2008 Woodie Awards
The Fight for Equal Rights by Women
Amaka Onyemekeihia
Issue date: 4/8/08 Section: Opinion
It is surprising to know that in the 21st century women are still fighting for equal rights, but it is more surprising to know that from the look of things an end to the injustice is still a long way off. Over the last century, women have rallied to fight for a number of changes including the right of women to vote, the right to a fair hearing in rape cases, and the right to elect a woman to political office. However, a lot more needs to be done.
It is in light of this that women celebrated “World Women History Month” last month in countries in the world, by setting up awareness programs to instill the equality of women to men, and to put an end to violence against women worldwide. Women rallied in South Africa for an end to gender inequality and sexual abuse, in South America for better pay and respect, in West Africa for health campaigns on female issues and sex education, in the U.S. for an end to the profanity of women’s sexuality and in Southeast Asia for an end to sex slavery.
Each group of women was trying to draw the attention of the general public to the pains and sufferings they and their female counterparts around the world undergo every day of their lives. Fatima, a Somalian-born contestant on “America’s Next Top Model,” used her exposure on TV to remind people of a hideous crime that is still in practice in some countries - especially in sub-Saharan Africa - female genital mutilation. Also known as female circumcision, it is the process of cutting off the tip of a woman’s clitoris to reduce her sexual libido.
In a recent interview with Star magazine, she lamented how at the tender age of five, she was forced without her consent to undergo the procedure, a procedure that is sometimes carried out with crude un-sterilized razors used on groups of 20 girls at the same time.
Rape and sexual exploitation, another worldwide concern, has also been on the rise in war-ravaged sub Saharan Africa. The plight of women and girls in the region, especially in Darfur and northern Uganda, tells us about the grievous atrocities committed against these women who are caught in the midst of war. One woman, after being viciously gang raped by five men for four hours, blew herself and the men up with a grenade when a sixth man came to have his “share.” Another was raped and macheted to death by her captors in the front of her two young children, and one woman said she was raped continuously every night the enemies came to her camp.
Other acts too graphic to mention are still committed, and some survivors have told the United Nations and other groups about their ordeals in ongoing war zones. In Thailand, a popular tourist attraction, a 15-year-old girl who has had five abortions said that she was forced into sex slavery at the tender age of 8 after her poor parents died and her madam took her in. Because of the large number of people who go to Thailand for child prostitution and sex slavery, such services can be obtained for as little as $5. One woman commented to a local newspaper that, “If you would kill a man for having sex with your 8-year-old daughter, why go to another country to do so with another man’s daughter for as little as $5?”
Some South African women, mostly grandmothers and young girls, felt they had a greater cause to rally. They are tired of burying their daughters and mothers in a region that www.avert.org says is experiencing the most severe AIDS/HIV epidemic on the plant; with a 2005 estimate of five and a half million people living with the virus, and 1000 deaths occurring daily from the virus. According to the South African Medical Research Council’s 2006 report, in a study of 1,370 South African men, nearly one fifth revealed that they had raped a woman, and some who knew they were infected with the virus had done so without using a condom. During their rally, the women also urged people to stop chastising and oppressing women who were infected with the virus but that they should show them love.
In West Africa, women rallied to promote education and equal rights for girls and wome,n especially in the northern part of the region where young Muslim girls are often given off in marriage before they are 15, and where women can be stoned to death if guilty of adultery, while the man walks away scot-free. According to the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, “Resistance to gender equality has been the most challenging in the Arab region, despite the adoption of constitutional reforms in some countries in recent years aimed at reaffirming the equality of all citizens before the law in rights and duties. While women have historically played a significant role in independence movements, their right to participate fully in public life as equals with men lagged behind other nationalist concerns. On average, it took half the Arab countries more than 8 years after gaining their independence to recognize the right of women to vote and to hold public office.”
On campus, there was a joint rally with Rutgers, ECC and UMDNJ, in which speakers from different walks of life were invited to give talks. One of the speakers, Rosa Clemente, a hip hop activist, lamented about how women have allowed rappers to call them names like “bitches” and “whores” in lyrics without doing anything about it, and how kids who idolize rappers go about calling girls these names, thinking it is cool to do so. She also noted the scantily clad girls featured in many music videos, and questioned if it is necessary. Also in the presentation, the Women’s’ Care Program, a self-defense training program from the Newark Police Department, taught women how to protect themselves from rape, either at a party or in the open.
In other parts of the U.S., women rallied for better wages and equality at their workplaces, because while they are being paid $0.75 of a dollar to do the same work that a man does at a full dollar, they are being denied promotions to the advantage of their male colleagues. Other women rallied for an end to the physical and emotional abuse of women.
Despite the large turn out around the world, a lot of women say there is more to be done and that though leaders have promised to pass more laws to protect women and encourage the education of women and young girls, they fear that those promises may never come to pass.
It is in light of this that women celebrated “World Women History Month” last month in countries in the world, by setting up awareness programs to instill the equality of women to men, and to put an end to violence against women worldwide. Women rallied in South Africa for an end to gender inequality and sexual abuse, in South America for better pay and respect, in West Africa for health campaigns on female issues and sex education, in the U.S. for an end to the profanity of women’s sexuality and in Southeast Asia for an end to sex slavery.
Each group of women was trying to draw the attention of the general public to the pains and sufferings they and their female counterparts around the world undergo every day of their lives. Fatima, a Somalian-born contestant on “America’s Next Top Model,” used her exposure on TV to remind people of a hideous crime that is still in practice in some countries - especially in sub-Saharan Africa - female genital mutilation. Also known as female circumcision, it is the process of cutting off the tip of a woman’s clitoris to reduce her sexual libido.
In a recent interview with Star magazine, she lamented how at the tender age of five, she was forced without her consent to undergo the procedure, a procedure that is sometimes carried out with crude un-sterilized razors used on groups of 20 girls at the same time.
Rape and sexual exploitation, another worldwide concern, has also been on the rise in war-ravaged sub Saharan Africa. The plight of women and girls in the region, especially in Darfur and northern Uganda, tells us about the grievous atrocities committed against these women who are caught in the midst of war. One woman, after being viciously gang raped by five men for four hours, blew herself and the men up with a grenade when a sixth man came to have his “share.” Another was raped and macheted to death by her captors in the front of her two young children, and one woman said she was raped continuously every night the enemies came to her camp.
Other acts too graphic to mention are still committed, and some survivors have told the United Nations and other groups about their ordeals in ongoing war zones. In Thailand, a popular tourist attraction, a 15-year-old girl who has had five abortions said that she was forced into sex slavery at the tender age of 8 after her poor parents died and her madam took her in. Because of the large number of people who go to Thailand for child prostitution and sex slavery, such services can be obtained for as little as $5. One woman commented to a local newspaper that, “If you would kill a man for having sex with your 8-year-old daughter, why go to another country to do so with another man’s daughter for as little as $5?”
Some South African women, mostly grandmothers and young girls, felt they had a greater cause to rally. They are tired of burying their daughters and mothers in a region that www.avert.org says is experiencing the most severe AIDS/HIV epidemic on the plant; with a 2005 estimate of five and a half million people living with the virus, and 1000 deaths occurring daily from the virus. According to the South African Medical Research Council’s 2006 report, in a study of 1,370 South African men, nearly one fifth revealed that they had raped a woman, and some who knew they were infected with the virus had done so without using a condom. During their rally, the women also urged people to stop chastising and oppressing women who were infected with the virus but that they should show them love.
In West Africa, women rallied to promote education and equal rights for girls and wome,n especially in the northern part of the region where young Muslim girls are often given off in marriage before they are 15, and where women can be stoned to death if guilty of adultery, while the man walks away scot-free. According to the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, “Resistance to gender equality has been the most challenging in the Arab region, despite the adoption of constitutional reforms in some countries in recent years aimed at reaffirming the equality of all citizens before the law in rights and duties. While women have historically played a significant role in independence movements, their right to participate fully in public life as equals with men lagged behind other nationalist concerns. On average, it took half the Arab countries more than 8 years after gaining their independence to recognize the right of women to vote and to hold public office.”
On campus, there was a joint rally with Rutgers, ECC and UMDNJ, in which speakers from different walks of life were invited to give talks. One of the speakers, Rosa Clemente, a hip hop activist, lamented about how women have allowed rappers to call them names like “bitches” and “whores” in lyrics without doing anything about it, and how kids who idolize rappers go about calling girls these names, thinking it is cool to do so. She also noted the scantily clad girls featured in many music videos, and questioned if it is necessary. Also in the presentation, the Women’s’ Care Program, a self-defense training program from the Newark Police Department, taught women how to protect themselves from rape, either at a party or in the open.
In other parts of the U.S., women rallied for better wages and equality at their workplaces, because while they are being paid $0.75 of a dollar to do the same work that a man does at a full dollar, they are being denied promotions to the advantage of their male colleagues. Other women rallied for an end to the physical and emotional abuse of women.
Despite the large turn out around the world, a lot of women say there is more to be done and that though leaders have promised to pass more laws to protect women and encourage the education of women and young girls, they fear that those promises may never come to pass.
Viewing Comments 1 - 4 of 4
tsktsk
posted 4/09/08 @ 12:14 AM EST
what makes you think women want equal rights
maybe they LIKE wearing a burka
Herbert Mortimer
posted 4/09/08 @ 6:18 PM EST
I don't understand. Women hold wield an iron fist over men in so many aspects of American culture. What more do you want?
If you're trying to argue for women internationally, what makes your issue more important (or credible) than the gazillion other concerns the globe is facing?
I don't understand. (Continued…)
Going to fight equal rights!
posted 6/30/08 @ 4:23 AM EST
God bless America! When woman stood up to say "treat us like men!" did men say in return, "I'll raise the children!" no. Equal rights? so now i have the right to open doors for myself. (Continued…)
Annie
posted 7/08/08 @ 4:36 PM EST
It is a shame that after reading this article, I see a comment like "what makes you think women want equal rights
maybe they LIKE wearing a burka" or "I don't understand. (Continued…)
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