Inequality

"  Maya
        You are fifteen years of age and live in the Bronx area of New York. Your Mom is a single parent and tries to make ends meet by cleaning houses and living on welfare. Your neighbourhood is pretty dangerous and you don't feel safe at night. You try to work hard at school but it is hard when the school is run down and overcrowded.  
                                                                                                                      "
In religion class we are discussing the millenium goals and in particular gender equality. We did an excercise to look at the treatment of females in different countries around the world. A series of statements were read out, and if the statement applied to you, you took a big step forward. If it kind of applied to you, you took a little step and if it did not apply to you then you stood still. 
The person I was assigned was Maya. When I first read my bit of paper I thought she had a hard life. As the excercise went on, I was taking steps the whole way. At the end, I was fourth from the top. As I passed people by I felt bad for them, for leaving them behind and I wondered why everyone else wasn't moving too? The excercise showed me that there is extreme inequality and unjust treatment going on in other countries. I learned that Ireland is a very well-off country and we shouldn't take our rights for granted. I am much more understanding now of women and girls in third-world countries. I feel bad that they don't get to receive an education or even to feel safe in their homes.
We all need to try help pull up the people who are being left behind.