The Social Disadvantages of Women Today - Assignment Example

The Social Disadvantages of Women Today There is no arguing the fact that women have always faced more disadvantages in life than men. Slowly and gradually however, things have changed for the better. A considerable amount of effort has been put in over the past few decades to improve the living conditions and social status of women all over the world. Today, women have better access to education and job opportunities. Medical and health facilities have improved remarkably and society is adapting to a world where women are also entitled to duties and responsibilities as men. It is not hard to see women who are successful in all walks of life, in occupations which were earlier earmarked exclusively for men and in challenges that were completely out of their reach just a few years ago. Society has indeed undergone a process of transformation and consequently women are better off now than they were earlier. And yet, there is still such inequality and injustice done to women every single day that we are left wondering if all the years of hard work, struggle and fighting the system have actually helped in changing the mind set of society. To try to understand the importance of women’s rights and how far it really exists in modern society it is essential to know of the relevant changes (or the lack of it) that has occurred in the lives of women and the kind of impact that it has had. From a very early period in human civilization it is seen that women have always had to struggle twice as much even to attain the basics of existence like food, clothing and shelter. Women have been subject to a great deal of injustice not just from men but from society as a whole which has been programmed in a way that is beneficial to men from whichever angle one might consider. Even during the 1950s and 60s which is not so long ago, women were denied any opportunity in society no matter how hard she worked or how intelligent she may have been. It was a time when women were predetermined to be homemakers, and in the very rare occasion that a woman wished to acquire a job, she was confined to working as a teacher, secretary or other similar jobs which gave measly salaries and absolutely no scope for progress. She was considered incapable, inefficient and undeserving of education and successful careers and was literally vanquished by the men of the time both socially and economically. Gail Collins explains in her book that it was perfectly legal in those times to discriminate on the basis of sex (21). Thus, despite the struggle, a woman was denied almost everything that would elevate her status in society. As time progressed, things changed. Women had to fight a tough battle but eventually turned out victorious. Women began to get an education, a career besides homemaking and a life of some worth in society. Today perceptions have changed in such a way that women are accused of being overly ambitious, ruthless and in some cases dominating. Feminism is the new ‘it’ thing and women have begun to rebuke conventions in order to live a life on their own terms. Feminist movements have worked relentlessly to bring women out of the dark in to a day and age where they could decide their own fate. There have been references of women ruling the roost and even controlling men. This new radical feminist wave has in fact garnered a lot of negative publicity with a section of society condemning it and considering it to be ‘over the top’. Some might think that modern feminism is extravagant but in reality how much of it is true? How far have women been successful? And to what extent has the struggle against injustice been fruitful? The truth is women’s rights have come a long spiraling way and is still struggling to make its foothold in modern society. In an age where women have taken up top management positions, flown planes and ruled entire nations it would be surprising to know that things haven’t changed much on a larger scale. Women continue to face injustice on a day to day basis; they are still denied the primary rights to education, health and safety and are still victims of preferential treatment on the basis of sex. Global economic expansion is said to have improved living conditions and increased disposable income of people. However, poverty is still prevalent in most parts of the world and it would be shocking to know that women are more likely to suffer from poverty than men. This also has a direct impact on children making the situation worse. Moreover, lending procedures of financial institutions such as the IMF and World Bank to developing nations has had adverse effects on the women of such countries. Economic globalization and opening up of markets world wide has actually increased poverty among women according to a discussion that was part of the Women’s Conference (TWN). This is because the process of economic globalization has given more power to the already powerful businesses and concentrated more wealth in to their hands while women workers especially in developing countries have suffered increased work hours and in some cases lesser wages thereby further deteriorating their economic position. This interesting quote would explain the situation. “At the same time that women produce 75 to 90 percent of the food crops in the world, they are responsible for the running of households. According to the United Nations, in no country in the world do men come anywhere close to women in the amount of time spent in housework. Furthermore, despite the efforts of feminist movements, women in the core [wealthiest, Western countries] still suffer disproportionately, leading to what sociologist refer to as the “feminization of poverty”, where two out of every three poor adults are women” (Robbins 354). Most countries deny women the right to inherit or own property and in most cases women earn much lesser than men for the same amount of work. All these coupled with the recent economic recession are contributing factors to an increased poverty as well as little or no financial and social security amongst women. Women in different parts of the world are denied basic rights that are prescribed by law. Some governments turn a blind eye towards women’s rights or choose to follow religion in practicing governance. Thus ‘honor’ killings, lack of protection for women facing violence and abuse, female infanticide and female genital mutilation are still rampant in many societies. Women are also denied proper healthcare facilities in many cases. Human trafficking, early marriages and early pregnancies, forced abortions and a general lack of sanitation and hygiene make women more prone to illness and sometimes even death. It is said that more than half a million women die each year due to problems during pregnancy and child birth (Shah). It is also said that many of these women can actually be saved had there been better medical and health care facilities. Another shocking piece of information is that in several cultures, sons are preferred to daughters as a result of which fetal and infant mortality rates for girls is much higher than that for boys (Shah). Women’s safety and measures adopted by different countries to ensure the same is also a debatable topic. Many countries lack well defined laws and regulations that can be used in favor of women. Societies that are tuned to be male dominated and therefore beneficial to men have only added to the woes of women who feel unsafe even in their own homes. According to Rashida Manjoo, UN Special reporter on violence against women, some girls are even attacked and abused in and on their way to school making them hesitant to pursue education and reducing female enrolment in schools even though it is a basic right. And many cases of violence and abuse against women are dismissed due to lack of proper evidence. Further, in situations of war, poverty or natural calamity it turns out that women suffer the major brunt of all negative repercussions. Haiti witnessed a great deal of rape and abuse against women after the earthquakes while women in Afghanistan continue to be incarcerated and punished as a result of poverty and social unrest. Women in most countries enjoy a lot less freedom than their male counterparts. In many cases, they are denied simple rights such as that of obtaining an education or a job. Some women are not allowed to pursue higher education or choose a career of their liking solely on the basis of their gender and its implications in their respective society. In certain countries, their movements are restricted and they are forced to be confined to the walls of their house. Women are denied the freedom to cast a vote in some societies, to participate in public gatherings in others or to represent in a house of parliament. Some women are even denied the freedom to drive, to dress comfortably or to engage in any form of social interaction. Denial of women’s rights is a burning issue despite leaps of progress world wide. Even with new age feminism in place and many arguing that women are at par with men (in some cases even above) the truth lies in the fact that the percentage of women who are empowered and able to lead a comfortable and independent life is miniscule, almost negligible, when compared to the women who suffer abuse, violence and discrimination on a daily basis. Given the present situation the claim that women’s rights are a ‘lifestyle’ issue is as baseless and as irrelevant as the words themselves. The world is still a male dominated one, with findings clearly stating that at all levels and in all sectors fewer women than men are part of decision making processes (IPU, Oxfam). On a positive note, the constant and remarkable efforts on part of the UN and other NGOs hold some promise in improving the situation of women. A major breakthrough happened in 1993 when women’s rights were finally explicitly recognized as human rights-not less, not separate at the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna (Haan 2). If governments and judicial systems too are willing to incorporate necessary changes the world may not be a bad place after all for the weaker sex. Works cited: 1. Collins, Gail. “1960 – Repudiating Rosie”. When Everything Changed: The Amazing Journey of American Women from 1960 to the Present. New York: Little Brown, 2009. Print. 2. Third World Network. n.d.. www.twnside.org. Web. 10 December 2010. 3. Robbins, Richard H. Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism. Allyn and Bacon, 1999. Print. 4. Shah, Anup. “Women’s Rights”. Global Issues. 14 March 2010. Web. 10 December 2010. 5. Oxfam. “Gender Inequality: Key Facts”. Resources. 2010. Web. 10 December 2010. 6. de Haan, Francisca. “A Brief Survey of Women’s Rights”. UN Chronicle. 2010. Web. 10 December 2010. Read More