WHO IS AFRAID OF WOMEN?

 

Societies must be dynamic and constantly evolve. Traditions that dehumanize and infringe on the basic human rights of any individual should undergo urgent changes. The onus is upon us to effect these changes.- Ngozichi Omekara.

Many years ago, I wrote a piece that focused on female genital mutilation as practiced in many countries in Africa, The Middle East, and Asia. Fortunately, there have been laws to curb that practice, although it still happens in secret Who is Afraid of the Vagina? (theenchantedislandsofada.blogspot.com). As do other acts that not only infringe on the rights of women as individuals but as human beings. Acts like lack of access to education, and imposed early child -marriage.

In Trinidad and Tobago, an amendment to the Marriage Act only raised the marriage age to eighteen in 2017. In Nigeria, although the constitution states eighteen as the legal age, many states where Islamic Sharia laws are practiced still conduct child marriages. States in Northern Nigeria like Kano.

With the recent overturning of the decision of the famous Roe Vs Wade in the United States, it would seem like laws and cultures everywhere insist on infringing on the rights of women to decide what happens to their bodies. Whether you are pro-life or pro-choice. The concern should always be who decides what happens to women’s bodies and the answer should be nobody but women.

Since medieval times, men seem to be the ones making these decisions. In 2022, one would think we have come a long way for this to still happen. Unfortunately, in many cultures and parts of the world, patriarchy runs deeper than the pacific ocean.

If women’s rights to their bodies are taken away in a country like The United States, what hope is there for countries in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, where women are still struggling for access to basic rights like education, rights to speak for themselves, laws against early marriage, etche

Yesterday, I watched a DW documentary “Art and Freedom-Finding creative expression/HER-Women in Asia” where women from mostly Muslim Southeast Asian countries, struggling with many prohibitions, managed to find a voice and expression through art, music, and dance.

The word “Freedom” is often bandied around without many giving deep thought to its true meaning and impact on life. Freedom impacts our quality of life in a way many do not understand. Your freedom of speech and expression without doing others harm is the most basic human right. And is denied by many in almost all parts of the world except perhaps Western Europe.

It is primitive for anybody to want to control others, no matter the reason. For centuries all kinds of methods have been devised to do this, through religion, culture, and misogyny. It really should be a crime to impose on other people’s rights, so long as they do no harm.

A woman’s right to choose is one of them. No matter your religious leanings, or gender, no one should be able to decide for an adult what to do with their body or how they should live their lives, so long as it does not harm others.

In many countries, laws and rules like this especially against women have stunted the potential of women as human beings. And is so wrong and makes my blood boil. Equality between all genders is the only way the world can thrive and succeed.