Women rights in Brazil and Egypt - Research Paper Example

? Women Rights in Brazil and Egypt Part Two The first region I would like to describe is the Arab Republic of Egypt. Ancient Egyptian culture that lasted for about three millennia, eventually paved way for Roman and Greek victories. This was followed by the period of Christianity and eventually Islam became the religion of the region. This brought a completely new religion and an all new language. To highlight a current issue of this country, I have gone through a number of media sources and newspapers. The Daily News Egypt is a newspaper that examines various national and global affairs from an Egyptian frame of reference. Al-Masry Al-Youm, on the other hand is an independent news agency that is operational in Egypt. These are the key resources that will be utilized to discuss, elaborate and examine the chosen current issue (Tignor 2011). Brazil, with its capital Brasilia is the second region under debate. The country has a population of 195.4 million. Social conditions can be bitter in big regions of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, where up to third of total population resides in slums. To point out a current issue of this country, I have gone through a book called Latin American women: historical perspectives By Asuncion Lavrin. I have also analyzed details available on BBC.co.uk, an online news source that provides political, cultural and economic insights (BBC 2010). As I researched the above mentioned sources, I found out that women’s right is an issue that is highly being focused. Throughout the globe, women’s right is an issue that demands serious attention. Few decades back, a global women’s rights agreement was approved by most of the nations but still, after witnessing a number of successful stories of empowering women, many complications still exist for them in almost all areas of life. These issues may have political, cultural and economic aspects. I will use this opportunity to highlight issues that are associated with women’s right, gender discrimination and violence against women. Part Three The article ‘The New Egypt: Leaving Women Behind’ by Basma Atassi (2011) published in Al Jazeera News reports that on International Women's Day, Egyptian women marched together with concerns of being overlooked in the future. Many women gathered at Tahrir Square on 8th March, 2011. Their ultimate aim was to remind the government that women make up half of the country and that they should have a say in the construction of a new Egypt. Throughout the uprising of Egypt, while women have played important roles in street protests, they remained silent regarding gender rights in their country. Due to this, they have not only faced aggressive discrimination but also received minimal legal aid against sexual abuse and widespread violence. The second article “Paving a Way for Women in Brazil” which has been written by Luisita Lopez Torregrosa (2011) and published in the New York Times highlights Dilma Rousseff’s speech at the U.N. General Assembly in the month of September. She, as the first ever female president of Brazil declared this century to be one for the women adding that her motive is to spread democracy and provide equal rights. Ms. Rousseff has taken steps to appoint women at prestigious posts such as chief of staff, institutional relations minister as well as planning minister. It has been observed that Brazilian women have made considerable advancement on closing gaps in fields of education and health but there are still gaps in wages, labor force, and the ratio of women’s unemployment and in their contribution to superior levels of hierarchies in businesses. If we compare the two, in order to emerge as prosperous nations, both these countries need to solve women’s right issues on a serious note. As compared to Brazil, women in Egypt are not given much chances as of yet, to contribute in the political sector. Even though they played a prominent role throughout Egypt uprising, they are not been given enough chances to grow and make steady progress while contributing in political and economical sectors. Moreover, their social rights are also neglected as male dominant culture continues to suppress them. In Brazil, as a result of never-ending women’s right movements, they have been given chances to prove their existence in almost all walks of life. However, violence against women continues at a major scale. Despite the fact that Dilma Rousseff has worked hard to provide equal opportunities, a lot needs to be done in order to eliminate violence against women. Part Four This happens to be a century that marks dramatic changes when it comes to women’s placement in society. In Egypt, moves to incorporate women in all fields of public life have not only been delayed but at times they have been accompanied by several controversies. It has also been observed that by the turn of the century, Egyptian women’s and feminist rights activists continue to struggle for a more fair status in society. Today, a single field cannot be pointed out where Egyptian women have not advanced and despite of this progressive fact, their social status as compared to men remains unequal. Many appeals urging women to retire from private spheres depict the blurring of boundaries between the ‘religious’ and the ‘secular’. The history of the Egyptian women’s movement is a lot more than just a journey into the past; it is a ‘struggle’ that continues in present. Today, the motives for women’s rights not only include all those demands that were not met in the 1920s, but certain demands are also added that were not on the agenda about 75 years ago. The list contains issues such as reproductive rights, female genital mutilation, women-headed households and violence against women (Guenena et al 1999). On the other hand, the combined report of Americas Watch and Women's Rights Project that was commenced by Human Rights Watch inspects issues regarding domestic violence in Brazil. This report widely focuses on domestic battery, rape and wife-murder and discusses cases that involve assault against women and inequality on the basis of sex throughout the entire world. Such crimes are not unique for Brazil. This study shows that such issues prevail in all classes, regions and cultures. Women not only in Brazil but around the globe are at high risk of becoming a victim of violence, usually at the hands of their husbands. For up to twenty years, the Brazilian women's movement has intensely campaigned for the approval of their basic domestic rights and against domestic violence. They further condemn the failure of the Brazilian authorities to sufficiently punish such abuse. As a result of their continuous efforts, domestic violence prevailed in the early 1980s as an intense public policy affair. In the year 1984 the acceptance by Brazil authorities to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women was a big success. Even though the exact ratio of abused women will never be known, obtained information indicates that domestic violence is nowadays a common problem in both, developed and developing countries (Human Rights Watch, 1991). However, over the years, Brazilian women have excelled in all walks of life but their economic and political position remains neglected. Dilma Rousseff, Brazil’s first ever female president is fighting hard for women's rights. Her battle cry is "Yes, women can." Ms. Rousseff believes that equal opportunities for both men and women are important for democracy. After analyzing and reviewing today’s situation and comparing it with the historical background of the two countries in the light of issues such as women rights, gender discrimination and male domination, it can be analyzed that women rights are still unrecognized in certain parts of the world. Women should have the right to defend themselves legally and have a considerable position in the parliament, legislation and politics. Women, when given a chance have always proved to excel in all walks of life. By allowing them to polish their skills and deliver, any nation can project a prosper future. If in Egypt, women were capable of playing an important role throughout Egyptian revolution, they should be given a considerate position in countries politics. Those who fall victims against sexual abuse and other widespread violence should be given legal aid and their rights should be protected. Similarly, in a country like Brazil, where up to 60 percent of college graduates are females; their rights should not be overlooked by the concerned authorities. Gender discrimination, sexual assaults and violence against women are such serious issues that need to be eliminated from not only Brazil but all global societies. After advancing in the fields of education and health, women should be given equal chances to excel in the field of business and politics. Letter to the Editor, The New York Times. Title: Highlighting women rights issue and suggesting methods to eliminate gender discrimination. Dear Editor, Gender discrimination and violence against women are global issues. We observe that women, in any given part of the world, when provided with equal opportunities as men, have progressed and contributed to their respective nation’s economy. They are capable of specializing in almost every field where man dominates today. I believe that if women rights are protected, they can freely contribute as important individuals of our society and thus become a part of the nation’s progress. I strongly suggest that equal opportunities shall be provided, disregarding genders. Moreover, our state and legislative council should work to provide legal aid to all those women who have become a victim of violence in the past. With equal opportunities, women’s contribution in the politics of our nations shall be welcomed and they should be allowed to assist in economical sectors according to their capabilities. Sincerely, References Attasi, Bassma. 2011, March 8. "The New Egypt: Leaving Women behind - Features - Al Jazeera English." AJE - Al Jazeera English. Web. 05 Dec. 2011. . BBC. 2011, October 13.. "BBC News - Brazil Country Profile." BBC News - Home. Web. 05 Dec. 2011. . Guenena, Nemat, and Nadia Wassef. Unfulfilled Promises: Women's Rights in Egypt. New York: Population Council, 1999. Print. Human Rights Watch (Organization), and Women's Rights Project (Human Rights Watch). Criminal Injustice: Violence against Women in Brazil. New York: Human Rights Watch, 1991.Web. 05 Dec. 2011. . Lavrin, Asuncion. Latin American Women: Historical Perspectives. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1978. Print. Shah, Anup. 2010, March 14."Women’s Rights — Global Issues." Global Issues : Social, Political, Economic and Environmental Issues That Affect Us All — Global Issues. Web. 05 Dec. 2011. . Tignor, Robert L. Egypt: A Short History. Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press, 2011. Print. Torregrosa, Luisita L. 2011, November 15. "Paving a Way for Women in Brazil." The New York Times. Web. 05 Dec. 2011. . Read More