China

Link

Population: 1,330,141,295
Capital: Beijing
Language: Standard Chinese or Mandarin
Religion: Daoist (Taoist), Buddhist, Christian 3%-4%,
Muslim 1%-2%--note: officially atheist
Life Expectancy: 74.51 years
GDP per Capita: $7,400


• 30% say they have experienced physical abuse by a male partner or intimate.
• Over 75% of married women are using “modern” contraception; China has one of the highest percentages of the world.
• Infant mortality rate is higher for girls then boys and there is widespread use of prenatal sex selection techniques and selective abortions of female fetuses.
• Has one of the highest death rates for women with breast cancer at 704 women deaths per week.
• China is one of the few counties to have over 55% of their national athletic Olympic team members as female.
• China is a source and destination country for sex trafficking.
• In 1996 China’s first women’s shelter was opened.



“When a son is born,
Let him sleep on the bed,
Clothe him with fine clothes,
And give him jade to play with.
How lordly his cry is!
May he grow up to wear crimson
And be the lord of the clan and the tribe.

When a daughter is born,
Let her sleep on the ground,
Wrap her in common wrappings,
And give her broken tiles for playthings.
May she have no faults, no merits of her own,
May she well attend to food and wine,
And bring no discredit to her parents.


Book of Songs (800 – 600 B.C.) The Arthur Waley Estate, Arthur Waley. First published in 1937. The Book of Songs is a collection of ancient Chinese songs, dating from 800 to 600 B.C. (731-732 Tienfenbrun)



--"A tradition of infanticide and abandonment, especially of females, existed in China before the foundation of the People's Republic in 1949," note Zeng et al.. ("Causes and Implications," p. 294.) According to Ansley J. Coale and Judith Banister, "A missionary (and naturalist) observer in [China in] the late nineteenth century interviewed 40 women over age 50 who reported having borne 183 sons and 175 daughters, of whom 126 sons but only 53 daughters survived to age 10; by their account, the women had destroyed 78 of their daughters." (Coale and Banister, "Five Decades of Missing Females in China," Demography, 31: 3 [August 1994], p. 472.)….want to read more go to this website.



--“Trafficking of women in China is a serious human rights violation. Domestic Trafficking is “the most significant problem in China,” and an estimated 10,000 to 20,000 victims are trafficked internally each year. From 1991 to 1996 police freed 88,000 kidnapped women and arrested 143,000 people for engaging in slave trade. From 2001 to 2003, China’s police freed more than 42,000 kidnapped women and children. How many more women in China today remain enslaved in brothels and forced marriages is difficult to determine because of the unsavory nature of the crime and the lack of transparency in China” (735 Tienfenbrun)




Wow reading these facts and statistics on the status of women in China and what they have been through...its crazy. Once again I am fortunate enough to have someone I know, this time not a sister but a friend travel to the unique country of China for some 3 months last year, so naturally I went straight to her, asking if there was anything she could tell me about women in China.  The first thing she said was… “It’s complicated.” And isn’t everything just always so complicated? Wouldn’t it be nice if for once things just were….not complicated? But then again if it was not complicated, this blog probably wouldn’t be nearly as interesting.


Anyway what my friend told me in the least complicated way possible is this. 
Women were seen as unequal to men before the revolution, women did not have a choice in whom to marry, they married whoever their families told them to marry, family honor was extremely important. Technically speaking with the revolution women became ‘equal’ to men. Some believe that this made women ‘lose there femininity.’ This 'equality' was mostly implemented in the big cities. Women in the rural areas continued to have unequal opportunities. Today, many rural women are forced to work in ‘sex shop’s’ as a source of income for their families. Their families, mostly the fathers, brothers or husbands will send the women to the cities with the idea they are going to be working in a hair salon or massage place, typically that is not the case. The worst part is that generally the families know exactly what they are getting their daughters or wives in to. Nonetheless the women are expected to send the money back home to the family. My friend actually had the opportunity to meet many women who worked extremely hard only to have the money they made be blown away by the men, they worked regardless.


Another aspect is that a lot of women feel pressure from their families to look good. A lot of ladies have eating disorders, there is a lot of competition to get a good man and they have ‘different’ ideas of what ladies should look like (like bleaching their skin so they can be whiter). I find that interesting because here in Canada women are doing the opposite, tanning their skin just to be darker, fully aware of the risk of skin cancer and other problems. It is interesting to look at the motives though. Many Chinese women feel largely pressured to do this to their skin because of their families expectations, here in Canada I think women are feeling pressure not so much from their family but from the media and from friends…its interesting to compare the two.


One last point, my friend, had a really neat opportunity to work with a cool organization called “Starfish Project.” It is basically a women’s shelter meant to help exploited women in China. Read this,


“In 2006 a small group of friends began to reach out to the ones who live in our city. We began going into the the streets to visit the girls in the shops. Week after week we continue spending time chatting with them, taking them out for coffee, throwing birthday parties, and even giving English lessons. We have seen their doubts diminish and friendship begin to grow in its place. Over time, some of the girls have come to trust us enough to leave their old life and come into our shelter. Our shelter is not meant to be a permanent residence. Our desire is to see the girls transformed through a loving community. The women in our shelter receive regular counseling where they begin to heal from their past hurts. We provide for them work as alternative means of support, medical checks and consultation, as well as vocational classes to prepare them for the future.”


I think one of the coolest parts about this is the work that this organization provides for these women…"Starfish Project jewelry is hand-crafted by women who have come out of exploitation and abuse. When you purchase Starfish jewelry, you are helping to provide income, education and support for the women in our shelter."

So as the activist part of this week I have decided to purchase some jewelry myself. I’ve ordered the earrings that you see on the right! What do you think? ….Would like to get some too...well you can! They have a huge variety of things you can buy, its really beautiful stuff either for yourself or someone you love! Check out the website yourself here. I’d love to know if you find something you like, let me know! Its a cool and safe way to directly support the women of China!!

 

Thanks for reading!

India

LINK-NY Times

Population: 1,173,108,018
Capital: New Delhi
Language: Standard Chinese or Mandarin
Religion: Hindu 80.5%
Life Expectancy: 66.46 years
GDP per Capita: $3,400

• 1990’s, in the Indian state of Rajasthan, 56% of girls were married before age 15, and of those 17% were marred before the age of 10.
• 60-80% of women have said they have experienced some from of abuse from their husband, and 42% have said they have been beaten physically.
• Honor Killings occur regularly about 10% of all murders in Punjab and Haryana in 2006 were honor killings. In Bihar state, an average of 200 women a year are killed for being witches. An estimated 98 women are murdered a week by their husband or husbands family, often over dowry disputes.
• The Punjab-Haryana-Himachal Pradesch belt in northwest India is sometimes dubbed “India’s Bermuda Triangle”—where girls vanish without a trace. In 1991 two states and territories in India had ratios below 88 girls per 100 boys; in 2001 there were five.
• Has one of the highest death rates of women with breast cancer in the world at 861 deaths per week.
• Under 30% of women work for pay

As I began my research on women of India I was reminded of an important truth. I think it’s really neat to be able to research women all over the world, but it’s so important to remember that I am just skimming the surface, the issues that women face in these countries are so much deeper and much more complex then I could even begin to get into on my blog. In choosing to look at many different countries it makes it next to impossible to go into the complex history and issues that women from those countries face, nevertheless I believe it is important to have at least some knowledge about the women from each of these countries even if it is just the bare minimum. That being said....


Last year my sister traveled and studied in India for three months, so naturally the first thing I did to start my research on India was email her! So thanks to her for lots of cool references and information! She reminded me that the factors that influence the role of women range immensely in every country. Specifically in India these factors can range from religion, to class, to media (i.e. bollywood). She also mentioned that what the government claims about the state of women might be completely different then what it actually is. Apparently some of the more rural areas still practice widow burning, whereas women in the upper wealthy classes in cities have a much more North American lifestyle. Nonetheless, bars/clubs still have a ‘couples only’ rule, basically enforcing that women can not go out on there own. It’s important to realize that lots of what’s enforced depends on what part of the country you are in and the family you are a part of.

Here’s an section from “India: In the New Millennium” by Shymala B. Cowik, Ambassador of India, it talks about her opinion of the state and equality of women;

“In 1992, in a decision that has been hailed worldwide as one of the most dramatic initiatives for the political and social empowerment of women, nearly a million Indian women, mostly from the rural areas, entered village and municipal councils across the country, occupying the 30% of the seats reserved for them from then on. These dramatic gains made by Indian women in one of the areas where their participation has lagged, politics, especially local politics, have, over the past nine years, helped ensure that they have a much greater voice than ever before, and often the decisive voice in how India is governed at the grassroots.

In fact, it is not often recognized that the women of India gained complete legal equality very soon after independence. That this happened in what was then a traditional and basically patriarchal society was due in no small measure to the influence of Mahatma Gandhi, and the stress he laid on the women of India playing a major role both in the independence movement and in the new, free India of his dreams. Mahatma Gandhi was in truth one of our first feminists. He was convinced that women had a natural aptitude for the doctrines of ahimsa (non-violence) and satyagraha (truth force) that he espoused, and therefore that they should be in the forefront of the Independence movement, shoulder to shoulder with the men. And so they did. It was by marching in the streets, getting beaten up by the police and going to jail during those years of struggle that the women of India gained their right to equality. When one remembers the degree of resentment and contempt that the suffragette movements in the West provoked in the establishments of those countries in the early years of this century, the contrast with India could not be more marked.

Today, backed up by NGOs, especially women’s NGOs, sympathetic lawyers and an increasingly sensitive establishment, the women of India, even the poorest of them, are moving forward to assert their equality and gain the rights it guarantees them. They have also benefited from the rapid expansion of educational institutions in India, and are today 50% if not more of the average college class, whether in the sciences or in the liberal arts, and well over 50% of the honour rolls. In the professions, they have reached out beyond the traditional areas like medicine, the law, the civil services etc. and are to be found in increasing numbers in every sector of the economy. They range from Air Force fighter pilots to computer technicians, from glamorous models and movie stars to machine tool operators. In recent years, Indian women achievers included business tycoons like the new President of Pepsico International, Indira Nooyi, 45, famous writers and activists like the Booker Prize winner Arundhati Roy, a series of six international beauty queens, Olympic medallist and weightlifter Karnam Malleswari, Cheryl Dutta, the first Indian Air Force helicopter pilot, who, incidentally, is the elder sister of the Miss Universe 2000, Lara Dutta, the first Indian Inspector General of Police, Kiran Bedi, the first police officer from any country to win the prestigious Magsaysay award, and astronaut Kalpana Chawla, the brave and determined aeronautical engineer from the North Indian State of Haryana who died so tragically in the Columbia disaster."


I think this clearly shows hope and achievement for women of India. It’s good to know that although there is still most likely quite a bit of discrimination, women are really started to stand up for themselves! But after reading this, its hard not to think about what my sister said in that, what the government says is going on could completely opposite from reality. Although, in this case the actual stories of what some Indian women, including the amassador herself, have achieved are the proof that change is happening!

A sign of hope, women of India, working together for change!
LINK

I just want to end with one idea, if you have nothing to do this weekend, or even if you do have lots to do...I strongly encourage you to watch the movie “Water” directed by Deepa Mehta. It is a powerful story of a group of widows living in poverty in an Indian temple. It is a moving and beautiful film…I highly recommend it!


Thats all for now,
Thanks for reading!

Conclusion for Week One

So I guess that concludes my first official week of blogging. How thrilling! I don't think I’ll be doing a conclusion every week but I figured for the first week it might be a good idea. And I know I promised that I wouldn't ramble on and on to often, so hopefully this isn't too bad!


Exploring what it was like to be a woman in the Middle East specifically, Afghanistan, Iran and Saudi Arabia has been such an eye opener. There are so many things that I just had no idea were going on. It is kind of cool how doing this type of research can affect a person. What I mean by that is that in my daily conversations with friends I actually started sharing the random facts that I was learning. I had the opportunity to discuss different opinions about the issues that women have faced in this area of world; such as why are they even facing these issues in the first place, are they more so political issues or issues of religion? And this is what I think it’s all about…talking about it, asking questions and raising awareness. I also was trying to find a way that I could do something for women of the Middle Eastern area. I came across something on the Amnesty International site and it’s so simple. I signed an online petition for basic human rights in Israel regarding the investigation violations by Palestinian armed groups after the 2008-09 conflict, no one in Gaza has been brought to justice for abuses during the conflict.


You are right it is not one of the three countries I researched but it is in the Middle East. And no it is not just or directly related to women although along with the men and children they were equally affected. I also think that this specific conflict is something that could easily happen all over the Middle East as war has been on and off in those countries throughout history. But the point is that by signing this we are actually doing something, we are showing that we are aware and that we care, it feels good to actually play a part in making a difference. I was the one thousandth six hundredth and fifty seventh person to sign the petition online, it will call on the UN Human Rights council to take action to ensure international justice for all Palestinian and Israeli victims of the 2008-9 conflict in Gaza and southern Israel. You guys can read about this conflict and sign the petition as well! Sign the petition HERE 



So there you have it, that’s my action for the week. But that’s not the end. This project is just beginning and I’m so excited to see where it will go!


Thanks for reading!

Iran

In Tehran, Iran, a female supporter of election candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi shows 
Persian writing on her hands that reads: 'Women should have same rights as men.' LINK

Population: 76,923,300
Capital: Tehran
Language: Persian- 58%

Religion: Muslim-98%

Life Expectancy: 69.77 years

GDP per Capita: $11,200 US

• There was a UN convention on the elimination of All Forms of discrimination against women status as of January 2008, Iran is one of the very few countries that has neither singed nor ratified the treaty. 
• Lesbians are criminalized in national law- more then 4000 women have been executed for homosexuality since 1979.

• State law restricts women’s movements and dress

• 39 women die each week from breast cancer

• Fewer then 50% of girls are enrolled in primary school

• Women gained the vote in 1963
• Under 5% of women in government

Check out this short video- “10 facts about women in Iran” ...crazy eh?    

During my research of women in Iran I happened to come across a very influential Iranian woman. Her name is Shirin Ebadi, the more I read about her the more I was amazed at everything she has done and is doing for her country. She is a former judge, a lawyer and she founded the Centre for the Defense of Human Rights in Iran. In fact, Ebadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for her efforts for democracy and human rights particularly fighting for the rights of refugees, children and women, she was the first Muslim woman and the first Iranian to ever receive the prize. How incredible is that! However it hasn’t been easy for her, during the Iranian revolution in 1979 she was demoted from a judge to a secretarial position because conservative clerics insisted that Islam does not allow women to be judges. It was not until 1993 that Ebadi was able to practice as a lawyer once again. She has written many books and articles, and is now a campaigner for strengthening the legal status of children and women. If you’re interested you can check out her short autobiography HERE.


“The condition of women in Islamic societies as a whole is also far from desirable. However, we should acknowledge that there are differences. In certain countries, the conditions are much better and in others much worse.”—Ebadi


“Whenever women protest and ask for their rights, they are silenced with the argument that the laws are justified under Islam. It is an unfounded argument. It is not Islam at fault, but rather the patriarchal culture that uses its own interpretations to justify whatever it wants.”—Ebadi


“Women are the victims of this patriarchal culture, but they are also its carriers. Let us keep in mind that every oppressive man was raised in the confines of his mother's home.” –Ebadi


Above are three quotes from Shirin Ebadi, they definitely make you think. In fact she makes you think, she is a woman that has done so much but yet she comes from a country were most women would most likely never even dream of achieving what she has achieved. I think she is an example of hope for those women and for women all around the world. She gives women hope that we can and should stand up for our rights!

Shirin Ebadi

Afghanistan

Population: 22, 720, 416
Capital: Kabul
Languages: Pushto; Dari

Religion: Islam
Life Expectancy: 43.9 years

GDP per Capita: $1,000 US

• 1 in every 3 Afghan women experience physical, psychological or sexual violence

• 70 to 80 percent of women face forced marriages in Afghanistan

• 75% of births are not attended by a doctor, nurse or midwife

• A total of 1, 900 deaths of mothers per 100, 000 live births

• Marital rape is not criminalized

• Has the highest rate of illiteracy for women in the world at 87%

• Women gained the vote in 1965

• Starting with the 2005 elections, legislative quota reserves 25% of seats in parliament for women. In the 2005 elections, over 300 female candidates ran for office. Women candidates won all of the 68 seats they had been allocated plus an additional 17.

Check out this neat write up by Abdullah Qazi: HERE


It is a brief summery of some of the things Afghan women have and have had to deal with. The laws of women have changed immensely over time. What I find the most interesting is that women were seen as equal to men over 1000 years ago, they had the right to do basically anything that a man could do. However during the Taliban reign, they were denied any rights and were forced to completely cover themselves, they had to have male permission to do anything. Now, slowly, women are gaining rights once again. You should defiantly read the article it explains it in much more detail. Plus, the site also has multiple links to other articles; video’s and books on afghan women, I encourage you to check it out.


As I was Google imaging pictures of Afghan women, many images appeared with women who had been seriously injured. One woman had set herself on fire because her husband was abusing her and she wanted to stand up to him, she had burns all over her body. Another women’s nose and ears were chopped off, by her husband, she was his second wife. Looking at those pictures made me feel sick to my stomach, not because they are visually disturbing but because I just can’t wrap my head around the fact that women are still being treated like that today. I hate to say it, but so often it feels like two completely different worlds we women live in….but it shouldn’t be. How can we find a connection between those women in Afghanistan who have suffered and are suffering so much to the women here who are so privileged in comparison? That is not at all to say that women here are not abused and often treated unfairly, but the difference is that here people actually do something about it, it is not seen as at all acceptable to have a husband treat you in such a horrible way. I think it’s just so important for us to not be so ignorant and to realize that things like this are happening. We definitely do not live in the perfect little world that we so often convince in our minds, and I believe that once people begin to realize this that is when we can truly start to make a difference.