Women in our society
Photo: Amirul Rajiv
The rights of women are an important indicator of global well-being. Many believe gender issues exist only in countries where religion is law. Some believe that women's rights are not an issue at all. Yet when women suffer and cry out about their rights being denied, people only turn deaf ears. Women have been treated as the weaker section of society for centuries, almost as mere machinery for reproduction. Someone to clean the house, manage kids, and prepare a good dinner after a hard day's work! Politics and women were separate issues! Policies still undermine the rights of women, says Human Rights Watch. Statistics prove that women carry out a third of the world's work, yet receive only 10% of the income; women own 1% of the means of production. Women cultivate more than half of all food that is grown. In Sub-Saharan Africa, women produce 80% of basic foodstuff. In Asia, they account for around 50%. In Latin America, they are mainly engaged in subsistence farming, horticulture, poultry, and raising small livestock. Yet women are denied recognition. Many remain unpaid. It is very difficult for them to find the financial resources to buy equipment. Many societies do not recognise the change in their traditional roles. Reasons for such disparity include the fact that women often perform low status jobs, compared to men. No gender discrimination? I ask our women friends whether it is all a lie. Why aren't there more women presidents and prime ministers? Are women not capable? What about Helen Keller, Begum Rokeya Sonia Gandhi, Mother Teresa? Thousands of women around the world are raped, molested or beaten by rude husbands. Women are not assertive enough. Men take charge. But now it's time for women to be aware. We have to work positively for what we really want in life. This is a wake up call for all women out there. The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world. When God created Adam and Eve, He did not make one weaker than the other. Both lived happily together in the Garden of Eden.
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