Literature review: Half the Sky by Nicholas D. Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn
The following is a topic by topic review of various challenges addressed by Nicholas and Sheryl in the book Half the Sky. The authors identify various forms of oppression and abuse those women in most developing countries experience. Pertinent issues addressed include sexual abuse, discrimination of women in essential things such as education, employment and happiness in life.
There is a dire need to end the sex slavery on women. This can be successful if the fundamental causative factors are explored and resolved. To begin with, sometimes, women are not literally forced into sex by the male species of gender. The prevailing circumstances such as poverty must be addressed, . Poverty is what makes most female vulnerable. Considering wealth on gender scale, it is evident that male gender is richer than female gender. Therefore, on the outset, as the female gender seeks employment from the male counterpart, she becomes vulnerable. On a global scale, females from developed countries are vulnerable to sex slavery in developed countries.
Prohibition and prostitution
Most young women engage in prostitution because of poverty situations. The rise in modernity and the state of the economy is driving everyone to eke living amidst harsh economic situations. Since most women have weaker background of education, experience and expertise, they are left with fewer choices “rescuing girls from brothels is the easy part, however, the challenge is keeping them from returning.” . In this case, the fingers point towards education empowerment and awareness are the solution to this problem.
Learning to speak up
The biggest challenge in evaluating the statistics on the level of women oppression has been the difficulty in getting information from the victims, . The whole fabric of the society is such that women are ashamed to reveal their predicament to the relevant authorities including women’s organizations. To allay the fears of shame and get the information needed in resolving the problems, the female gender must be free with each other to discuss the issues. Most female keep a lot of information so that it is difficult to know exactly what prevails. This happens for fear of losing respect or feeling ashamed.
Rule by rape
Contemporary society bestows on male species excessive authority to rule over women in a manner that they deem fit. Since women are believed to act subserviently, the male species have taken advantage to carry out oppressive activities such as rape on women. The male species uses this heinous act to frustrate and scare women into being submissive and to satisfy their selfish gains. Rule by rape has been a form of tradition for soldiers conducting their mission.
The shame of honor
In war prone areas, most women find themselves being used as objects of sexual abuse such as rape. Many war events have never been used to address pertinent issues except to conduct rape on women and abuse of children. Even the soldiers from the highly respected developed countries have been involved in rape scandals with women in the war zones. There is a silent war between male and female species such that any chance the male get he uses it to avenge himself. It is time this subtle animosity is investigated, and the truth unveiled to save women the burden of HIV and AIDS, as well as unplanned pregnancies and death.
Maternal mortality-one woman a minute
The high rate of maternal mortality is enough indication of how the society, even in its height of technological advancement, it not able to care for women. The most intriguing thing is the fact that the male is directly responsible for the women condition. They abandon women to sort their situation alone. Worst case scenarios takes place in developing countries where women, in their states of pregnancies, still carry put heavy activities at places far from the health center. Such women become compromised and by the time the nearest health center is reached the life in her was long gone.
Why do women die in childbirth?
Most women, especially those emanating from developing countries have continued to die due to lack of proper health care. A few countries have adopted improved healthcare systems such as evidence-based medicine, but these are yet to spread to developing nations. The health care staff and management have also contributed to the mortality statistics. The fact that health care centers are becoming commercially driven and loosing on quality could be a significant factor in maternal mortality. The author uses the size of jumbo jets to illustrate the rate of mortality at childbirth.
Family planning and the “God Gulf”
The level of demand for women contraceptives is high. It is estimated that the number of women in need is over 122 million globally. This demand is not satisfied, and the consequences are serious. Contraceptives are intended to help women conduct family planning. Carefully planned family is both economically manageable and well developed. Contraceptives also help to prevent unwanted pregnancies to give women a fair chance to enjoy life. The challenge that comes with contraception is the implementation. The women folk need to embrace it. Contraception should also be used not only in conventional preventive measure. It should also be used by women in anticipatory situations such as unexpected rape or abuse. Most women find themselves victims of unwanted pregnancies and STD/STI because they want to implement contraception when they are sure of involvement in sex. Contraception will also help the risk of maternal help since it can give women time to recover from previous birth exercise. This gives a woman’s body time to rejuvenate. In developing countries, the women and men folk equally need thorough training on contraceptives. Lack of this awareness across men and women have in developing countries, together with prevailing cultural practices have promoted increased pregnancies and economically challenged families.
Is Islam Misogynistic
In order to address these problems, some of the fundamental tenets on woman and man must be reviewed. Religion comes into sharp focus in this review. Religion provides that females are fundamentally subordinate to men. Whereas religion does not have obstacles to realizing the rights of women, it does lay the foundation upon which the rights of women are constrained. It does not have to carry out daily activity of oppression of women, but its foundation is based on the subordination of men by women.
Investing in Education
Regarding the right of women to education the mere education is not an adequate solution. Education has levels that determine the authority that an individual may garner. In the contemporary society, education in science and technology is highly ranked above other disciplines. The male gender is domineering in science and technology since its birth up to the current state. Women have appeared in this field as merely as subordinates. If the field of science and technology is to remain highly ranked in the society, then women must be given a chance to come aboard and gain that social status which will confer respect and honor on them, .
Microcredit-The financial revolution
It is evident that the only why women are going to win this war is by getting an education and establishing strong economically stable background. However, with the current state of economic affairs, it is not technically possible to give women free funds to achieve this stability. First, they require training on management and investment to be able to invest any funds. Secondly, they need to have strong education background to help them manage their economic developments. This is where the microcredit financial revolution comes in handy. The pooling of resources enables them to establish a starting point in economic stability.
The axis of equality
The reality is that society is skewed towards flourishing male dominance (together with its wanton social evil practices) as opposed to addressing female plight. The other reality is that biological differences between male and female gender provide some contributing factor towards the evils that this book address. Naturally, male gender is more robust and enduring in harsh conditions of life while female gender is relatively vulnerable, . Without the support from the male gender and the entire society, the female gender may not stand against these life challenges. This point out two things: Either the male gender takes advantage over female gender or the male extends helping hand to the female gender. The first one has been the trend, and the second one is what the society is obliged to pursue in this times.
The relationship that exists between the male and female species of gender is such that each derives maximum benefit. Because of the pursuit of maximum benefit, each species has tried to make use of its natural advantage over the other. Largely, the male specie has overused its natural advantage to subdue the female specie. The results of this destructive form of relationship are elaborated in each of the fourteen paragraphs of the book Half the Sky.
Grassroots versus Treetops
As the authors propose, the women in developing countries are more challenged than women in developed countries. The difference is attributed to the level of awareness that exists between developed countries and developing countries. However, the process of development of state does not entirely solve the problem of women oppression. Most of the developed states have been leading in importing women from developing countries for sex slavery, . It is obvious that increase of the level of awareness among women may help mitigate their plight. The women in developed countries are more educated and aware of their rights. This may explain why women from developing countries are being trafficked for sex slavery, .
Works Cited
Nicholas, D., Kristof and WuDunn Sheryl. Half the Sky. Little,Brown Book Group, 2010.
