Women's Rights June 2018

The topic of 'Women's Rights' spans many other topics.  It sounds very simple as a phrase, but the issue on securing these rights delves far deeper than most ordinary people might think.  Over the last century topics such as, the right to vote, the freedom to wear one's own clothing, the right to drive,  the right to run in marathons, the right to teach, and the right to be paid and also treated equally.

The concerns for female welfare and civil rights across the globe, such as in USA, UK, Africa and Asia has strengthened over the last century.  Movements like from the Civil Rights campaign (1950s) and Women's Suffragette movement (1920s), heightened social understanding and respect for women in the 20th Century. 

Women's rights today however in 21st Century is still a concern, and this applies everywhere. Recently in Saudi Arabia changes have been made to create more equality in government and society, and since 2015, 17 female ministers were voted in to the  democratic Consultative Council, and the ban on women driving is now ending. 

Throughout centuries laws have obstructed female social and political development.  They have also disenfranchised women and suppressed them to be subservient and only obedient.  In India and the rest of Asia, issues of poverty, caste and healthcare play a role in treatment and perceptions of women. The standard of living of women also shows how women in Asia, despite strong female values, require better treatment and social improvement.  Marriage laws allowing young girls to wed older men at a price in Asia, Middle East, Africa and the rest of the world has to also not only prevent but deter this occurring in society, however rare it may be, thus saving women of the future. 

It was only 15 years ago the Sexual Offences Act 2003 in UK had properly constructed a visible law which could palpably be used for guilty prosecution.  Better laws are now in place to protect and defend women from attack and harassment.   In the USA the Article 120 is available to people who have been victimised.  In South Africa there is the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, 2007; and in India there is the Section 375 Indian Penal Code. 

However despite the natural order of these laws explicitly condemning heinous and obscene behaviour towards women, in everyday social life, many Women's Rights campaigners would say, there is a lot still to be done socially, politically and legally.  Crimes are also committed by law enforcement and politicians, so there is corruption within the ranks of restitution for justice in our social structure.  Crimes are also committed by people in high office positions, and famous people, so this can also deter victims from ever coming forward, since the prominence of their status is too overwhelming.

Women's dress sense and behaviour are issues sometimes factored in by men when there are outcries of justice for crimes against women.  It by no means is an excuse, and it is no reason for committing crimes against women.  Women like men, are free to express and dress the way they like, and this is part of human nature and society, which must be respected and accepted, by all types of people belonging to different faiths and beliefs.  

Extremism can victimise women with name-calling, which puts victims in a 'sorry-state' whereby they feel a low sense of worth and are devalued as people, and this can be seen particularly in Islamic, Hindu and Christian extremism.  These extremist ideologies remove any real understanding of human compassion and true religion.  They simply are criminal ideologies working under the banner of religion to mistreat and dehumanise women.  Real religion and the context of religion, speaks for all people including women, and spreads the message of holiness and compassion for all, and respect for all people. 

When it comes to the role of men,  individual human respect is always important.  Treating women as lesser would be wrong.  All cultures have good sides and bad sides.  The good sides stress strongly on ensuring decency towards women, and the bad sides entail the reverse.  Whichever side is given most popularity and followed usually dictates what happens within that culture, and the society to which the culture belongs. 

There are tense times and low times when it comes to the issue of Women's Rights, and it spans many different areas of everyday life.  It cannot be controlled so easily, but it can with growing support certainly be improved. The more women are saved, protected and rightfully defended, the more society in all the places around the world will improve.  

In the UK alone, there is a 20% rise in crimes against women, and the reason behind this is unclear. It might just statistically mean more women are finding the confidence to admit and surface their cases.  The #MeToo phenomenon around the world, was an initiative to compel and encourage female victims to come forward and point out their perpetrators.  If the perpetrators are not pointed out, it goes unknown and those people can always commit more crimes if not fairly prosecuted. 

Additionally the right to fair trial is also strongly important to social improvement, as women (innocent and guilty) suffer tremendous discrimination in the legal system, and sometimes are even devoid of a fair trial.  A key recent example is a Sudanese campaign case, #JusticeForNoura.  Despite a guilty charge, she as a female victim has more mitigating factors which were not previously weighed in when she was sentenced.  Her appeal could bring more Hope if all the facts are presented accurately. 

International Women's Rights, and rights for women relating to large scale violence is another facet of Women's Rights which needs a whole designated understanding, since it entails more politics and an understanding for international jurisdiction and law. A good example is sexual violence towards Kurdistan Women in the Middle East who have been fighting for justice for over thirty years, and recently representative groups are putting their case to democracies and international forums like the UN.  It is an example of violence towards women who are persecuted, during war-time, and where justice has been overlooked for far too long. International justice for women therefore depends on well-educated and capable foreign assistance, unhinging the difficulties in prosecution and defence, and establishing a proper civil court system whereby groups and factions can be held accountable, and sentenced to prison for life, for their crimes. 

Furthermore, treatment of women and children in the recent USA immigration crises, where 2,500 children have been separated from their parents, despite a third of children being reunited with their parents now, it has shown there is still more work to be done.  Firstly, on the terminologies and perceptions of immigrants, women and children  especially. Terms like, "Illegal Alien" are outdated in modern-day Immigration Law, because it dehumanises people.  The question of if a person or family, woman or child has committed wrong, should never deface the proper formal approaches to Immigration Law, and respect for human life. Secondly on treatment in immigration detention centres and assisting with asylum and refugee status.  Thirdly, on governmental accountability for errors which have put real human life in danger.  Outdated national border control policies, which have shown as not working properly,  and have removed human rights from immigrants including women and children, urgently require correction and improvement to enhance Women's Rights and Human Rights in the USA. 

The issue of Women's Rights is simple but understanding its entirety is complex.  It is evident in all sorts and varieties of life, but what must be maintained is an everlasting determination to improve on the treatment and fairness towards women, in normal everyday society, the workplace, judicature, and public arenas.