Sudan, the largest African nation, is reputed for violence and discrimination against women. Human rights violations against women have taken the driver’s seat here. Ethnic conflicts flowing from an ill-respected cultural diversity, insurgency, illiteracy, poverty, legislative discrimination and other basic issues have joined hands to exploit women economically, socially, politically and sexually.
Life Amidst Evils
Educational opportunities for women are limited. In fact, access to education remains only on paper. Enrolment percentages hover just around 25% in all states of Sudan except the capital. Drop out rates are badly high promoting illiteracy. The ever-raging civil strife has made ghostly contributions. It has led to a large widow population shouldering the family burden. Men remain at war, hardly finding time for a peaceful and responsible family life. Women participation in public offices is very low too. The ministries, judiciary, civil services, public enterprises and other state-owned entities do have women employees, but they represent an overwhelming minority.
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), an arrogant practice of female circumcision has been widely practiced, even before independence. Sudan is one of those African nations to have accepted this evil practice gracefully. Only in the last two decades have civil society groups and women activists raised strong voices against it. Governmental attitude too has lacked consistency, with false promises being made consistently. A conference in 2002 struck the wrong note when it attempted to confer legitimacy on FGM. It even urged civil society groups to model attitudes to promote FGM.
Sadly legislations like Public Orders Law (1991) and Nationality Act are also ‘grossly discriminating’ limiting women mobility, dress code, marriage rights, public appearance, behavior and inheritance among others. Male dominance and female subjugation has been the governing spirit of Sudanese legislations.
Atmosphere of Promise
The protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on Women in Africa is an important tool of protection for women. With the peace settlement (CPA) now under existence from the African Union and United Nations (after Darfur), a golden chance awaits Sudanese women to push a movement to ratify the protocol. With general elections due in 2008, a politically supportive atmosphere makes their fight for rights, little easier.
News Source: allAfrica
Comments
As a Muslim woman with a step daughter and two sons, I would NEVER allow anyone to do anything so vile to my children! I did at birth get my two sons circumcized but that was because there was less of a chance at infection and that my cousin whom was not ’cut’, at the age of 28 had to go through being circumcized for personal reasons. They would have to kill me before I let them touch my daughter and it is most definately a cultural thing. I never saw that my daughter had to have her genitals ripped off to make her a better muslim or woman in my Qua’ran!