Upholding Women Rights Critical for The Progress of Society

Nature has itself discriminated in between woman and man.

Humanity’s wisdom in the world’s society cannot be created unless the inequality existing between women and men is neutralized. Many influential Muslim, Christian and non-Muslim women were and are in top positions in many nations of the globe. But none of these women contemplate social problems faced by their lot. Women are raped, murdered, robbed but they never find justice. They are forced to opt for carnal professions in many places. And regardless of the degree of suffering handed down to women at the hands of men, men are never blamed. Women neglected by men are equal to the status of non-citizens.

The world is a stage where both man and woman play their role. Along with man, woman plays an important role in the progress of society. It is impossible to generate the world without woman. It is impossible to imagine for humanity in her absence, she is a mother, a wife, a beloved, a goddess and also a devil. Nobel peace prize winner Desmond Tutu said- ‘If we are going to see real development in the world, then our best investment is women.’ But to create the world as a cordial and blissfulness life style joining the hands among the men and women, there are many difficulties to move ahead.

Starting in the late 18th century, and throughout the 19th century, rights, as a concept and claim, gained increasing political, social and philosophical importance in Europe. Movements emerged which demanded freedom of religion, the abolition of slavery, rights for women, rights for those who did not own property and universal suffrage. In the late 18th century the question of women’s rights became central to political debates in both France and Britain. At the time some of the greatest thinkers of the Enlightenment, who defended democratic principles of equality and challenged notions that a privileged few should rule over the vast majority of the population, believed that these principles should be applied only to their own gender and their own race.

In 1791 the French playwright and political activist Olympe de Gouges published the Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen, modeled on the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen of 1789. “Men are born and remain free and equal in rights. Social distinctions may be based only on common utility.” The first article of Declaration of the Rights of Woman and the Female Citizen replied: “Woman is born free and remains equal to man in rights. Social distinctions may only be based on common utility”.

During the 19th century some women began to agitate for the right to vote and participate in government and law making. In the early 20th century birth control was advanced as alternative to the then fashionable terms family limitation and voluntary motherhood. Birth control has become a major theme in United States politics. Reproductive issues are cited as examples of women’s powerlessness to exercise their rights. Women’s access to legal abortion is restricted by law in most countries in the world. Where abortion is permitted by law, women may only have limited access to safe abortion services. Some countries still prohibit abortion in all cases, but in many countries and jurisdictions, abortion is permitted to save the pregnant woman’s life, or if the pregnancy resulted from rape or incest. According to Human Rights Watch, “Abortion is a highly emotional subject and one that excites deeply held opinions. Ms. Clinton was First Lady of the United States (1993-2001), she traveled to 79 countries around the world. Clinton was troubled by the plight of women she encountered, but found a warm response from the people of the countries she visited and a gained better relationship with the American press corps.

Let it be. The owing condition of women life and securities, still is in very dangerous position. The world found so many women leaders, but they could not notice the strengthening their suspiciousness in the society and in all over the world.

I am releasing a List of Famous Women: Benazir Bhutto was a Muslim woman; she became the Prime Minister of Pakistan, 1988, 1993. In Israel Jewish woman- Golda Meir, 1969 became the Prime Minister. Catholic woman Margaret Thatcher became the Prime Minister of Britain 1979. Victoria, Elizabeth 1st and 2nd became the queen of England. In Srilanka Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike became the first Prime Minister, 1960, 1970, 1994 and President- Kumaratunga Chandrika. 1994, In India, Indira Gandhi became an influential woman Prime Minister 1966, 1980 and Sonia Gandhi became the heroine of whole of Indian Congress’s regime. Now Pratibha Patel 2007 has become the president of India. In Bangladesh Zia-Khaleda 1991, 2001 and Sheikh Hasina became PM 1996 and now president, In Finland- President- H. Tarija and two times elected woman Prime Minister Kavinivi. In Kirgistan- Roja Aatunwaryamale became the first woman prime minister. Now- in Australia, Julia Gillard became the first woman prime minister who was just deputy prime minister under the previous Labour prime minister.

Similarly, the present and former women Prime ministers are president of Argentina-Isabel Peron,-1974, Elisabeth Domitien, prime minister of Central African Republic – 1975, Maria da Lourdes Pintasilgo, prime minister of Portugal – 1979, Lidia Gueiler Tejada, prime minister of Bolivia – 1979, Dame Eugenia Charles, prime minister of Dominica – 1980, Vigdis Finnbogadottir, president of Iceland – 1980, Gro Harlem Brundtland, prime minister of Norway – 1981, 1986, 1990,Milka Planinc, federal prime minister of Yugoslavia – 1982, Agatha Barbara, president of Malta – 1982,Maria Liberia-Peters, prime minister of Netherlands Antilles – 1984, 1988, Carmen Pereira, acting president of Guinea Bissau – 1984, Corazon Aquino, president of Philippines – 1986, Kazimiera Danuta Prunskiene, prime minister of Lithuania – 1990, Violeta Barrios de Chamorro, prime minister of Nicaragua – 1990, Mary Robinson, president of Ireland – 1990, Ertha Pascal Trouillot, interim president of Haiti – 1990, Sabine Bergmann-Pohl, president of German Democratic Republic – 1990, Edith Cresson, prime minister of France – 1991, Hanna Suchocka, prime minister of Poland – 1992, Kim Campbell, prime minister of Canada – 1993, Agathe Uwilingiyimana, prime minister of Rwanda – 1993, Susanne Camelia-Romer, prime minister of Netherlands Antilles – 1993, 1998, Tansu Ciller, prime minister of Turkey – 1993, Reneta Indzhova, interim prime minister of Bulgaria – 1994, Claudette Werleigh, prime minister of Haiti – 1995, Mary McAleese, president of Ireland – 1997, Pamela Gordon, premier of Bermuda – 1997.

In that context-Janet Jagan, prime minister of Guyana – 1997, Jenny Shipley, prime minister of New Zealand – 1997, Ruth Dreifuss, president of Switzerland – 1999, Jennifer M. Smith, prime minister of Bermuda – 1998, Nyam-Osoriyn Tuyaa, acting prime minister of Mongolia – 1999, Helen Clark, prime minister of New Zealand – 1999, Mireya Moscoso, president of Panama – 1999, Vaira Vike-Freiberga, president of Latvia – 1999, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, president of the Philippines – 2001, Mame Madior Boye, prime minister of Senegal – 2001, Megawati Sukarnoputri, president of Indonesia – 2001, Maria das Neves, Prime Minster of Sao Tome and Principe – 2002, Beatriz Merino, prime minister of Peru – 2003, Luisa Diogo, prime minister of Mozambique – 2004, Angela Merkel, chancellor of Germany – 2005, Yulia Tymoshenko, prime minister of Ukraine – 2005, Michelle Bachelet, president of Chile – 2006.

Then, Micheline Calmy-Rey, president of Switzerland – 2006, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, president of Liberia – 2006, Han Myung-sook, prime minister of South Korea – 2006, Portia Simpson Miller, prime minister of Jamaica – 2006, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, president of Argentina – 2007, Borjana Kristo, president of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzogovina – 2007, Zinaida Greceanii – prime minister of Moldova, 2008, Dalia Grybauskaite – president of Lithuania, 2009, Laura Chinchilla – president of Costa Rica, 2010, Kamla Persad Bissessar – prime minister of Trinidad and Tobago, 2010. And now- Hillary Clinton is the influential Foreign Secretary of United States and present PM of Australia-Mrs. Julia Gillard

But all the attempts and freedom fighting can not give the solution. Due to the natural differences between men and women, the situation is very abstract and nervous. The beginning of the destruction is the sexual artificial love. But, love is the most way of wishing well each other. According to the famous psychiatrist S. Freud- ‘Love is simply the want of attachment through which man obtains means of pleasure and preservation which are his fundamental needs.’ In the context of women right, the main hindrances are the humiliating the women lives. The world is changing as a monsters house where we can find only devils and criminals in the name of love. Human have been taking knives in their pockets for sexual criminality. Exactly-‘A honey tongue a heart of Gall.’

Due to the discrimination between men and women, it is becoming a never lasting problem. So, in the context of love, conversation and sexual activities, there arouses the psychological disturbance. A singer Taylor Swift says-‘ I have never been in true love. Part of me feels you can’t say you are truly in love if it didn’t last. If I end up getting married and having kids that’s when I know it’s real? Ms. Smit writes-‘ Faithfulness is seen as important in the contest of sexual relationship and male choice.’ Geographical differences have been observed between countries, and between areas inside countries.’ A case is happen in Nepal that a women migrant worker returned to Nepal. She was questioned and her hand-earned wages stolen, and then she was handed over to a police constable who took her to the Guest House and eventually raped her. Many of us are silent on this issue. National human Rights mechanics and rights-based org. Trust are doing the right thing by keeping a low profile on this case.’

To maintain our refreshes in life, we follow the blissful human life for the sake of our prosperous future. ‘A blissful human life is possible while remaining respectful of nature. Nature need not be ravaged in order to “advance” and “progress” – indeed our own evolution would be hastened without the violation of the web of interconnectivity that sustains us. There is no need for any centralized religious authority whatsoever to advance us to our ultimate potential. One may experiment and discover one’s own path using the discoveries and tools of past exemplars as guidelines. – Mutual respect among all faiths and traditions is a matter of principle in Hinduism, not a bow to “political correctness” or a grudging necessity imposed from without. It goes far beyond mere “tolerance” for others who follow different paths.’

In the context of women world, it is always the women members in the family who do all the part of the household chores. Even with increasing awareness on gender equality, we rarely find examples of wives going to office to work and husbands staying back home to cook. Women have little time for extra works or entertainment. Many women, both in the rural and urban areas, especially those belonging to the lower strata of society, often suffer from different kinds of sexual and gender-based violence. With the emergence of human rights and woman rights issues more women have started to speak up against gender-based to the complain and violence. Gender-based violence is a crime, and there is any tolerance against it. It is necessary that there should be campaigned against gender-based violence needs to be focused on educating and mobilizing women in the rural and remote areas and the government’s agencies and medias can play a more effective role for the sake of women’s rights and security.

To end the violence, enforcement of law for domestic violence against women is very essential in the patriarchal society. Different law for women suffering from domestic violence should be needed. So, such law has to be enforced as soon as possible. Almost, everywhere, sex hungry males are the prowl, undermining the very existence of fairer sex. It is pointed fact the sex is the main reason behind a husband’s torture to his wife with a burning log. Women are the great sources to build the harmonious society. So, women are the great source of inspiration and in the work place they are more active and to accomplish their goals on time. Sexual discrimination and harassment in the workplace are also rampant, and society dictates that the women keep quiet or get out from the job.

Actually, women are also responsible for the criminality. Women with wandering eye and men look female face, breast and body. The impressions of sexual faithfulness from faces have a Kernot of truth, at least of women, and that they may help people assess the quality of potential mates about whom they have monomial behavioral information. Violence against women is more common in underdevelopment countries than develop ones. Around the world, women are being abused, beaten, dragged, raped and killed. Women are waking up to beautiful mornings, performing their everyday task to getting abducted and laying down to the ugly darkness.

Almost in Muslim society and North India, women are in refugees’ position. Even a small issue can result in a break-up these days, most women are working and if they are not treated as equals, there’s bound to be resentment and later a rift. Adultery and extra-marital affairs are other reasons of discord among couples. According to a marriage counselor, lack of faith, trust, suspicion, impotency and understanding are also taking a toll on marriages. The very word divorcee itself is humiliating and agonizing. The loneliness caused after the break up can be killing. The basic problem in today’s world is that everybody talks of rights but no one talks about duties. How is shameful situation in human life?

The situation is worse for Muslim woman in the world as compared to others. Muslim women have been suffering since their births. A Muslim man can divorce his wife by oral announcements; the wife has no right to divorce at all. When a Muslim husband has pronounced divorce three times on his wife, she then may not lawfully remarry her husband until she has married another man, properly consummated the marriage and has been divorced by her new husband. When a Muslim husband has pronounced divorce three times on his wife, she then may not lawfully remarry her husband until she has married another man, properly consummated the marriage and has been divorced by her new husband. Islam teaches that a wife is subject to punishment by her husband; beating a wife or abstaining from sexual relations with her is legally allowed under Islamic Sharia.

The shape and tradition of Muslim society can be reformed by the Muslim regime. Muslim women are suffering under male dominance and their mantle is the black Burkha. They have become toys of men. Where are human rights activists? Have they fought for liberation of the Muslim women and other women of the world over from such practices of injustice and neglect? Where is the United Nations? Recently in Nepal’s Napaljung just April-2013, some Muslim women and Muslim leaders had expressed that the word Talak is misunderstood by the Muslim men and is being practiced for person interest, which is against Koran- the holy book of Muslims. The culture of Talak will continue to remain painful for the Muslims. So, it is necessary to eradicate such inhuman traditions.

Similarly, in Nepal, the Badi women (lowest caste) are also stateless. We can make efforts to arrange residences for Badi women and provide them prompt management of citizenship and guaranteed reservation. The plight of Badi women are like that of animals in Nepal. There is a compulsion for flesh trade. Women lawyers, teachers and other literate women holding positions in political parties and sister organizations have been shouting at the top of their voices. But they have never said a word about the problems faced by Muslim and Badi women. The laws of these nations hold no relevance to Badi and Muslim women. The nation does not have the ability to free Badi women from the compulsion of the flesh trade. This is the reason the Badi women had to resort to demonstrations in the nude outside the entrance of the Singha Durbar secretariat.

The marriage of girls is to a limit, like a letter a girl accepts for her life without knowing if her husband is of good character or a drunkard, where he will beat her, or whether he can produce children. If a girl’s husband is worthless, money-minded, errant or conservative, she would want to be free of such a hellish world. However, even Christian religions failed to remove the plight of women. This religion also made them subject to male supremacy. It is a big violation of human rights to attempt to keep the Muslim wives as the status of slave in such a modern world. Will everyone’s eyes open for the liberation of Muslim women as well as the world’s depressed women?

Yes! Human beings are called intellectual and it is true and human being is the king of nature. It is known that criminalities and looting may be the last victory of Human beings in this present world. So, to create the secured society, it is necessary that the international law should be format that the men who are involved in such activities should be life punished to maintain the morality of the peaceful and happy society.

Dirgha Raj Prasai is a former Member of Parliament in Nepal, a political analyst who writes from Kathmandu.