Another year and women’s lot has not changed

Mar 09, 2010 Editorial

Yesterday was an internationally acclaimed day for women all over the world. It was a United Nations designated day in the wake of the recognition that women are as integral to global development as the men in a male-dominated world. Even the laws were so designed that women remained subservient to the men folk.
For example, some of the archaic laws in Guyana stipulated that a man could deal his wife two slaps; there was another that stipulated that a legally wedded wife could not refuse her husband conjugal rights, even if they were separated. Indeed, if indeed they were legally separated as opposed to divorced, the most that could have happened to him was that he face a charge of common assault instead of rape. Men in this country could have boasted that a husband cannot rape his wife.
The Guyana Human Rights Association, in a statement, seemed to have been spot on when it concluded that International Women’s Day would see the normal platitudes. The GHRA stated that there would be the usual promises and attempts to review what has been achieved.
Indeed, many women have attained a lot. Some have become national leaders, the most recent being Michelle Bachelet who heads Chile. Others have become business managers, successful beyond their wildest dreams and none so more than television host, Oprah Winfrey.
But for all that women remain second place citizens, not trusted in certain societies with the task of determining the future of men. But they are still to be recognized for their worth. In Guyana they are the moulders of the nation; they are the teachers, the nurses; the mothers and in many offices, the only people. They are the security guards who must protect property while the men sleep. But most of all they are the victims of rampant abuse because many of them have been made to feel subservient. In this day and age certain ranks still inform women who seek to make reports that cases of domestic abuse are private matters.
The police, on the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions, have been told that they must intervene in any issue of domestic violence, that there is nothing private about it. In many instances the police do intervene and the courts seem to be stepping in line. They are sentencing the abuser to telling stretches.
Just last week, though, there was evidence that some abusers do not intend to change. One man, having been released from prison six months after he had assaulted his wife, confronted the woman and chopped her. He then announced that he intended to finish what he started. He is still to be arrested.
The fact is that women have been forced to accept their limitations and their status. After nearly three centuries, Hilary Clinton attempted to make a run for the Presidency of the United States. She failed and there is the view that the great United States is not ready for a woman leader. India, regarded as the world’s largest democracy, had one woman as its leader and not much else.
Indeed, women themselves contribute to the state of affairs. Their very socialization causes that to happen. They are brought up to believe that theirs is the duty to serve; that they must be mothers and rearers of children.
But back to the observation that there will continue to be promises. The government is building homes for abused women and children. This should have been a reality a decade ago. The promise will be made again.
There is to be greater legal representation for affected women; condign prosecution of male abusers, special protection for young women and girls who are victims of abuse and a programme to enable young pregnant mothers to return to school.
These are necessary but the reality is that many countries the world over refuse to pay women for their labour. Despite laws guaranteeing equal pay for equal work, women in this region still earn considerably less than men, with the pay gap ranging from 54 to 90 percent. Women “consistently end up with some of the worst, most poorly-paid jobs —often the ones that men don’t want to do, or that are assumed to be “naturally” suited to women,” a UNDP Report found. It is no different in Guyana where women are hard pressed to command top paying jobs. This is not likely to change and come next year this situation will not change.

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