GENDER EQUALITY
Problem: Niger is ranked number 186 on the Gender Inequality Index. Women do not have many rights. They are treated as if they are below men, when they do a lot of work.
"Gender inequality is Niger is quite widespread, although varies in severity between different ethnic groups. Within the household setting women are discriminated against and are frequently tasked with the majority of household chores in addition to child rearing. Girls as young as 10 or 11 are frequently married off or sold into prostitution or slavery. Violence against women as well as female genital mutilation is common among a number of ethnic groups despite being banned by the Nigerien government. Women do not have the same legal status as men in the traditional and customary courts and few cases of violence or inequality are ever brought to the court by women. "
Women in Niger take care of the house and all that entails, along with taking care of the children. They do all this work and more and are not seen as equals, by their husbands or the law. Women are property. They can be sold in childhood, and forced to have sex. They marry at these young ages too. Female genital mutilation is not legal, but some women have it done anyway. One reason for female genital mutilation is so the men of the society can control the sexuality of the women. The women of Niger are controlled by men, and often physically hurt by them.
"The news that 70 percent of women in parts of Niger find it normal that their husbands, fathers and brothers regularly beat, rape and humiliate them came as no surprise to human rights experts in Niger. "
Over half of the women in Niger are used to being physically, publicly and sexually abused by men in their society. They find this "normal" and probably grow up thinking it is how thing are. This kind of abuse does not happen every once in a while (though this would be terrible enough), but it happens regularly. Women are shown no respect in Niger. Men can hurt them, sexually abuse, and tear at their emotions whenever they feel like it. It is part of life in Niger for women to be looked down upon, and as if they were property of men. Sadly, as mentioned before, this is "normal." People, including the women, do not see the problem in this kind of treatment.
"The frequency of the crimes and the impunity granted to the attackers partly explain the broad social acceptance of it, activists say. Rape is increasingly common in the capital Niamey. "
This kind of despicable treatment has been going on for so long, that people do not turn a head when it goes on. It is part of everyday life. Since people think nothing of it now after letting it go on for this long, it is now a cause for women be treated so.
Solution: I think an important solution to this problem is empowering women. It might be very hard to make the men change, but the women will probably be more willing and open to change things. Once informed that they do not deserve this treatment, nor is it in any way normal, they will not take it any more. We have seen the in the videos we have watched of other African women going to small villages in Africa and giving women to information to help them have better lives. I think it will help Nigerien women to hear from other Nigerien women who have escaped this kind of persecution. The women stuck in these situations will see that if someone else can create a better life for themselves, so can they. Women just need to be informed of their self worth and capabilities. They have never known anything else, but that men are worth more than women. All they need is knowledge they have never been exposed to, and that will take them a long way.
"In order to improve gender equality in Niger, women’s rights organisations should be promoted, as should an increase in educating the population of women’s rights. Women’s rights organisation providing women with legal assistance, counselling and support for improved economic and social activities can aid in the construction of a fair, independent and equal platform in which equality can grow."
Women's rights organizations can help not only with informing women, but also helping them with such things as "legal assistance" and "counseling and support." All women need is to be told that they deserve better. They just need the information about how they have great worth and are capable of a lot. Then once they are given this information, they need support and guidance to make a better life for themselves.
As mentioned before Nigerien women should help other Nigerien women through this change. "These women’s rights organisations and education programs should be run in coordination with Nigerien women, allowing them to take responsibility for the creation, structure and running of programs. Encouraging Nigerien women to run such programs will enable local knowledge (culture, practices e.tc) to be utilised and will also highlight the important contribution women can play in society." As Nigerien women take part in these programs, they will have great insight for how to teach other women like themselves. They will build their own self-worth as they put their heart into such an important purpose. Then the women they help will see the power of women just like them, knowing that they can embrace their own power as well.
Problem: As briefly mentioned earlier, women are not
seen equal under Nigerien law. As discussed, women are
abused and hurt and receive little or no help from the government. "The full extent of the abuse goes unrecorded because no national statistics on the incidence of violence against women have ever been drawn up by the police or the medical services. "
The police, or the law enforcers, have not kept a record of all the violence that many women have endured. Even those in the medical field do not perform such a required task. It is important to write these things down, so there is proof it happened, when it happened , and who was involved. Not writing it down, is like saying that it never happened and that it is not important. If the law is not even taking the time to write things down like this, then most likely they are not taking the time to help women in bigger ways. Besides this, women are treated unfairly in the eyes of the law in another way.
"And women are often made destitute overnight when their polygamous husbands throw them out on the street. Divorces are passed by judges without even hearing “one word” from the women involved. "
Women have no say in their divorce. Only the man is recognized, while the woman is made homeless. Husband can make their wives leave, without the wive's consent. He can kick her out onto the street to fend for herself in a country ruled and dominated by men. Her chances are probably not very good after this happens, because her country gives her few options. Women are supposed to get married and take care of their husbands. Once these women are kicked out involuntarily they have nothing. Most likely a cause of this problem is the patriarchal society of Niger. Niger has probably always been dominated and ruled by men. Another cause could be the same as the previous problem-the people of Niger are used to women being treated as less than men, so they do not understand the need to change.
Solution: One solution to helping these women is by changing their government."Activists say that if real change is going to happen, it must be driven by the highest levels of political decision-making, and be enforced on the religious and legal authorities."
Women in Niger cannot fix this problem entirely on their own, and help should most definitely come from the government. It is the job of government to help the people, and that includes women. The Nigerien government needs to make some changes that will support women in finding happiness and a better life. Technically, women are supposed to have representation in the government, which they do, but it is not the amount of representation required.
"Despite a law that institutes a quota for women’s representation in government, only 13 percent of the seats in the National Assembly are filled by women. "
Simply having the required amount of representation in the government could be a solution to inequality. Women deserve a place in the government, and the law itself states that they are to meet a certain "quota." The government should follow the rules that it creates, and make sure that women have all the representation given to them by the government, if not allowing them more as well. Women should be able to plead their case and fight for their rights, along with helping their country and having a say in how it is run.
Efforts have been made to make it so women are seen more equal alongside men in the government.
"When Niger in 1999 signed the United Nations anti-discrimination instrument, the Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, it made reservations on key articles governing a married woman’s right to choose her own place of residence and to divorce.
Negotiations over a family code which was to include several new rights for Niger’s women descended into what activist Traoré called a “farce” when on the final day of drafting parliament backtracked on promises for new far-reaching rights for women."
The Nigerien government needs to start keeping the promises it makes to women, whether it be over representation or over divorce. Though the effort to give women the option of divorce and their own home did not get the results wished for, it is till important to fight the government on these and other issues. It may be difficult and take a lot of time, but those involved in this cause need to keep fighting for women equality with in the government. The government cannot and will not get away with this kind of behavior as long as people are fighting against it. I believe efforts live the one mentioned above need to keep going on and that more people, especially women, should be encouraged to join this cause. The more people who join, the less and less the government can ignore them or women.
Problem: Niger is ranked number 186 on the Gender Inequality Index. Women do not have many rights. They are treated as if they are below men, when they do a lot of work.
"Gender inequality is Niger is quite widespread, although varies in severity between different ethnic groups. Within the household setting women are discriminated against and are frequently tasked with the majority of household chores in addition to child rearing. Girls as young as 10 or 11 are frequently married off or sold into prostitution or slavery. Violence against women as well as female genital mutilation is common among a number of ethnic groups despite being banned by the Nigerien government. Women do not have the same legal status as men in the traditional and customary courts and few cases of violence or inequality are ever brought to the court by women. "
Women in Niger take care of the house and all that entails, along with taking care of the children. They do all this work and more and are not seen as equals, by their husbands or the law. Women are property. They can be sold in childhood, and forced to have sex. They marry at these young ages too. Female genital mutilation is not legal, but some women have it done anyway. One reason for female genital mutilation is so the men of the society can control the sexuality of the women. The women of Niger are controlled by men, and often physically hurt by them.
"The news that 70 percent of women in parts of Niger find it normal that their husbands, fathers and brothers regularly beat, rape and humiliate them came as no surprise to human rights experts in Niger. "
Over half of the women in Niger are used to being physically, publicly and sexually abused by men in their society. They find this "normal" and probably grow up thinking it is how thing are. This kind of abuse does not happen every once in a while (though this would be terrible enough), but it happens regularly. Women are shown no respect in Niger. Men can hurt them, sexually abuse, and tear at their emotions whenever they feel like it. It is part of life in Niger for women to be looked down upon, and as if they were property of men. Sadly, as mentioned before, this is "normal." People, including the women, do not see the problem in this kind of treatment.
"The frequency of the crimes and the impunity granted to the attackers partly explain the broad social acceptance of it, activists say. Rape is increasingly common in the capital Niamey. "
This kind of despicable treatment has been going on for so long, that people do not turn a head when it goes on. It is part of everyday life. Since people think nothing of it now after letting it go on for this long, it is now a cause for women be treated so.
Solution: I think an important solution to this problem is empowering women. It might be very hard to make the men change, but the women will probably be more willing and open to change things. Once informed that they do not deserve this treatment, nor is it in any way normal, they will not take it any more. We have seen the in the videos we have watched of other African women going to small villages in Africa and giving women to information to help them have better lives. I think it will help Nigerien women to hear from other Nigerien women who have escaped this kind of persecution. The women stuck in these situations will see that if someone else can create a better life for themselves, so can they. Women just need to be informed of their self worth and capabilities. They have never known anything else, but that men are worth more than women. All they need is knowledge they have never been exposed to, and that will take them a long way.
"In order to improve gender equality in Niger, women’s rights organisations should be promoted, as should an increase in educating the population of women’s rights. Women’s rights organisation providing women with legal assistance, counselling and support for improved economic and social activities can aid in the construction of a fair, independent and equal platform in which equality can grow."
Women's rights organizations can help not only with informing women, but also helping them with such things as "legal assistance" and "counseling and support." All women need is to be told that they deserve better. They just need the information about how they have great worth and are capable of a lot. Then once they are given this information, they need support and guidance to make a better life for themselves.
As mentioned before Nigerien women should help other Nigerien women through this change. "These women’s rights organisations and education programs should be run in coordination with Nigerien women, allowing them to take responsibility for the creation, structure and running of programs. Encouraging Nigerien women to run such programs will enable local knowledge (culture, practices e.tc) to be utilised and will also highlight the important contribution women can play in society." As Nigerien women take part in these programs, they will have great insight for how to teach other women like themselves. They will build their own self-worth as they put their heart into such an important purpose. Then the women they help will see the power of women just like them, knowing that they can embrace their own power as well.
Problem: As briefly mentioned earlier, women are not
seen equal under Nigerien law. As discussed, women are
abused and hurt and receive little or no help from the government. "The full extent of the abuse goes unrecorded because no national statistics on the incidence of violence against women have ever been drawn up by the police or the medical services. "
The police, or the law enforcers, have not kept a record of all the violence that many women have endured. Even those in the medical field do not perform such a required task. It is important to write these things down, so there is proof it happened, when it happened , and who was involved. Not writing it down, is like saying that it never happened and that it is not important. If the law is not even taking the time to write things down like this, then most likely they are not taking the time to help women in bigger ways. Besides this, women are treated unfairly in the eyes of the law in another way.
"And women are often made destitute overnight when their polygamous husbands throw them out on the street. Divorces are passed by judges without even hearing “one word” from the women involved. "
Women have no say in their divorce. Only the man is recognized, while the woman is made homeless. Husband can make their wives leave, without the wive's consent. He can kick her out onto the street to fend for herself in a country ruled and dominated by men. Her chances are probably not very good after this happens, because her country gives her few options. Women are supposed to get married and take care of their husbands. Once these women are kicked out involuntarily they have nothing. Most likely a cause of this problem is the patriarchal society of Niger. Niger has probably always been dominated and ruled by men. Another cause could be the same as the previous problem-the people of Niger are used to women being treated as less than men, so they do not understand the need to change.
Solution: One solution to helping these women is by changing their government."Activists say that if real change is going to happen, it must be driven by the highest levels of political decision-making, and be enforced on the religious and legal authorities."
Women in Niger cannot fix this problem entirely on their own, and help should most definitely come from the government. It is the job of government to help the people, and that includes women. The Nigerien government needs to make some changes that will support women in finding happiness and a better life. Technically, women are supposed to have representation in the government, which they do, but it is not the amount of representation required.
"Despite a law that institutes a quota for women’s representation in government, only 13 percent of the seats in the National Assembly are filled by women. "
Simply having the required amount of representation in the government could be a solution to inequality. Women deserve a place in the government, and the law itself states that they are to meet a certain "quota." The government should follow the rules that it creates, and make sure that women have all the representation given to them by the government, if not allowing them more as well. Women should be able to plead their case and fight for their rights, along with helping their country and having a say in how it is run.
Efforts have been made to make it so women are seen more equal alongside men in the government.
"When Niger in 1999 signed the United Nations anti-discrimination instrument, the Convention for the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women, it made reservations on key articles governing a married woman’s right to choose her own place of residence and to divorce.
Negotiations over a family code which was to include several new rights for Niger’s women descended into what activist Traoré called a “farce” when on the final day of drafting parliament backtracked on promises for new far-reaching rights for women."
The Nigerien government needs to start keeping the promises it makes to women, whether it be over representation or over divorce. Though the effort to give women the option of divorce and their own home did not get the results wished for, it is till important to fight the government on these and other issues. It may be difficult and take a lot of time, but those involved in this cause need to keep fighting for women equality with in the government. The government cannot and will not get away with this kind of behavior as long as people are fighting against it. I believe efforts live the one mentioned above need to keep going on and that more people, especially women, should be encouraged to join this cause. The more people who join, the less and less the government can ignore them or women.