Women against Women

By / Aya A. Elashuah

Thanks to Jihad Ibrahim

 (Egyptian  woman in political life)

“She must be unemployed! Loser woman!”

It was a conversation between two young girls when they saw a picture of woman who is a candidate for Egyptian parliament.

Sadly, in Egypt, not only men think that woman not qualified for political life but women, too. According to the latest poll, most women won’t elect female candidates for presidency. Although we are in 21^st Century, Egyptians still think that the major role of women is only in her home, to raise her kids and that she is not efficient enough to participate in the political life, or be the president or the prime minister

Sadly, the majority female participation in the Egyptian parliament was in 2010 as the government determined a number of seats for women, but unfortunately, this parliament only lasted for two months because of the Egyptian revolution.

I don’t care about men who think that women don’t have enough efficiency for political position but  what make me feel disappoint the situation of women against her sex I didn’t talk about women rights but I want woman think about  herself with a different way! As you are successful at your home and in your job you can be successful too in political life! You are totally different from men in way that if it well used will be benefit you, your society and humanity. So when you be leader you will make real change that no one can do. God will make you change this miserable world.

Finally, I want to tell Arabian women: if you don’t believe that women are good enough for a political life, don’t support women anyway,  don’t despise or fight her.

            

          

Women Disenfranchised disempowering in the realm of politics

Voter turnout is generally regarded as a barometer of political participation.  High turnout rates usually indicate popular interest and public confidence in the electoral system.  The 2008 polls were the second successive elections in Pakistan that saw an increase in voter turnouts – up to 45 per cent compared with 42 per cent in 2002. The recent national and international poll conducted in the country depicts dismal picture of low turnout ratio of women voter in the country.  It is very disappointing that the country’s half population comprises of women is disenfranchised on social, cultural, religious and political grounds. The observations of Election Commission Pakistan bear testimony to the fact that women voter turnout ratio in most of the countries specially Sindh and Baluchistan remained below par. Although the constitution of Pakistan guarantees to ensure women empowerment in the society, but Pakistan – a patriarchal society finds it difficult in implementing such constitutional provisions.

It is startling to mention here that mainstreamed political parties covertly concluded Agreement with Religious Parties to restrict women to caste vote in 2008 general election thus keeping chunk of woman of Northern Areas away from vote power. Moreover, during recent By-election 2012 held in Mianwali, Punjab, political parties also restricted women to cast their votes. According to sources, some Leaders held a Jirga for banning women votes cast and decided that women would not be allowed to cast their votes in Mianwali constituency.

The story of women suffrage is different in subcontinent and quite disturbing as well. Although the right of ‘women suffrage’ was given in 20th century across the Europe but  unfortunately   in subcontinent reserved seats were introduced  for women under Indian Act 1935.

The case with developing countries including Pakistan is different. In Pakistan, female are not allowed to vote in various constituencies. Pakistan currently has 38.8 million registered male voters compare to 32. 2 million female registered voters. Female voters face severe hurdles in casting their votes and getting themselves to the highest echelons of the power corridor.

Various reasons are assigned to disempowering women politically.  Deriving g the benefit of militancy in some disturbed part of the country many political pundits issue decree that women would be barred from the vote casting due to militancy. Whereas, the female voting turns-out in Pakistan has less to do with the war on terror and militancy. The issue of female voting turn-out has a cultural phenomenon and a question of honor in the areas where according to people bringing out women for voting would bring bad names to their honor.
Unless women is not empowered completely she cannot take bold steps.  In preference to facilitating direct participation of women by allotting the party tickets, the Pakistan has opted for reserve seats for women in both the upper houses and lower houses only to facilitate the selection of women belonging to powerful political and landlord backgrounds. In this way women parliamentarian are powerless. They even can’t bring any legislation in the favor of women unless she is given consent by male Chauvinists party leader.  Women protection Bill, Domestic violence bill and acid hurling bills are cases in point which were drafted by women parliamentarians but unfortunately all the bills have fallen prey to male dominant leadership.

It’s a high time that ECP takes up the issue seriously. In order to empower half of the population politically and socially. General election is approaching  in  2013 is approaching  but  NADRA ( authority to issue  Identity Cards ) has failed to identify pockets  where women have no Identification  card  to cast their vote . This seems conspiracy to keep marginalized segment of the country disenfranchised .The ECP must devise stringent   policies to ensure maximum participation of women in the realm of politics. It should ask political parties to allot tickets to its female workers in a certain proportion. The political parties not issuing tickets must be penalized. Moreover, the clergies and tribal elders opposing women voting must be trailed under constitutions. Election commission of Pakistan (ECP) recommended suggestion to parliamentarians that if any constituency having less than 10% of women voting turn out should have its result postponed and provisions of re-elections in all such all constituencies must be made.

All political parties must muster their resources and identify pockets where women turnout ratio is less than 10% and set up camps in their constituencies. Pakistan can’t afford to continue the half population captive to the tribal lords and male chauvinists. Political awareness and political education in conjunction with civil-society organization should have a priority among the various objectives ECP has designed. National Assembly has passed various important bills during past few years including Anti-harassment laws, but has ignored the basic right of voting for female population. Until such timely decisions are not made, Pakistan’s half population will face the suppression in the hands of its male law-makers and would be denied of their basic rights.

By Ashfak Siyal

Nigerian Women and Democracy

The Merriam Webster dictionary defines democracy as “government by the people”, one in which “supreme power is vested in the people and exercise by them directly or indirectly through a system of representation usually involving periodically held free elections”. It defines politics as “the art or science concerned with guiding or influencing governmental policy” or “concerned with winning and holding control over a government”. However, when leaders focus on winning and holding control over government instead of providing good governance, one has to wonder why? Shouldn’t politics be a tool for democracy? Is holding control more important to our leaders than progress? How can Nigerian women influence the current trend of politics over democracy? 

Growing up, we were told of the Aba Women’s Riot of 1929 where thousands of women from different ethnic groups in the then South-Protectorate protested against injustice by the British government and their indigenous representatives. The government had instituted a new law to tax women and this was the last straw that led to the revolt by women already fed up with a system that took way more than it gave. They did not have blackberries then, but they employed smart communication systems to mobilize participants and ensure that their voices were heard and their demands met. Records have it that they sent palm fronds as invitations to women from neighboring regions and also used “sitting”, a practice of imitating every move made by an individual so as to force the individual to pay attention. 

Then we have Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti who contributed immensely to education and law in Nigeria.  She rallied protest against price controls which were negatively impacting women merchants in Abeokuta and also against native authorities, one of which led to a temporary resignation by the Alake of Egbaland. She oversaw the successful abolition of separate tax rates for women, and also engaged in organizing workshops to help women who were not literate. 

Mrs. Ransome-Kuti and the women of the Aba riot refused to allow the political climate of their time influence their decision to fight for women’s rights. These women lived in a time when Nigeria was ruled by the British, so Nigeria was not under a democracy as we know it today, and one can assume it was not a period when the government embraced free speech. However, they stood up for what they believed and changed history. 

Today’s women are equally capable. Democracy is not limited to a few government positions, though we need more great women to fill such roles. Nigerian women must come together and seek an end to the injustice in our society. We have a lot of untapped experience and potential that is needed for Nigeria to progress, and we at Delta Women seek to encourage our women to stand up and speak up for progress.

Written by Obiomachi Madukoma.

Reference:
Women in African Colonial Histories. Geiger, S., Musisi N., Allman, J. Indiana University Press, 2002 (p. 260 – 281).

Women in Politics

Women’s political rights are an integral part of human rights and respecting their rights is necessary in any democratic framework[1]. It is estimated that women account for over the half the population in a majority of the societies. If the majority does not enjoy their political rights, it means that the society is undemocratic. Many societies in the world are therefore undemocratic as women do not get a chance to fully realize their political rights.

The need for women in politics is best phrased by Pamela Mboya[2] ;

“Without women actually participating in politics, not much will be achieved in the way of getting laws passed to safeguard the rights of widows and women, married and divorced under tribal law; discrimination in employment and even educational opportunities. Women want so urgently to get into politics; they do not want merely to compete with them. They want to be able to speak their minds and be heard. “

In addition, Tamerius[3] arguesthat the interests of women are best represented by fellow women rather than men; hence it is indispensable that more women participate in politics. Political participation is important because of the following reasons; first, it fosters democracy as men and women are allowed to equally participate in politics. Second, as mentioned by Tamerius, women’s interests are best represented by women. Third, women’s participation ensures that women’s rights cannot be undermined.

States are under a legal obligation to ensure that there is equal representation and participation of women in politics. This obligation is enshrined in various international texts.  Article 3 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights for example places great emphasis on gender equality. This sets pace for women’s participation in politics. It gives a specific undertaking f or state parties to the Convention to ‘ensure the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all civil and political rights.’ This article argues to the effect that political rights are a necessity and every state party to the convention must ensure equal achievement of this right. Equality is also resonated in the Convention on the Elimination of all Discrimination against Women. The Convention proclaims that states should ensure that discrimination of women in politics is eliminated.

Specifically on women’s political rights, the 1952 UN Convention the Political Rights of Women was enacted to ensure equality of rights. In its preamble, it recognizes that ‘everyone has the right to take part in the government of his country directly or through freely chosen representatives, and has the right to equal access to public service in his country…’ It provides for women rights to vote or to be voted for. States therefore have a duty to put in place legislative and/or policy measures to ensure that these rights are fully enjoyed.

Yet, despite the enactment of many laws that advocate for women participation in politics, their participation is still low. As in 2001, the world average of women in parliament stood at 19.5%[4]. According to the United Nations, the 30 percent mark for women’s representation in parliament hasonly been reached in 28 countries in the world[5]. The progress is still slow but the substantial progress cannot be gainsaid.

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[1]http://www.unilorin.edu.ng/studproj/law/0640il004.pdf (accessed on 24/06/2012)

[2] Reported in the East Africa Journal (1964) as quoted in Engendering Democracy in Kenya: Effects of Multiparty Electoral Systme on Women Participation in Politics

[3]Karen L. Tamerius, “Sex, Gender, and Leadership in the Representation of Women.” Gender, Power, Leadership, and Governance. Ed. Georgia Duerst-Lahtiand Rita Mae Kelly. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1995. 93-114.

[4]http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/2012/mar/07/women-representation-in-politics-worldwide (accessed on 24/03/2012)

[5]http://www.unwomen.org/2011/09/world-leaders-draw-attention-to-central-role-of-womens-political-participation-in-democracy/ (accessed on 24/06/2012)

By Brenda Mwale

Women in politics - Interview with Lauretta Onochie

When Politics and Power are involved, a massive degree of Responsibility should, in principle, be involved. History and current events are full of examples where a lethal combination of the former is divorced from the latter. But Lauretta Onochie, of Nigeria, is the classy cornucopia of all the three elements, and a standing example of a stable face in the world of politics. Via Email, Lauretta spoke to DeltaWomen.

1. What inspired you to take to politics and political studies?

I must say my going into politics was not planned. Although I have always been interested in politics, I never ever dreamed of being involved. I guess coming from a culture such ours, women do not naturally dream or aspire to political prominence. I actively got involved in politics in the local area where I live in the UK when we could not find Africans to run along side other ethnic groups for the Conservatives Party. I was unsure what was expected of me so wanted to play a supportive role only. However, I was encouraged to dive in and received all the needed training. The encouragement was overwhelming and the rest as they say, is history. Having taught and headed a school in Nigeria before arriving in the UK, my area of expertise is Education, not Politics and I am a qualified Lecturer and a member of the Institute For Learning in the United Kingdom

2. What were the biggest challenges you faced in your trajectory?

Life is full of challenges and again my training in my chosen profession and my relationship with God, which I guard jealously, have prepared me to face challenges that I come across each day. My biggest challenge so far would be convincing the Nigerian woman that she has a role to play in nation-building. Being content with raising family and having a successful career is excellent and no one can diminish those achievements by the Nigerian woman. However, when it comes to politics we do not even take the back seat but we take no seat at all. The Nigerian woman is also the first to criticise those who have the guts to have a voice. Women like me get encouragement mostly from men although our society is still largely tended towards the male. This has been my experience so I cannot imagine what Mrs Sarah Jubril must have gone through all these years. Of recent, however, I have started picking up private emails from our women supporting and encouraging me so now, I see a light at the end of the tunnel. This is a sign of better things to come and it can only mean that our campaign is bearing fruit. The Nigerian woman needs to stand up and be counted. A starting point is speaking up against all crimes and prejudices especially those against women and children.

3. As a blogger activist, do you feel there is still more attention necessary towards passive activists and armchair activists who write?

It is one thing to blog and be an activist online but it is another to leave the safety net provided by the internet into the real world and still say exactly what you have said online. Nigerians have occupied their rightful position when it comes to blogging and online activism and I was delightfully surprised to meet some known Nigerian 'internet warriors' at the hugely successful #OccupyNigeria protests earlier this year in Nigeria. Yes Nigerians have learnt that when they stand on a good moral ground, they have the boldness of a lion and no longer need to hide behind pseudonyms. Many of us were on TV and radio boldly giving our names because there's time and place for  everything. At that moment it was not time to hide behind blogs and armchair activism. A lot still needs to be done in this area but many more would have been encouraged by our bravery and audacity during the #OccupyNigerian protests.

4. Does anything threaten you?

I am bold, I have an opinion, I call a spade by its name, I am not intimidated because I have the confidence that comes from good up-bringing and proper education. Most importantly I stand on a good moral ground and my belief in God is solid. Nothing threatens me.

5. Do you believe that women are truly empowered today? If not, what holds them back?

Despite being raised and conditioned to be and feel inferior, despite having to break through sexism in their career pathways, despite having to fight off sexual harassment in institutions of learning and the work place, despite having to crouch under the burden of intimidation and all sorts of discrimination and prejudices, Nigerian women have proved that they are as good as their male counterpart. Many have excelled beyond expectations in their professions, coming from a culture where some years ago, they had to sit back to support their families in the education of their brothers. Our culture and religion are not particularly pro women empowerment. Although I do not subscribe to women liberation, I do believe that men and women have complimentary roles in nation-building and so far, the Nigerian woman has not come into her own in this area of our national history. We as Nigerian women cannot truly be exonerated from the failures of subsequent Nigerian government to provide good and accountable governance because we have often remained silent where we should have spoken out.

6. Vis-a-Vis Nigeria, what is your vision for the country?

I believe that democracy should be relative to a people and their needs although the basic principles should be solidly present. My vision for Nigeria is to come to see a Nigeria where we can hold our leaders accountable to their actions, inactions and utterances till they do what is right, after all, they asked to serve us; a Nigeria where the weak and the vulnerable are looked after through the provision of social welfare; a  Nigeria where everyone is equal in the eyes of the law with a corrupt free criminal justice system; a nation of equal opportunities for all and a nation where allegiance is to NIGERIA and not to ones tribe or section. There is nothing wrong with being a tribal or sectional leader but such a person has no business stepping into the national arena. A nation where corruption is frowned at and punished while honesty and merit are celebrated. As no society is perfect, i do not expect Nigeria to be but bringing corruption to a manageable size is a comfortable place to be.

7. Why does Nigeria have such dismal rates of development? Statistics are higher for malnutrition, maternal mortality, rape and unsafe abortions. What keeps Nigeria in such a difficult spot?

Bad leadership. Corrupt leadership. Insensitive leadership. Irresponsible leadership. In addition we have a followership that has a laissez-fait attitude towards the leadership. Everyone moans and complains about the irresponsible, corrupt and unfair practices of our elected and appointed political office holders and then does nothing about the situation. We shrug it off and at best, lay it squarely at the doorsteps of God to deal with the situation. God does not help humans to do what He has already given them the ability to do. We have to chart our own destiny.

Nigeria is one of the richest nations in the world but her people are some of the poorest because we have put up with corrupt and irresponsible leadership for years and years. It took the Metropolitan Police in the UK to force Ibori to declare himself a thief. This is against the back drop that our children in Delta state have been left in dilapidated classrooms with no seats and desks in their 'classrooms' in an age when two year olds can Skype.

In a society where 'lootable funds' are provided for adequately in the budget, one would assume that the funds voted for the provision of social services, infrastructural development, health care services etc would be use to meet those purposes. No, all funds in their sight and at their disposal are lootable funds. They also would not spend security votes for much needed services to the Nigerian people. This greed and wickedness, leading to the primitive accumulation of wealth they do not need, is the reason many Nigerians die needlessly each day from malnutrition, poor ante/post natal provisions, unsafe abortions and many get damaged psychologically after being raped as no post traumatic support is offered.

8. What would you say one could do, to be of help to the people of Nigeria?

We need to create more awareness. We need to educate the uneducated, correctly inform the misinformed, present facts where government has been austere with the truth and hold our government accountable, among others. Wherever you are, whatever forum you have, wherever an opportunity exists, use it wisely to speak up against the evil in Nigeria. Its not about any section of the country in particular, its about Nigeria. At the national level. I do these using the #OccupyNigeria platform, at the state level, I work with Deltans in Liberate - Delta Peoples Movement and at the local level, my immediate constituency, I use Anioma fora such as Ndi Anioma and Ndi Anioma Youth Movement.

By Kirthi Gita Jayakumar

Is the Future Female?

"Is the future female?" This was the question posed In an edition of Panorama, which looked at developments in the educational achievements of girls and boys. Girls, it seems, consistently outperform boys at GCSE, A level and university, to the extent that women graduates are now more likely to find a job than men graduates. The disparity is becoming so great that some teachers are demanding that boys be given special attention, to close the widening gap.

So we can see that women have got more capability then men but this men dominated community has always oppressed women,so now we have to empower women. 

We can see in history , all the great things have been achieved with a fight. Taking examples from recent events, from dethrowning of dictators to anti corruption movements , everything requires a fight.Even Women Empowerment would need a fight.

For empowerment of women we need something like this, a FIGHT....a fight against society and all its customs which restrict women not to be equal as men.Women are considered weaker in terms of physical strength then men but it is a fact that fact are far more stronger then men emotionally.A women doesn't breaks easily,a women can take lots of pressure,she can handle work and home same time, may be that's why women prove better then men when it comes to management.

For empowerment of women, it doesn't mean providing reservations and special provisions to women,because that will only create inequality and difference,instead of it just provide an equal opportunity in which there is no partiality . Women now have to fight for equal rights as through equality we can achieve women empowerment eventually.

For women empowerment ,we also need motivation, lots and lots of motivation.Women have been oppressed since long times,now if we have to empower women then have to motivate them in the right way,to make them feel proud, to give them strength to fight against society for equality.In history we can find many examples which can inspire women,like Susan B. Anthony who played a pivotal role in the 19th centurywomen's rights movement to introduce women's suffrage into the United States,or in recent times Kiran Bedi who has inspired many women's in India.Thus we need courageous women's who can lead and inspire other women to give them strength and motivate them and to empower women.

Written for DeltaWomen by Abhinav Rai.

The Pen is Mightier than the Sword: Part I: Interview with Jean Sasson

Author Jean Sasson has opened up to the world the lives of women in the Middle East, and more recently, even been the voice for Osama bin Laden’s son and wife, Omar bin Laden and Najwa Bin Laden, all through the fabulous repertoire of books she has written. Writing not just as a narrative that tells the tale of brave women, Jean speaks from the heart and offers a sight of the best enumeration of history and politics through the eyes of people who experienced it firsthand. In an exchange via email with DeltaWomen, Jean takes us through her journey so far.

Jean's repertoire of Novels

Writing is a talent. Unearthing stories of people who inspire people is an even bigger talent. Was this something that you always wanted to pursue?

Well, I never really considered the difficulty of interviewing subjects and bringing such inspiring stories to life -- Instead I thought of how I would one day write. But, life threw me a curve and after living in Saudi Arabia and discovering so many worthwhile stories, I was thrust into a situation where I had to learn how to get into the minds and hearts of subjects and tell their stories in a way that would bring the reader to identify with them and feel that they are in the middle of a very important story. It is a very delicate situation, I will admit.

How do you pick out your subjects and decide the focus for your stories? Is there a specific yardstick you have, to evaluate a prospective story?

Well, the stories more or less came to me. I am asked to write many stories, mainly of women, but not entirely. All the stories are heartfelt and meaningful and deserve to be told and known by the world. However, I must "feel" that I connect with the person. So, out of 30 or 40 book possibilities each year, I can only pick ONE story to tell. However, thus far, I have just "known in my heart" the story that I should write. With Princess Sultana, (The Princess Trilogy) we were first friends, and she had discussed for years the fact that the world needed to know the truth of life for women in Saudi Arabia. Then I met Mayada (Mayada) in Iraq when I travelled there in 1998. I had not thought of writing her story, although it was fascinating. But once she was imprisoned, and managed to be freed, and had learned another side of Iraq, and the stories of women whose families were less influential than her own, I then spoke with her about telling her story. Joanna's story came to me from her brother, after he read Mayada's story. I met Joanna (Love in a Torn Country) in London and after getting to know her, and learning all the details of her life, felt very drawn to her. The Bin Ladens (Growing up Bin Laden) contacted me via email and I really liked them and felt they were extremely nice people with a valuable story to tell, a story that no one the world really knew. Maryam's story (For the Love of a Son) was brought to me by her friend in Jeddah, who contacted me through a friend in London. So, as you see, most of the stories happened nearly by chance of my finding out about these amazing people!

What inspires you? 

I am inspired by people of character. All of the books I have written have been about strong women (and in Omar's case, a strong man) who led challenging and difficult lives, but who never ever compromised their values and morals. They never gave up but fought hard for truth and right. Such people inspire me, and I admire them.

Your latest book, For the Love of a Son is a beautiful portrayal of motherhood set in the backdrop of Afghanistan. Can you tell us something about your journey in the course of writing this book?

Honestly from the first days of the Taliban torturing and murdering innocent women, I always wanted to do a book about an Afghan woman. So when Maryam's friend Alison accidentally met a friend of mine while on holiday in Spain, she managed to get in touch with me and tell me about Maryam's story. I felt something electric about Maryam, a woman who would Never, EVER stop searching for her son. Yet, an important part of the story was how a very strong woman like Maryam was manipulated by family into marrying a brutal man she did not want to marry. This opens up the very important issue of how it is so important for family to support women - and, this does not happen as it should in the Muslim culture. Maryam acknowledges this, as do my other heroines. The women's feelings are not important to the culture. When they are beaten and abused, even their mothers look at them and say, "What did you do to upset your husband?" It's always the woman's fault, no matter what happens. This is wrong, and I believe Maryam's story goes a long way to show people that it is up to the Muslim families to make a change and to support and care for the women who are brutally abused. My journey while writing this book was one of determination that this story be out, and that the world learn how helpless women can be when their families desert them.

Sometimes, the writer's abilities shadow the true narrative of the subject. How do you keep your assessment of things outside the ambit of the narrative that you pen in such authentic prose?

I try to get to know the subject so well that I can honestly feel their lives, so when I am writing, I feel I am them, and I am feeling their joys and pains as clearly as if it were me living it. After I write about an event, I have my heroines (or hero) read what I have written from our personal conversations, and then tell me if I got it right. Amazingly, they have always told me, "It is as if you were me. You captured my feelings perfectly." I think that is the goal of any writer who is telling another's life story. Also, even if I had a different experience in a similar situation, I am able to push those thoughts from my head. I become Princess Sultana who is furious with her brother, or a frightened Mayada who is in a prison room, or a fleeing Joanna on a mule, or a hysterical Maryam who has lost her son. That's why I often weep as I am actually writing because I truly feel that this wrong happened To Me and I can feel it. I believe that this ability comes from the fact that I have empathy for others; therefore, I truly can feel their pain and their joys.

As a writer on women in the eye of a storm at different times, do you ever feel threatened? Have you ever believed that you've taken too much of a risk?

Well, I've had some threats and I've had some harassment, but I never felt threatened, nor felt afraid. Although I'm afraid of spiders and of heights, I've never been afraid of another human being, so no one has been able to intimidate me. I can never recall feeling fearful or nervous of another person. Although I am not a violent person, I have always felt myself capable of defending myself, and would, without hesitation. Therefore, I've never felt that I've taken a risk of any kind.  

As a writer on women's issues, what do you think could be construed as the "status of women" in the world, today? Are women truly liberated?

I believe that the "status of women" is different in every region. Even in the USA, there are places where women have it better than in other places. It's the same all over the world- even in the Middle East. It is different in every country. In my opinion, women are not truly liberated anywhere, although they are coming close in Northern Europe. In the USA, women are still beaten and abused by men, although our laws will punish the abuser. But often it is too late and the woman ends up dead. There's a case every week or so. In some countries, men are applauded when they are abusers of women. Until the entire world realizes that until all women are free to live in dignity, our earth is not a great place for anyone -- men suffer too when women are not free.  

Your work focusses on the Middle East and Afghanistan. What about the rest of the world?  

Yes, I focus on the Middle East and have written about Afghanistan. Yet, there are many stories in many other countries. Since I can only write one book every two or three years, it is difficult to cover the world, although I am anxious to write a book about a woman from Pakistan and a woman from India and a woman from Thailand. Possibly that will happen one day. 

Do you think the assessment by Thomson Reuters was right in that it surmised that Afghanistan is the worst place for a woman to live in? Funnily enough the survey didn't include any country in the Middle East within the top five worst countries, despite the fact that women can be subject to lapidation as a punishment. What are your views on that?

I would say that Thomson Reuters has it right, although it is difficult when deciding these "lists" because there are so many countries where life for women is brutal.  From my personal travel and experiences, I would have submitted the following list had I be asked for the top five... 

 1) Afghanistan: America's presence in Afghanistan has done nothing to help women. For this, I am ashamed as an American that we have not made this an important part of our policy there. We have failed the women of Afghanistan. The present government of Afghanistan has totally failed their women.

2) Yemen

3) Pakistan: Mainly limited to small villages -- in the cities it tends to be much better for women. The government of Pakistan seems to scorn women. That's a pity because Pakistani women can really help their country and should be given the chance. There are many Pakistani women in prison today only because they were raped -- they were a victim, but they are blamed for a crime of which they were the helpless victim.

4) Saudi Arabia: Although women are educated in Saudi Arabia, there is no one to help them if the man of the family is an abuser, or even decides to murder them. No one will step in to help them, NO ONE. This does not mean that there are not good Saudi men who are kind to the females in their family. Sadly, there are just as many men who are not so inclined.

5) India: Once again, mainly limited to small villages - there are still places where young brides are burned to death only because the family is ready for another dowry. It's a shame for a great country for India to have such things occurring.

I have never been to Africa other than Egypt and Libya, so I can't speak on the Congo and Somalia, although from what I have read, those two countries are doing nothing to protect their most valuable asset - their women.  

In your opinion, is a woman truly an agent of social change? If so, do you think that it is restricted only to the educated and empowered segments?

Yes, I believe that a woman can be an agent of social change.  There are women today living in Afghanistan and Yemen and African nations who are standing up to the men and to the powers in control and making small gains.  But the truth of the matter is that due to the importance of education and other resources necessary to be heard, generally females bringing social change are very often limited to the educated and empowered.

A little something from your desk for the women of the world...

NEVER EVER stand by in silence if you see anyone being mistreated. Jump in, take a chance, help a human.  As I say so often to those who criticize me for writing books about women’s issues, "When anyone is being harmed, whether physically or emotionally, it is not only my right to intervene, it is an obligation." I truly believe this, whether it is about women, children, or animals - any live creature being harmed will get my 100% support.  For me, my life is worth nothing if I can't help others. I am willing to put my life on the line, and when I have done this, others have backed down.

By Kirthi Jayakumar

USING THE GLASS CEILING ANALOGY TO UNDERSTAND BARRIERS FACING WOMEN IN POLITICS

While recently pondering about the limitations women face in attaining high level managerial positions in the workplace, I came across the popular phrase ‘Glass Ceiling Effects’-  Which can be defined as an  invisible upper limit in corporations and other organizations, above which it is difficult or impossible for women to rise in the ranks.

In trying to understand this term and skimming over several literature, and looking at the recent political challenges facing women in Egypt my thought patterns seem to be timely. I began to develop an opinion that there is a possibility that we can use the glass ceiling theory to understand and explain the challenges, barriers and difficulties women encounter towards being represented politically in parliament, ministerial, presidential or top government positions. An Inter- Parliamentary Union survey of 187 women politicians from 65 countries examined the difficulties faced by women in politics.

• One of the women’s primary concerns was to reconcile political life with family commitments. Almost all of the respondents admitted to having difficulties balancing family responsibilities with a useful and effective political life. The report noted that although day care for small children was widely available to women parliamentarians in Nordic countries, this was not always the case in other parts of the world.
• Eighty per cent of the respondent’s considered that the increasing representation of women in politics had renewed public trust in politics, and that the public recognized that women worked hard and wanted to achieve concrete results.
• As of October 2003, the global average for women representatives in national parliaments stood at 15.2 per cent, with 15.5 per cent in the single or lower house and 13.9 percent in the upper house or senate compared with 13 per cent, 13.4 per cent and 10.9 per cent respectively in 1999.
• Regionally, women held 17.7 per cent of seats in Europe, 15.5 per cent in Asia, 18.4 per cent in America, 14.9 per cent in Sub- Saharan Africa, 12.1 per cent in the Pacific, and 6.0 per cent in the Arab States.
• Scandinavian countered still led the world with the highest share of women holding lower house parliamentary seats. In Sweden, women hold 45 per cent, in Denmark 38 per cent, in Finland 37 per cent and in Norway 36 per cent.
• Increasingly, women are filling cabinet posts in what have been considered male domains. As of November 2003, there were 20 women ministers in foreign affairs, nine in defence and security, and 19 in finance.
• The quota system is an affirmative action tool intended to ensure that women constitute a critical minority of at least 30 to 40 per cent on decision – making bodies.

Having read some materials, I particularly found it interesting that in the United States of America Congress, women experienced barriers and felt that they were not well integrated. For a country that would normally boast to be a liberal democracy, I considered this weighty- and almost meaning that there is still a long way to go in this journey. Hence I began to appreciate that the current challenges facing women in Islamic countries such as Egypt, although in a worse condition- are not peculiar to them alone- this is a global anomaly. Although I am sympathetic to the protesting, injuries and the death of some innocent women in Egypt, I do not believe that these protests may necessarily solve the problem or avail any dramatic changes.  I do understand that their statistics in this regard is considerably lower than most regions.

Hence, putting my thoughts into perspective, the recent challenges encountered by women in Egypt should awaken us (gender focused groups, international organisations, authorities in government etc) to the fact that women all over the world continue to be under – represented, marginalized and relegated. I would suggest a more scholarly approach to understanding why women in Nordic Countries have experienced a higher measure of success in this area than other countries and why countries that have professed liberal doctrines have not achieve an equal representation- are these problems of religious or traditional origin or is it the women who are actually reluctant to support other women or even take up these positions? Maybe the glass ceiling theory would help to further understand the barriers women face in politics.

On another note, although statistics would show that in Nordic countries, women make up about half of the cabinet member, 25 percent in the UK and about a third of top European Union commissioners are women (Alvesson and Billing, 2009), these are all positive numbers, but the reality still remains that there is a low representation, so I would describe these numbers as a pacifier and a form of false hope to create a sense of progress.  Making up about half is not half, 25 per cent should not be celebrated, let alone one third. Is it ambitious to expect a 50/ 50?

In conclusion, some materials have always noted that societies hold with high regard and value more representation of women in top political positions. Despite the favourable disposition why then are achieving an equal equation between men and women a challenging, complex, non-straight forward mission and objective to achieve. We may want to also consider the use of the ‘Glass Ceiling ‘analogy to understand these challenges.  May be we can gain more insight that would provide more solutions and save more lives.

By: Ulari Maduekwe

References:

Palmer, Barbara and Simon, Dennis (2011) Breaking the Political Glass Ceiling – Women and Congressional Elections (2ND Editionnd

Alvesson, Mats and Billing Due Yvonne (2009) Understanding Gender and Organizations

http://www.forbes.com/2006/03/07/glass-ceiling-opportunities--cx_hc_0308glass.html

http://www.ilo.org/dyn/gender/docs/RES/292/f267981337  http://www.completecampaigns.com/article.asp?articleid=102

Don't Mess with Us!!!

When an image of a girl being beaten up and stripped by soldiers on a street did the rounds on the internet, it was no surprise that it went viral. Activists world over were flabbergasted at the sheer callousness of the soldiers for putting the girl through that, people were outraged at the display of flippancy in the soldiers’ treatment of the girl. The biggest display of antagonism came from thousands of women in Egypt, demanding the end of military rule in the country.

And what a movement it was!

On the evening of December 21, 2011, thousands of women walked the streets of Cairo, shouting out their anger at the flagrant disrespect of women and denouncing the brazen indecency in the soldiers’ behaviour exhibited in the beating, stripping and kicking of female demonstrators at Tahrir square. Drag me, Strip me, My Brother’s Blood will cover me, they shouted aloud. Demanding to see the top military officer in the country, Mohammed Hussein Tantawi, the women shouted out, Where is the Field Marshall? The girls of Egypt are here!

Not since 1919, has Egypt witnessed such a large scale demonstration by its women. About 82 years ago, a march against British colonialism was the only other instance of a massive display of women’s activism in Egypt. The burst of outrage is particularly commendable as being a rarity in the Arab world. Egypt has been strictly rooted in patriarchy, in its culture and social setting, to the extent that several attempts through this year in the hope of bringing in women’s protest events into fruition actually fizzled out before materializing, and the only one that did, actually wound up ending in physical harassment of the women protesters by a bigger group of men.

In Egypt, women were jostled out of politics almost entirely. Even when the winds of change blew over the country, swinging it into action in overthrowing its dictator, women who were at the helm of affairs during the initial rounds of the revolt were few and far between. Revolutionary coalitions that sprang up in the aftermath of the despot’s ouster did not have room for many women in prominent roles. The demonstrations against military rule that have come up in the wake of the military authority’s obduracy in the wake of a full-blown affinity for power have happened to descend into chaos as fights erupt between the youngsters and the police, as rocks fly full arcs between both factions.

The military rule in Egypt has been the denounced by most displeased observers. Human Rights groups denounced them for their ridiculous invasive virginity tests on women who were detained after a protest in March this year. However, despite the gross violation of their rights through these disgusting measures, only few women spoke out against the humiliation. This is evidently because of the hotbed of conservatism that Egypt is.

The demonstration by the Feminine Face of Egypt isn’t just a representation in an open challenge to the militia after their hero, an anonymous female protester was stripped and beaten, and another who attempted to rescue her was brutally beaten and now remains in a coma. It is a strong message that they send to the militia, that the protesters wanted more than anything, to dent the military council’s efforts to project the protesting masses as mere hooligans and arsonists. The women demanded a place, a voice, a reserved right in politics in Egypt. This demand hits the recent election victories of the conservative Islamist factions squarely in the face. The march brought out such a massive range of women out to the streets- housewives who came out into the demonstrating arena for the first time; mothers with newly born children, young university students. Most women had the traditional Muslim headscarf in place, some had veils covering their faces entirely. The assemblage was replete with chants demanding empowerment and “gallantry” from their male counterparts.

The conflagration of outrage burst out in response to the shameless indecency on part of the soldiers in Egypt. Video after video streamed a similar scene set in different parts with different officers- demonstrating and protesting women were grabbed, beaten and stripped. The most prominent and haunting picture (and video, of course) of the entire array was the one where a woman lay supine with a pair of soldiers grabbing her arms upwards, and one of them ripping off her veil, revealing a blue bra. The video goes on to show one of the soldiers kicking the woman in her chest. The incident was explained in gory detail at a press conference, when the girl’s friend called Hassan Shahen, narrated that he had told the soldiers that he was a journalist, and she was a girl, and he would take her away from there. But the soldiers wouldn’t listen, and one of them began beating him with a baton. For her part, the poor girl has remained obscure so far as her identity is concerned, and is known only as the blue bra girl.

On the one hand, there are people like you, me and Katherine who denounce this cheap behaviour. On the other hand, there have been a bunch of ridiculously parochial thinkers who have actually questioned the girl’s presence at Tahrir, going on to suggest that she should have been kept home in the first place, and some others who had the gall to remark that she would have wanted the “exposure” because she wore “fancy lingerie”, and still others who believed that she should have worn something under her veil.

As if.

On 19^th December, 2011, General Adel Emara, one of the members of the military council in rule, acknowledged the incident, but laid claim that the incident was blown out of proportion and studied without regard to broader circumstances that would explain what happened. Almost immediately, a stunning repartee stung back from a female journalist who demanded an apology, warning that a woman’s revolution wouldn’t be too far a prospect. The General brushed her remark aside like one would, a stray thread on their jacket.

This is a terribly surprising and callous mentality on part of the military council, and reflects a filthy set of double standards. When about a month ago, Aliaa Elmahdy and her friend Karim Amer posted naked pictures of themselves in an attempt to use their bodies as a sign of protest, all hell broke loose and the two girls were chastised verbally, by orthodox clerics denouncing them as violators of morality and inciters of indecency. Some wanted to punish the two girls based on their Constitution which is based on Islamic Law and Islamic Sanctions. And yet, it is the people from the very same brand of mentality that have beaten and stripped women.

In my research, I came across this website. It explained to me that the Quran says, "Women have the same rights in relation to their husbands as are expected in all decency from them, while men stand a step above them." Sura 2:228. This only specifies the degree of responsibility, not privilege, in man's role as provider, protector, maintainer, and leader of the family. Further down in the same article, the website explains, During the rein of Umar, women participated in law making. Umar made a proposal of a certain regulation concerning marriage. A woman in the mosque stood up and said, "Umar, you can't do that." Umar did not tell her, "Shut up, you are a woman, you have nothing to do with politics, etc." He asked, "Why?" She made her argument on the basis of Quran. In front of everybody, he stood up and said, "The woman is right and Umar is wrong," and he withdrew his proposal. That was the spirit in the early days of Islam. In the most authentic collection of hadith, Hadith Bukhari, a section is devoted to the participation of women, not only in public affairs, but in the battlefield, too, and not only as logistical support. Women carried arms, and when there was great danger to the Muslims, they volunteered to participate even in the battlefield.

Another website explains, According to it (The Quran), both man and woman have been created for the sake of each other. The Qur'an says: They (women) are raiment (comfort, embellishment and protection) for you, and you (men) are raiment for them. (Surah al-Baqarah: 2 : 187). 

What Islamic Law allows for this? What Islamic Law says women should be disrespected? What Islamic Law allows men to shamelessly beat, strip and kick women? Why are there double standards in the understanding of “morality”? When one hand drums a beat saying that women should abide by a certain “morality”, how can the other hand drum up a different drum and say that it is okay for a soldier to strip a woman? Until this warped understanding of Islam ideology changes, it is painfully true that women will always be under the thumb of male domination.