doc type – Microsoft Word File (only)
Personal Opportunities for Development (PODs) are activities, which together with the
relevant reflection, are intended to help you develop your competencies under each of
the four NGM themes. Specifically, the PODs that you choose should be consistent with
your own personal development needs as outlined in your personal development plan,
and in line with the learning outcomes of the NGM module. At the end of this process,
you will have developed
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further your unique mix of competencies and experience. Each person taking the NGM
module will likely have a different mix of PODs, and you will acquire unique benefits from
your choice of PODs.
Have a plan for obtaining PODs. Do not just go to events or undertake activities and then
consider which theme it will fit into. Instead, look at your PDP and ask yourself what else
it needs. Or consider yourself and the areas which you are still unsure about and seek
out ways to improve these aspects.
If you don’t know how a POD helped you to develop, then it probably didn’t! In this case,
you should not include it.
B&S POD Overview
As outlined at the start of this booklet, this theme was chosen in order to get students to
engage with global and societal trends which are affecting business and management
practices, both nationally and internationally. Trends and cultural shifts are constantly
changing the way that individuals purchase, consume and view the world.
Consequentially it is essential for business practitioners in particular to be aware of
these in order to forecast what customers will want or reject in the future
The Personal Opportunity for Development (POD) activities which you undertake for the
Business and Society theme should make you more knowledgeable about what large
issues and opportunities are occurring, which in turn will affect the world of work. The
themes and SDGs which were introduced at the start of this booklet are worth revisiting
in this regard. All POD proposals and reflections MUST refer to at least one SDG.
REMEMBER: The B&S theme is primarily concerned with your development of
knowledge about key trends and large issues which are based on the Sustainable
Development Goals. If you are writing a reflection which is focused on your development
of personal skills then you may need to reconsider with theme it belongs to.
It is most beneficial for you to have your final set of B&S PODs extend over a wide range
of SDGs and activities, i.e. make sure your choice of PODs is as diverse as possible.
B&S POD Insights and Rules
The variety and scope of your POD selection will count towards your overall portfolio
grade. As the B&S theme includes many and various themes, I would be disappointed to
see many reflections discussing the same societal trend or SDG throughout.
Critical points for your B&S reflections:
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•
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• Students are advised to DISTRIBUTE B&S PODs across the sub-themes (SDG’s).
For example, writing three reflections about female empowerment would not
indicate a wide range of development or learning.
• Students should watch movies/documentaries for a maximum of One POD.
• The B&S section of your portfolio should contain a table with a list of all PODs
linked
to each SDGs and a second column that notes the related topic/theme, e.g.:
Activity(s) POD Value SDG Topic/Theme
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•
Crisis Management: Lecture by
Gavin Brown and the CM Harvard
Course via Loop
•
• SDG 11: Sustainable
Cities and
Communities
Examining Sustainable and
• SDG 8 Decent Work Resilient Organizations within
and Economic
Society
Growth
•
•
•
• Again: the B&S theme is primarily concerned with your development of
knowledge about key trends and large issues. If you are writing a reflection which
is focused on your development of personal skills, then you may need to
reconsider the theme it belongs.
• I want to hear YOUR opinion come through on the issue. Engage with the
literature to elevate or reinforce your point of view. Be honest, and always try to
support your point of view with evidence – be it academic, practitioner or casestudy based.
• You should underpin your B&S reflections with examples (where possible to
illustrate your point) as well as engagement with academic papers & reports.
o A minimum of THREE references is expected for 1 POD; and a minimum of SIX
references for 3 PODs
o Use references well (i.e. do not insert a reference for the sake of a reference). Show
that you have read and engaged with the reading you are referencing.
o Use national/international statistics to contextualise your discussion of the
topic.
•
• Don’t worry about discussing errors, failures, or changes in your opinions
throughout
this module.
•
• Time spent, or activity by itself does not necessarily justify a POD – nor does
travel to
and from if the activity is a long-distance away.
•
• Note, competing, and conflicting perspectives are a normal part of the
interconnections
between Business & Society. It is important to assess your perspective as this
may
change over time.
•
• You cannot ask for retrospective recognition for work that you already carried
out
before applying for the POD, or before starting NGM.
How can I prove that I completed the POD?
There are lots of ways to prove attendance or completion of a POD activity –
admission tickets, photos (screenshot), certificates, etc. However, the real ‘proof
of attendance’ for a POD is conclusive evidence of the new knowledge or insight
that you have gained from the activity, or demonstrable proficiency in the
application of the knowledge or skills …. and which you can use to enhance some
aspect of your CV or PDP. You can highlight this in your portfolio.
When should I write my reflections?
You should write a draft as soon as possible while it is still fresh in your memory.
A reasonable first draft requires that:
•
•
•
• At a minimum, there is a description of the POD activity
• Justification as to why you attended this activity
• An evaluation of the POD activity for your learning
The reflection that you write within the few weeks may not be perfect, but
especially for the B&S theme, will reflect much more understanding and
awareness than a reflection which has been forgotten about and written close to
the deadline. Once you have your notes from the
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event and your personal insights recorded, you should begin to read more about the
broader topic.
Remember, all POD proposals and reflections MUST refer to at least one SDG.
Choosing PODS for Business and Society Theme
There are a wide range of activities which you could undertake for B&S PODs. Some
examples are listed below.
•
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• Reflecting on Business and Society POD lectures organised by NGM team.
• Volunteering activities – as long as they relate to one of the B&S themes –
otherwise
they veer into the personal development section.
o NOTE: We encourage students to engage in voluntary work but the reflection
must discuss business related larger issues and not the charity itself or the
skills attained.
•
•
• Attending live talks of business leaders organised by the NGM Team or the
university
• Watching and reviewing a movie covering a relevant social issue e.g. entitled
‘An Inside
Job’ which explores how changes in the policy environment and banking
practices
helped create the financial crisis.
•
• Essentially if something you see or read sparks your interest about a larger
trend which
will have an impact on consumer behaviour or the wider world of work, you would
be welcome to research and write an analysis of it for a POD activity. For activities
that you create yourself you should write an essay or report PLUS a reflection.
•
•
• Reading books as advised by the NGM team (you may also propose one of your
own). The reading list will be available on your Loop page.
• Not accepted: Personal skill development; holidays taken. Reflection: Proposed
structure / points of consideration
Some Guidelines on Reflective Writing
It IS:
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your response to experiences, opinions, events, or new information
a way of thinking to explore your learning
a chance to develop writing skills It’s NOT:
•
•
•
•
just conveying information
Pure description, though there are descriptive elements
Straightforward decision or judgement about whether something is good or bad
A summary of notes
Macro level: Show evidence of your engagement in the macro level debate.Allow
your opinion to come through, this is a reflection after all, thus avoid a generic
discussion. I want to hear YOUR opinion come through on the issue. Engage with
the literature to elevate or reinforce your point of view. Be honest, but ALWAYS
support your point of view with evidence be it academic, practitioner or casestudy based.
1. Structure For B&S Reflections
B&S uses the same 7-part reflection structure as per CPD (Terry).
The KEY difference between B&S and CPD is that in B&S you must also think
about topics from a higher level – this is about you (an individual), the systems
(organisations, communities) and society at large (e.g., nations, economies).
In other words you must show that you understand the topics from a Business
and Society perspective, not just a “personal” level (me, I, etc.)
1.
••
Description
What happened/ what was the experience / what was your role? Why did you go?
(How does this relate to B&S and your PDP).
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• Explain the SDG connection. Keep it brief.
2.
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3.
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Self-analysis
What were your thoughts?
Feelings? Values? Attitudes? Reactions? Assumptions?
Why is this of relevance to your personal development – connected to B&S
Analysis of your learning
What did you learn?
What parts in particular interested you?
What conclusions about your learning can your draw?
Use the literature to derive understanding from experiences
4. Application in context (most important section)
Here you must focus on deep learnings (not surface learning)
What is your deep learning topic/angle from the POD? – Only pick 1!
••
How does POD learnings link to your previous knowledge, experience, learning
and/or assumptions
How does it help you understand (or not) your previous knowledge or experience?
o How does it link to theory/frameworks
o How does it link to the themes inB&S?
o How does it link to society?What are the implications?
This linkage must be articulated clearly such that it explains:
o
o
• How and why you think there is a link
• The importance of the link
Evaluate (can be the longest section in your overall reflection)
5.
What would you like to evaluate or learn more about, in that deep area, to benefit
you?
• Is there an angle that you like to take/explore? o Why does what you learned
matter?
o
o
• Did you agree/disagree and why?
• How does it test or require you to re-interpret or re-consider what you
already
knew/previously did?
o
• How will it affect your future managerial role? (Think B&S)
Note 1: Evaluation section is about exploring new knowledge around the
angle/deep learning topic Back up with Critical Analysis/Discussion/Debate
on that deep learning topic.
Remember! You’re not criticising the POD activity or the list of learnings
from the POD activity – you have moved onto some angle about the deep
learning topic that is relevant or of interest to you.
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Note 2: Use Theory/Journals/Books/Websites (must be credible)/Reports to
explore new information
The more discussion that is relevant to your deep topic/angle, the more new
relevant interesting information that you will find.
6. Self-concept
In the Evaluation section, you explored and researched new information around
the deep learning topic & angle; then you discussed, debated or critically wrote
around that topic/angle
In section 6, think about what this new information means for you.
• What did you take away from this learning opportunity?
o HowmightthisPODimpactyourfuturedecisionmaking?
o Did a topic/POD challenge your perceptive?
o Whatchangescan/willyoumakeinlightofthisPOD?(Bothshorttermandlong
term)
o
• What would you do differently or will do differently next time as a
consequence of this
event?
o
o
• What new knowledge do you have now?
• How will this change you in your career in the future?
o How has this POD influenced your feature actions? (Consider both from a
business and society perceptive)
Note: This section is relatively short but is personal to you.
7. Action
What are your plans or future actions to apply this new learning(s)?
• Give an example of how you understand this new learning OR – How did you
apply that learning?
Overall, please consider
• putting the learning into practice – in the context of B&S
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