The Status and Treatment of Women - Essay Example

The notion of ‘advanced’, however, should not be misinterpreted as absolute freedom or equal rights as men. Rather, the term ‘advanced’ simply implies that women in these particular societies had greater liberty in comparison to the social norms that were prevalent in the general global society. ‘Advanced’ also applies to those cases where women fought for better rights by choosing to oppose the societal restrictions in place.

Consider the case of Western Europe during the period 1450 – 1800. During this period, women across the world faced many restrictions and were treated differently than other sections of society. In Great Britain, women below the age of 50 were not allowed to own any property and had to relinquish their position as head of the family if the son completed his professional education (Hecker, 97). Having control over women in the household was a matter of social pride for the male members. In contrast, women in many parts of Western Europe were far better placed by any standards. Women had the liberty to operate a business of their choice and could choose a husband. Moreover, a widow had the freedom to marry a man of her choice. While they never faced any segregation, women were nevertheless unable to practice professions including medicine and law (Charrad, 178). Most importantly, women had the basic right to education and were on par with men in terms of literacy rates.

Women began to campaign for equality and basic human rights in the early nineteenth century. They called for being given the right to education, vote, and law-making. Their gradual struggle over 150 years has led to a significant change across many nations. Today, women’s suffrage is regarded as a basic human right in many countries. Perhaps the most important trend during this period is the emergence of Islamic feminism in the Arab and Muslim worlds at the same period. Feminist intellectuals like Tahrih and Qasim Amin began to question the popular interpretations of Islam and denounced some of the widespread practices in Islamic society such as the ‘hijab’ (veil), polygamy, and the ‘purdah’ system (segregation of men and women) (Walter, 65).

Since the nineteenth century, women have been growing in their support for greater reforms and have particularly been in favor of abolitionism. Women’s rights have since emerged as an important issue, especially in the United States. Eminent American writers like Maria Stewart are credited with supporting these efforts during the early years by calling for self-sufficiency and education among women. The US government established the ‘National Organization for Women’ (NOW) in 1966 to look into issues like equal pay, equal legal rights, and the right to education (Adams, 45). DeLuzio says that the efforts of the NOW were instrumental in the formulation of the ‘Equal Rights Amendment’, which suggests that feminism in the US has made many strides in comparison to similar movements in other parts of the world, especially in the Muslim world and Asia (72).

Tignor cites China as one of the countries that have made rapid strides in women's rights and freedom (186). Before the emergence of Communism, young women in Chinese households were groomed from infancy for their future husbands. The Chinese practiced the painful practice of foot binding for ages, whereby the foot of the girl was tightly bound for days together. Unless the foot was within a specified limit, a girl would be considered unsuitable for marriage.

The era of Mao Zedong witnessed a sea change in the treatment of women in Chinese society. Under his authority, the Communist Party outlawed all superstitious traditions and provided equal rights for both men and women. Mao believed that by promoting gender equality, he could make an example of China a global example. Women were encouraged to take up jobs and could no longer be controlled by their husbands. Obtaining divorce became easier and any marital abuse on the part of the husband was dealt with seriously. Walter compares the improvement of Women's rights in communist nations like China and countries in the Western hemisphere and notes that the former were better placed to implement any such policies given their autocratic power (106). In comparison, the democratic process of women's reforms has faced many obstacles and criticisms and has to contend with a slow and consuming process.

The above examples indicate that over the years, women’s rights have undergone a major transformation across several regions of the world. During the middle ages, women were largely confined to their homes and had no avenues to voice their feelings. The growth of democracy and appreciation of human rights and freedom over the past centuries has encouraged women to campaign for their rights, although the transition has been rather slow. Today, women enjoy better rights, especially in the developed world, and have greater access to opportunities, especially in education and employment. Sustained campaigns by eminent writers and feminists are likely to gain further over the coming years whereby women will enjoy an equal position in society.