Blog 10: Healthy Profit for Kenyan Women Selling Aloe to UK Cosmetics Firm

Summary

Women in Kenya are moving up. About three hundred women in El Poloi have switched from goat-keeping to farming aloe. They are transforming their economic status and creating educational opportunities for their daughters. El Poloi has been in a drought for a while; they receive less than sixteen inches of rainfall annually. Usually, only a few shrubs and savannah grass can survive. Knowing that other things, such as vegetables, would not harvest well in this climate, the women decided to cultivate Aloe. Four groups were formed to fight poverty and gender inequality. Each group farms at least 3 acres of the plant. A women named Rosemary Putunoi said her group was given forty acres of land. This is when they saw an income opportunity. The men used the aloe to brew a traditional fermented wine made of pounded roots mixed with water, sugar and honey. The women discovered the plants reduce erosion and improve soil and decided to charge fees to herders who wanted to graze animals on their land. They used the money from their aloe sales to pay for their daughters’ education. It gets even better. The aloe plant is considered endangered and aloe propagation is only permitted under a license, which the local groups had gotten. After meeting requirements, they were introduced to Lush, a UK-based retailer of handmade cosmetics. The women won a contract to supply fresh aloe leaves to the company for use in its products. The women no longer have to rely on food aid from the government. They make further income by leading tourist groups on walks, selling beads and performing cultural dances.

Reaction

I am proud that there are women in Kenya finding ways to improve their economic status and fighting for their rights. Originally, the women would wait and starve while the men traveled miles through desert to retrieve food. Realizing that they could help too has seemed to benefit everyone. They are moving up in the economic status, the men do not have to work as hard and they can feed themselves and their children now. Men who only want their wives to stay at home and not have a say in anything should realize that including women can actually be beneficial. Obviously, women do not have the same physical build as men so they cannot help with everything but they can definitely do everything else a man can do. As you can see, the women brought their ideas, worked with the men and succeeded. They made enough money to pay for their daughters to be educated. This progression turned these women’s lives around. The women saw opportunity so they took their chance and succeeded greatly. It was only a matter of time.

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/04/21/world/europe/21reuters-kenya-environment-women.html?_r=0

Blog 9: Letter from Detained Chinese Families Calls for their Release

Summary

Following up from my previous blog, a translation of the letter from the families of the five incarcerated Chinese feminists was given to the state prosecutors encouraging them to release the women. The letter was very long and compassionate. It reads, “Only Zheng Churan’s family had been notified of her detention…We are astonished, puzzled and indignant at this…” Then they go on to talk about how the women are socially responsible citizens and how they were carrying on the tradition of the pioneers who founded their feminist party. They say that they believe the ideas and actions of the five relatives did not violate national policy or laws in anyway. Their activities were just to oppose sexual harassment, domestic violence and protect women and children with the core values of socialism and raising social awareness. According to the letter, the women were very involved people who participated and volunteered for public activities including AIDS prevention, discrimination against hepatitis sufferers and more. They all attended university and addressed the issues of women’s rights to authority. The family that they have a very good image in society and are loved by people.

Reaction

Based on the letter, the family sounds extremely intelligent and also supports and understands the role of a feminist. The women all seem to have a heart for those who are discriminated, not just women but everyone. Of course, it should not have been too difficult writing the letter and defending the five women because there does not seem to be any rational evidence of acts of violence or anything against the law. If these women are not released after the detention center and the government reads this letter, then the government may not be as supportive of equal rights of women as they said they were working to be. This incident is definitely a setback for China.

http://sinosphere.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/04/13/letter-from-families-of-the-detained-chinese-feminists-calling-for-their-release/

Blog 8: Taking Feminist Battle to China Streets, and Landing in Jail

Summary

Some young Chinese feminists shaved their heads to protest inequality in higher education. Two women put on white wedding gowns and splashed them with red paint publicizing domestic violence. Five of the core members of China’s new feminist movement are in jail because they were accused of provoking social instability. They put in on the eve of International Women’s Day just when they were going to plan a public awareness campaign about sexual harassment on public transportation. Security agents are now hunting for those who participated in the women’s protests. One of the women named Xiao Meili, 26, said that they were so afraid and confused and that they didn’t understand what they did wrong. More than 1,100 people added their names to a petition to release the five women. The American Ambassador to the United Nations made the statement that if China is committed to advancing the rights of women, they should address the issues not silence them. Many overseas have been campaigning through Facebook and Twitter about the freeing the women. The jailed feminists have drawn a large amount of international attention. The women are denied their medication, they did not notify their families about the detention and they are constantly being interrogated and pressured to confess that they broke a law.

Reaction

I was shocked to see this in the news. It is sad that women are discouraged to protest about a serious issue such as sexual assault, especially in a more modernized country. Even the way the women are treated while in jail is unreasonable. I am glad that this has gotten around the world and that people are supporting them. This could have become an even bigger issue than it is if others were not involved in the promotion of freeing the five women. It might still become a bigger issue if the government continues to hunt down the protesters and convince them that they did something wrong.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/06/world/asia/chinese-womens-rights-activists-fall-afoul-of-officials.html?_r=0

Blog 7: Egyptian woman reveals secret of pretending to be a man

Summary

A woman named Sisa Abu Daooh who lives in Egypt dressed as a man for 42 years. She was neither gay nor transgender; she simply just dressed as a man to fit into society. Several weeks ago she publicly revealed her secret. Surprisingly, the reactions were mostly positive. Egypt’s president personally gave her an award for being an extraordinary mother. Daooh was penniless after her husband died. This is when she decided to seek work as a man. In an interview, Daooh, who is now 64, said she began dressing as a man to escape restrictions on women’s employment and earn enough to support her daughter, Hoda. She made less than a dollar a day. Now, she prefers to dress as a man because of the way of life and being in a world dominated by men. She faced verbal and physical abuse from those who discovered her secret. The police had accelerated arrests of those accused of not conforming to the social norms. Inequality between men and women is everywhere but Egypt is among the worst in the world. Only 26 percent of women in Egypt participate in the labor force. Her daughter is very proud of her mother and says, “She’s not just my mother…she’s my father and everything in my life.”

Opinion

This woman took a huge risk, especially, being in a society where women are barely accepted. It is great that she was mostly praised for her actions instead of punished. Hopefully, other women in Egypt and even across the world will be influenced by this women’s actions. Although the woman did not speak out and kept it as a secret, she did what she could to survive in society. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/26/world/middleeast/egyptian-woman-reveals-42-year-secret-of-survival-pretending-to-be-a-man.html?_r=0 

Blog 6: Slum Kids Confront Sexism as India Grapples with Abuse of Women

Summary

An Indian woman named Yojana Salunke teaches a class to teenagers on gender inequality. She asks the girls in the class to raise their hand if they do housework before or after school. Every girl in the classroom raises their hand. Then she proceeds to ask how many boys in the classroom help their mother with chores and only a few boys raise their hands. The boys who did not raise their hands say that there is no need to because their mothers and sisters do all the work. Activists say that classes like these are needed in order to change attitudes on gender abuse. A boy named Shakir Shaikh says that they talk about how boys and girls are equal, yet, girls are treated differently. Girls are not allowed to go outside because it is not safe or watch as much TV as boys since they are supposed to be doing the housework. Indian women have always faced many threats. Since the incident of the gang rape of a woman on a Delhi bus, the government enforced stricter penalties on gender crimes. In India, crimes against women have increased 26.7 percent from 2012 to 2013. In over 12,000 school, teachers use activities such as role play, games and group assignments to create discussion on discrimination. Girls say the classes have boosted their confidence. A boy admits that his grandfather and great grandfather never would have looked at men and women being equal, but he says he has learnt this and will teach his children about equality.

Opinion

I have always believed that men think women are inferior to them because that is what they are taught. Helping younger generations become more aware of women’s rights will help future generations eliminate the idea of inequality. This two-year program is the solution to what society needs to enforce equity among our children. It even proves to be positively effective among both genders. Boys are less likely to be violent and girls are less likely to endure it as adults. 

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/03/22/world/asia/22reuters-india-gender-education.html?_r=0

Blog 5: Gender Equality. What's in it for men?

Summary

The main goal to gender equality is convincing men that they are just as likely to benefit from it as women. Ending discrimination against women would help with the acceptance of equality and rejecting gender stereotypes. An ongoing problem for women and men has been the gender segregation in the labor market. Iceland has Europe’s highest percentage of women in the workforce but is one of the most segregated. “It remains harder for a man to be accepted as a kindergarten teacher than a woman to be accepted as an engineer”, said the country’s minister for social affairs. Gender stereotypes keep men from being able to enjoy tasks without being judged. For example, cooking, cleaning or staying at home to take care of the kids and more. In a workshop, most men were ashamed and would not admit to liking these things. The men said that when they come home, they would rest and the women would cook and clean. Some men were encouraged to do chores and it even increased their sex lives.

Opinion

I am completely against gender stereotypes and what a woman or man is supposed to do based off their sexual identity. Protesting women’s rights will never get women to absolute equity. As long as men do not participate or encourage equal rights among both genders, women will not be able to do anything about it. As the article says, the only solution is convincing men that they will also benefit from equality, which is very true.

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/03/12/world/europe/12reuters-un-men-genderequality.html?_r=0

Blog 4: India Rape Film

Summary

In December 2012, a 23 year-old woman was beaten and gang-raped by four men on a public bus in New Delhi, India. She later died from the injuries from the rape and the men have all been sentenced to death. A woman named Leslee Udwin, from the UK, got permission from the jail to interview one of the prisoners, Mukesh Singh. The film interview was banned in India but was aired by BBC in the UK. BBC says that, in the interview, the rapist showed no remorse. He suggested that she may have survived is she didn’t fight back. He also says that women are more responsible than men for rape. His comments have created an uproar about gender inequality. There has been a lot of controversy about the airing of this film. Some took offense because they believe it gives Singh a platform to share his prejudice of women. Others agree that it promotes awareness and understanding of the horror of rape.

Opinion

I came across this article randomly and became interested after hearing about the gender inequality in India. I read a few different articles on this issue and one article actually quoted what Singh said in the interview. However, I did not want to include it in the summary because it was just so infuriating and disgusting to me. We have gone through so much to convince women that they should not be blamed or blame themselves for rape. Yet, this man seems to still live in the time where women and men were not equal, where women were supposed to stay at home, where they were shamed for going out to bars and wearing the wrong clothes. Even after receiving the death penalty, he shows no sympathy. Luckily, India says that they have changed. I agree with the film-maker that the video should be aired but whether or not a person wants to watch it, is on them. Personally, I would not want to watch it because I was enraged only by the few comments I read in an article. But, for those who are quick to say that feminism is overrated and unnecessary should definitely watch this video. 

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-31749868

Blog 3: Men Redefining the Glass Ceiling of Gender Inequality

Summary

There has been minimal improvements in equality for women in the workplace. The gender gap for economic participation now stands at 60% worldwide. Based on this, it is predicted that it will take 81 years to fill in this gap. A UN Women Goodwill Ambassador named Emma Watson presented an invitation to men saying “Gender is your issue too”. A man is interviewed and asked why it is crucial for men to support gender equality. He says that society, business and commerce is moving towards equality. The only way it will exist is if people take action and have a positive attitude towards it. Equality should be normal. He gives a good example of a bird. A bird has two wings for a reason…so it can fly. There were two genders created on this Earth for a reason…so they can balance society and the economy.

Opinion

Everyone is different so, of course, one gender shouldn't be put to one job and the other to another job. It sounds balanced but it’s really not. It’s discriminating. Society should let everyone do what they want to do. If a women is more trained and has been working longer than a man who just got hired, the woman should be put in charge. But, because of today’s society, the man would more likely be put in charge. Based on experience, I have noticed that many men are unaware of the fact that gender inequality exist among women. But, the only way to promote awareness is to get more people involved, especially men since they can probably help the most.  
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/yasamin-beitollahi/men-embracing-gender-equality_b_6252302.html

Blog 2

Summary

Today, girls are abducted with rape, acid attacks and kidnapping. These are young girls. In Nigeria, schoolgirls have been violated by Boko Haram Islamists. This is a militant Islamist group fighting to overthrow the government and create an Islamic state. A 17 year old Pakistani activist for female education, named Malala Yousafzai, was shot. In 2010, girls from Somali were taken out of school and forced to marry Shabaab fighters. In 2013, there were acid attacks and poisoning in Pakistan and Afghanistan. In Central America, there are similar gang related attacks on women. The list goes on and is even increasing in these countries. Many of the attacks are made because of religion or culture. All of these attacks are because of discrimination against women. The majority of them between 2009 and 2014 involved rape and abduction. The amount of attacks in some countries are increasing.

Opinion

 For some reason, it’s still wrong for a girl to strive for an education. So wrong that those against it feel the need to take action and abuse the girls who are trying. I may not know these people’s religion but I have not heard one reason that has convinced me that women should not receive education just as much as men. 

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/2015/02/09/world/africa/09reuters-un-rights-girls.html?_r=0

Blog 1: Women Run 30 percent of All Businesses, but Only 5 percent of the Biggest

Summary

In Europe, women own or manage over 30 percent of all businesses and only up to 5 percent of enterprises. They are taking new actions to promote women’s equality in management because without it, it would take 100-200 years. A report was done by the Bureau for Employer’s Activities. It was done on 108 countries. There were surveys given to over 1,200 companies in Africa, Asia-Pacific region, Eastern and Central Europe and the Latin-America Caribbean regions. Based on the report, women joining the labor face was a huge part of global growth, but it will still take a while to reach that equality in businesses. The report concluded that the larger the business, the less likely the owner is a woman. The report also states that the country who has the highest amount of women as managers is Jamaica, at 59.3 percent. The United Sates has about 42.7 percent and is ranked number 15. The highest-ranking country in Latin-America is Colombia with 53.1 percent and in Asia it is the Philippines which has 47.6 percent.

Opinion

The fact that we are in the 21^st century and only 30 percent of businesses in Europe are owned by women is a little disappointing for me. Obviously, men are still the dominant gender in the labor force but I expected the percentage for Europe to be higher. The article did not specify what actions are being taken to promote women’s parity, but it is great that Europe is trying while some areas still diminish the idea of women working or being successful. 

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/13/world/europe/women-run-30-percent-of-all-businesses-but-only-5-percent-of-the-biggest-study-shows.html?module=ArrowsNav&contentCollection=Europe&action=keypress&region=FixedLeft&pgtype=article&_r=0

Test blog