Bekah Arnold
Ms. Tompkins
World Literature Honors 1
12 March 2015
Opportunity
A long line gathers outside the only school for miles around. In it are barefooted men wearing worn, faded clothing. Beads of sweat collect on their foreheads as the hot African sun beats down on them, anxiously waiting to have their opinions heard. Desks are set up in single rows inside the small room, and at each desk is a ballot and pencil. Of the many people standing in line to cast their vote, an extremely small percentage are women. This is largely because of the lack of information women have in Africa. A study conducted by the British Broadcasting Corporation World Service Trust and Search For Common Ground found that while 80% of surveyed men knew the date of the upcoming vote, only 43% of women did. The simple right to information has an immense influence on the abilities and potential of women. Women’s rights are often overlooked in Africa, because of poverty, low education rates, and poor health. This causes concern to be placed on mere survival, decreasing the interest women have in receiving the justice they deserve by having their rights enforced. The government is aware of this, and it has acted in an effort to aid in women’s rights issues. Governments in Africa have attempted to protect women’s rights by passing legislation to defend them and providing them with more information.
African governments have passed legislation in an attempt to protect women’s rights. However, many authoritative figures supposedly enforcing these laws partake in human rights violations against women, leaving no one to protect these women. Amnesty International reports that “Police officers and other law enforcement personnel… continued to commit human rights violations, including unlawful killings, torture or other ill-treatment, with impunity”. Not only are these law enforcement members committing the crimes they are supposed to be preventing, but this happens without any sort of punishment. However, this issue has been recognized by a few countries in Africa. Amnesty International lists some of these countries, stating that “Parliaments in Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe continued to discuss draft legislation on domestic violence and sexual offenses”. While this is a step forward in the right direction, legislation is only influential if it is enforced.
Countries in Africa have also made efforts to provide women with increased access to information. Carlyn Hanbuba, from Femnet News, explains how crucial this access to information concerning voting rights is. She argues that “Lack of free access to information impairs the democratic process and slows economic and social development as citizens are unable to participate effectively in the process of government, make informed choices. Only with the right information can the citizenry… actively exercise their human rights.” When women are withheld information, they are also stripped of the ability to participate in government and make informed choices. This lack of information can be life-threatening for women. Amnesty International explains how this deprivation of information can put women’s health at risk, explaining how “In South Africa and Swaziland in particular, the pervasiveness of gender-based violence continued to place women and girls at risk of HIV/AIDS directly or through obstructing their access to information, prevention and treatment.” It is imperative women are provided with unlimited information concerning safe sex and their rights. African countries are beginning to provide women with more information to protect and inform them. President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia stated in her annual address that 700,000 girls had enrolled in school in 2013, along with 800,000 boys. The President also promised financial aid to girls to help them stay in school and ensure them a brighter future (Africa News Service). These numbers are a significant improvement, and prove the government has been making an effort to provide women with increased access to information.
The air is thick with heat, and a long line protrudes from the village school. Both women and men wait in line, anxious and excited for their voices to be heard. Clean white sheets of paper are placed neatly on each desk, each accompanied by a perfectly sharpened wooden pencil. Women stand side by side with men, each person waiting for their turn.
Works Cited:
Hambuba, Carlyn. "Theme: Freedom of Information and Women's Rights in Africa/Theme: Liberte De L'Information Et Droits De La Femme En Afrique." Global Issues In Context. Gale, May 2008. Web. 12 Mar. 2015.
International, Amnesty. "Africa Suffers from Human Rights Abuses."Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Gale, 2008. Web. 12 Mar. 2015.
Kanneh, Massa F. "Girls On Loose Ends - Pregnancy Stalling Education."Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Gale, 29 Jan. 2015. Web. 12 Mar. 2015.
Kelly, Sanja. "Middle Eastern Women Still Face Slow Progress in Overcoming Oppression." Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Gale, 2010. Web. 12 Mar. 2015.
I thought it was great that you brought to light the fact that, yes women can vote, but they lack the information necessary in order to take advantage of this right. This is quite the opposite of women's suffrage in the United States, where as soon ans women were granted the right to vote, there was not much else standing in their way of actually casting their votes. Good Job.
ReplyDeleteI was interested in how you addressed an issue that plays out very differently in Africa than how it would in the US. I liked how you talked about of a right to information and education is just as important as the right to vote, because without it women cannot even vote. I really liked how you organized you main points because they showed me a lot more about the topic.
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