Womens Rights in Africa and Where They Are Now - Research Paper Example

Women Right in Africa and Current Improvement Table of Contents Table of Contents Introduction 2 Research methods2 Violation of African women's rights 3 Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) 3 Effects of FGM 4 Justifications of FGM 5 Early Marriages 5 Violence 7 Son Preference 8 Rape 8 Right to education 9 Right to reproductive health 10 Right to marriage 11 Right to work 11 Right to own property 12 Steps taken to improve African women's rights 12 African women's achievements 13 Additional steps needed to balance gender equity 14 Conclusion 15 Works cited 17 Introduction The attainment of an equal society for women in Africa has been a gradual but progressive process as a number of countries currently formulate and implement policies that are pro-women in nature (Jing 21). For a long time, African societies have treated women poorly by denying them access to resources, and opportunities that their male counterparts had access to by birthright. This has in turn resulted in an imbalanced society, in which men occupy all the positions of leadership at the expense of women who perform basic home management roles (Oduyoye 12). The research looks forward to exploring exploitations leveled against women. It further investigates how the modern day African societies reverse the effect of such retrogressive beliefs, which have contributed to the rejection of women human rights in the societies. In doing the research analyses a number of sources primary of which are films and videos obtained from YouTube and other digital video disc formats. These videos depict the different forms of women maltreatment and the rights denial mechanisms that the African women face in their daily lives. Research methods In my research project, I have opted for numerous methods of carrying out the assignment. The audio methods become my first priority due to its efficiency and in my research project; the audio comes in video terms. The crucial issue that is becoming hard to curb in Africa is the female genital mutilation, and my research projects bring out the reality of this act through a video. Some of these videos show how the female genital mutilation, a vice that have through time denied the African girl child equal academic opportunity. This is because, after the practice the young girls are immediately given out for marriage to elderly men (Ogundipe-Leslie 21). The research also uses secondary sources, which include books and newspaper articles, which recount the struggle of the African woman for liberty and equal opportunity in the society. These seek to depict the progresses made by different governments in the continent to level the playing ground for both sexes thus uplift the status of the girl child thus that of the African woman by extrapolation Violation of African women's rights The violation of African women's rights started back in the eighteenth century when women were viewed as second-class citizens. Gender inequality did not start in Africa, but rather started in the advanced continents of Europe and America. However, the women in these continents overcame the oppression and gradually liberated themselves from the bondage. Sadly, Africa is still evolving in terms of gender equality (Breneman 140). The stubbornness of this gender inequality is due to strong cultural beliefs that Africa strictly follows, hence placing women in their old traditional place of the weaker vessels. The challenges that African women undergo are numerous challenges, and to begin with, genital mutilation tops the list. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Female genital mutilation has another name of female genital cutting or circumcision, and the world health organization (WHO) describes it as a process through which the external female reproductive organs or genitalia is either partially or entirely cut off. Approximations of up to 140 million women, or probably more pass through this intolerable procedure every year, globally. Africa alone practices the FGM on roughly 3 million young girls yearly (Toubia & Anika 4). The most affected women are from Africa, followed by those in the Middle East and Asia. Europe is gradually adopting the practice of FGM, and so are Australia, Canada, and the United States of America. Older women who do not have any skills or competence in health care training carry out female genital mutilation traditionally. Scalpels, knives, razors and knives are some of the common tools used to perform the ritual. Once the process is over, application of iodine or a combination of herbage follows in order to construct and clench the vagina and halt the hemorrhage. The practice of female genital cutting varies age wise in that, some undergo circumcision any minute after birth while others it is during labor, depending on the individual’s family. FGM is rampant between the ages of 4 and 10. Effects of FGM Female genital mutilation has numerous implications on the victim’s health. Some of them include: Urine retention Fatal hemorrhages Insanitation Deformation of bordering tissues In worse cases, the victims can suffer sexual dysfunction, complicated pregnancies, and births Uterine and vaginal infections, Intricacies in menses Trauma Retrieved on March 28, 2013, from, http://www.path.org/files/fgmcrt3.GIF Justifications of FGM Some of the reasons that people that practice FGM give to justify this practice are: Tradition Religious beliefs Acceptance in the society Heightened sexual pleasure for men Family honor Amplified fertility Retrieved on March 28, 2013, from, http://www.path.org/files/fgmcrt2.GIF Early Marriages Marriage is an agreement (contract) between two adults who willfully agree to enter the aforementioned contract. Any person below the age of 18 years in the eyes of the law is incapable of entering into such a contract because they are not able to give consent (UNICEF 1). It is unfortunate though, how young girls are denied the privilege to be in school, and are married off to old men against their wish. Sadly, the parents of these young girls are usually willing to give away their daughters for marriage (Ogundipe-Leslie 21). There are many driving forces towards this practice. Poverty is one of the primary causes in that, parents suffering in the hands of poverty perceive that by giving away their innocent young daughters to rich old men, they will finally improve their status. This is a misconception and unheard off because any parent should not give up the youth and education of their child in order to selfishly benefit themselves (UNICEF 1). Retrieved on March 28, 2013, from, http://www.irinnews.org/Photo/Download.aspx?Source=Details&Year=2010&ImageID=201012201544340594&Width=960 The number of children who enter into marriage each year varies according to the country and its legislation system. Sufficient data from UNICEF estimates that forty-two percent of African women marry at the age 15-24. Additionally, lack of education is the root problem of early marriages. For instance, twenty percent of Senegalese women who had attended school were married at the age of eighteen contrary to thirty-six percent who never attended school. Prior to early marriage trauma, these young girls are supposed to work hard as homemakers and their worst nightmare comes when giving birth. This is because; their genital organs are usually pre-developed, and impromptu for intimacy, or even giving birth. For these poor vulnerable girls, having sex with the older men becomes unendurable painful. Maternal mortality has a link with the fact that these girls are too young, and their reproductive system is too undeveloped to withstand the prolonged labor, and complications that come with childbirth. Many of these girls end up getting an intermediary of two body atriums such that the rectum and vagina connect, a condition known as fistula. Their bossy autocratic ‘husbands’ make it hard for these shy girls to explain their condition. The men even decide on how many children the girls will give them, and owing to illiteracy, the girls do not have any idea about a birth control hypothesis. Violence Violence in African homes is a subsequent activity that goes on without opposition from the women and the elders. This is the reason because of old tradition that portrays women as men’s property that should be submissive to the end. Any opposition of any issue from the women triggers a confrontation that leads to violence. This violence not only affects women physically but also emotionally, which increases the risk of complications for expectant mothers (White & Thomas 82). Statistical survey carried out in 1995 in Egypt claimed that one in every three married women in Egypt had undergone abuse during pregnancy. Sadly, violence does not occur in homes alone but also in the society. Working places are not safe for women either due to male dominance in places of work (White & Thomas 82). Son Preference In Asia, the issue of the boy child preference over the girl child is rampant. Once a pregnant woman discovers that she is expecting a girl child, the family forces her to abort the foetus even before it is born. In other cases, the girl lacks necessary attention like the boy child in terms of nutrition, clinical check ups, and education (Sen & Ostlin 166). The issue is most dominant in Africa where the boy child seems to have more value than the girl child. The society bases its facts on the heredity factor where they argue that boys are tomorrow’s pillars of a family. The situation is normally irresolvable when an African woman is unable to deliver baby boys. This woman usually has two options, which are either divorced or embrace a Co wife to come and bear sons to her husband. Despite the scientific education on the boy child conception has not influenced much because the African men possess the traditional mentality of the boy child issue. Rape Rape is forced sexual intercourse with a minor or unwilling individual. Raping is a common trend in Africa where war is the order of the day. Most of these rape cases occur in war torn countries where young girls and women undergo brutal rapes by gangs. Rape in Africa is a reality because in 1999 in the then established African Court of Women, Rwandese, and Somali women told of gang rapes in refugee camps (Breneman 141). More so, residential homes in Africa are not exceptional because rape cases subsequently hit the headlines in the national media. Maternity homes follow the trend because men and husbands often rape their female partners, and it is extremely hard for the assaulted victim to prove that it actually did happen unless she has sustained injuries. Right to education Gender based education policies are intense because comparing the number of girls in schools to that of the boys are not balanced. Education is crucial to human beings regardless of their gender and their development into adulthood is fully dependent on it. In 1948, the universal declaration of human rights (UDHR) made it a right for everyone to access primary school education without any obstacles. Education helps women eliminate the notion that they are supposed to remain in the kitchen and take care of children while men go to school and get good jobs. An educated woman is able to secure the career of her choice and provide for her family. Women that have attained the basic education can make sound and quality decisions on matters concerning themselves and their families. They can also acquire knowledge on nutrition, hygiene, and family planning. Poverty could reduce if not eradicated by educating young girls and women. Education helps women discover their potential and when given equal opportunities as the boys, girls could transform the entire society economically. However, African tradition still drags the African girl child education behind because African tradition prefers educating a boy child to the girl child (Sen & Ostlin 167). According to UNICEF 2008, the percentages of girls enrolled in school are as follows: Mali 36% Guinea 41% Chad 45% Benin 57% Nigeria 33% Congo 32% Burkina Faso 28% Central African republic 42% Right to reproductive health The good health of a woman is essential for her to put to use her rights to education and employment. Poverty and reproductive roles given to women put their health at risk. During pregnancies and deliveries, many women die due to complications in their reproductive systems. The practice of cultural and traditional practices like female genital mutilation and early marriages for girls expose them to infections like HIV/AIDS. Affordable and effective contraceptive methods should be availed for women so that the rate of abortion cases could diminish. A survey conducted discovered the following: Rough estimates of 1,600 women; lose their lives every day because of pregnancy and childbirth related complications. Over two million girls undergo female genital mutilation yearly. Abortions and opportunistic infections claim the lives of about 70,000 women. The woman’s biological makeup of the reproductive organs makes them more vulnerable to HIV/AIDS infection and other sexually transmitted diseases than men. Pregnant women all over suffer from iron deficiency. In most African countries, young girls become mothers before they get to 20 years of age. Most disabled women were born normal but because of assault and battery, they end up maimed. The bottom line is that, every woman has the right to access affordable health care services whenever and wherever. According to Integrated Maternal, New born, and Child Health (IMNCH), mortality rate claims that Africa is progressing at a slow pace compared to other continents. However, the UN and WHO are teaming up with IMNCH to improve the African women's reproductive health and that of unborn and born children by 2015 according to the millennium development goal (MDG). Right to marriage Marriage is a sacred union between a grown man and a grown woman with an aim of companionship or childbearing. This is not the case in most African countries because African men view women as their property and can marry any woman at any time of his choice (Cornwall 27). Most African countries follow this traditional norm to date and a good example is that of Swazi land. In this nation, the king marries new young wives each year without any protests from any body simply because it is a tradition norm. These women do not object intrusion of a second wife because they do not have authority in a man’s dominated world, and the duty of this woman is to embrace the outcome since her husband could marry any amount of women of his choice (Cornwall 27). This has dragged African development backwards because polygamous families increase poverty levels. The irony of the whole marriage issue is that these women do not have authority over divorce and could be divorced any time the husband wishes. Right to work Since ancient days, women have been side looked, and portrayed as the weak vessels that cannot work but rather stay at home attending to house chores, and taking care of children. The men dominate the world and that is why only men went to work or to war. This cultural practice went on for a long period, but some nations have overcome it. The reason why women in European countries rebelled against this tradition is because they believed in gender equity and that the world belonged to everyone. These women went to the extent of working just like men and some of them became breadwinners hence improving their country's economy. The situation is different in Africa because the society does not allow women to work and the few that force their way to work held elementary occupations such as cleaning and garbage collection. Statistics show that sixty percent of African women performed elementary jobs and only eighteen percent held professional jobs (Jain & Frank 60). However, Employment Equity Act has come to balance the gender equity in African workforce. Right to own property In many nations of Africa, women's rights to own property are not equal those that men possess. Their rights to own, and inherit property is a dream that most women in Africa have never achieved due to constant attack from laws, custom and individuals who believe that women are not trustworthy in handling property (Human rights watch 40). Most African women normally undergo this trauma when their spouses die leaving properties under their wives management. The situations turn otherwise the in-laws forcefully invade the property leaving the widow and children in extreme poverty (Human rights watch 40). Most African laws do not favor widows especially when the widow lacks legitimate evidence of marriage between her and her deceased husband. Steps taken to improve African women's rights During the review of research studies on the topic of women's rights, I discovered that women are no longer afraid of facing the challenges presented by the African culture such as abuse and neglect. They have responded to their challenges by forming human rights groups aimed at campaigning against the infringement of human rights. Therefore, the thesis statement will include the participation of human rights activists in achieving freedom for the African woman (Ogundipe-Leslie 21). The discovery of the role of human rights activist has altered my view that men mainly oppress women because a number of such organizations operate under the leadership of males (Oduyoye 54). Some of the new pieces of information that I encountered during my review of literature information include the need to legitimize universal human rights and societal attitude towards women's rights (Rwomire 21). Therefore, the paper will discuss how the African continent has made commitments towards ensuring that international human rights are applicable across the continent and how society is reacting to human rights activism. Gender equality is a real problem in African society because men have a superior consideration while women are vise versa (Jing 18). The African continent has recorded one of the highest number of female abuse and violation of women's rights. In response to the problem, the international women’s human rights activists stepped up to force governments to acknowledge the pervasive nature of violation against women’s rights. The activists wanted the government to not only acknowledge but also act fast on women's violation issues. According to my research, this pressure from activists emerged in 1998 and intensified in 2000. Luckily, most African countries heeded to the activists’ plight by reforming laws that discriminate ate against women. However, other government refused to amend their constitution in favor of women’s rights. In 2000, various governments and NGOs accepted to support women rights activists with an aim of empowering women worldwide. That is when the Beijing +5 conference was set up, and women all over the world attended and shared their plights (Breneman 140). African women's achievements In my research, I learnt that Women rights awareness has added up significantly to women's freedom in recent years, and African countries have tremendously improved their policies in favor of women. Women have empowered themselves with the help of the international community and the NGOs. An example of tremendous achievement east African women have achieved is the establishment of the East African Court in 1999, with an aim of hearing and solving women rights violation cases and solving them (Breneman 141). This is a big step forward because the east African women can bring forth any right violation case for prosecution. Secondly, Sudanese women have also progressed significantly by forming (SWU) Sudanese women Union. This union has greatly minimized sexual molestation in Sudan as well as FGM (Shell-Duncan 159). Female genital mutilation deprived the Sudanese women the right to progress the involvement the SWU has liberated Sudanese current and coming generations. Additionally, women's employment equity in Africa has had the intervention of the Employment Equity Act. The commission emerged in 1998 with an aim of equalizing gender issues in the work force like gender and income balancing (Jain & Frank 51). In addition, most African nations have embraced women as part of them and most aspects in the society have equal sharing between men and women. This is evident because, research shows me that in 2012, African women have risen to the extent of holding government positions. For instance, Liberia has a woman president and Malawi has a woman vice president. Prior to the above high-ranking positions, today’s women share the following positions in the society: Holding managerial positions in the work force Learning to an extent of PHD Possessing and managing property Freedom to marry men of their choice Freedom to bear or not bear children Women can now initiate divorce Participating in national decision making like Supreme Courts Acquiring medical attention, including contraceptives at their own will. Therefore, today’s women are more advance compared to women in the past because, they are enjoying universal human rights through a number of programs (Oduyoye 22). Additional steps needed to balance gender equity While still carrying out my research, I discovered that one more step need implementation, to eradicate gender imbalance completely. Despite the fact that women activists and NGOs have tremendously fought for gender equity, the remaining part is for men to join in and offer support. Programs are under development to strategize on how men should be involved in gender equity issues. The programs target both men and adolescent boys to interrupt the sequence of norms about traditional masculine roles. The main aim of these programs is to change men’s attitude towards women (Sen & Ostlin 28)These programs are set in group work in a variety of community based setting. These programs are very beneficial because it will eradicate strict African traditions that are rooted in villages. Conclusion Women's rights have had the longest period of existence, especially in Africa due to deep-rooted beliefs and tradition. African women rights violation is a reality because in 1999, two hundred and fifty survivors of gender violence from all over East Africa testified before the newly established African court of Women (Breneman 141). However, the intervention of the international community like (EU) European Union and multiple NGOs like the UN, UNICEF and other organizations have helped create awareness in gender equity and pushed the concerned governments to amend policies that discriminate against women (African Woman 3). This has improved the lives of African women because they have dominated the man’s world in a certain percent. The majority of African women can now share property, work, learn and be part of a government body. This gender equity balance did not come easy, but the best news is that African women struggle for freedom has achieved its goals (Kornblun & Carolyn 4). However, slight improvements need change in African interior countries where they still hold on to old the tradition of violating women's rights so that the all-African women experience complete gender equity. Works cited African Woman. London: Akina Mama wa Afrika, 1988. Print. Breneman, Anne. Women in the New Millennium: The Global Revolution. Lanham, Md. [u.a.: Hamilton Books, 2006. Print. Cornwall, Andrea. Readings in Gender in Africa. London: International African Institute in association with, 2004. Print. Early Marriage: A Harmful Traditional Practice : Statistical Exploration 2005. New York: UNICEF, 2005. Print. Sen Gita & Ostlin, Piroska. Gender Equity in Health: The Shifting Frontiers of Evidence and Action. New York: Taylor & Francis, 2009. Print. Human Rights Watch December 2003 Policy Paralysis: a Call for Action on Hiv/aids-related Human Rights Abuses Against Women and Girls in Africa 2002 Jain, Harish C, Frank M. Horwitz, and Peter J. Sloane. Employment Equity and Affirmative Action: An International Comparison. Armonk, N.Y: M.E. Sharpe, 2003. Jing, Thomas. Tale of an African Woman. Bamenda, Cameroon: Langaa Research & Pub. CIG, 2007. Print. Kornblum, William, and Carolyn D. Smith. Sociology in a Changing World. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2008. Print. Oduyoye, Mercy A. Introducing African Women's Theology. London: Sheffield Academic Press, 2001. Print. Ogundipe-Leslie, Molara. Re-creating Ourselves: African Women & Critical Transformations. Trenton, NJ: Africa World Press, 1994. Print. Rwomire, Apollo. African Women and Children: Crisis and Response. Westport, Conn. [u.a.]: Praeger, 2001. Print. Shell-Duncan, Bettina. Female "circumcision" in Africa: Culture, Controversy, and Change. Boulder [u.a.: Rienner, 2000. Print. Toubia, Nahid, and Anika Rahman. Female Genital Mutilation: A Practical Guide to Worldwise Laws and Practices. London: Zed, 2000. Print. White, Arlette C, Thomas W. Merrick, and Abdo Yazbeck. Reproductive Health: The Missing Millennium Development Goal : Poverty, Health, and Development in a Changing World. Washington, DC: World Bank, 2006. Internet resource. Read More