Life after 21 years after the United Nations Decade for Women
Anesu Makina writes that when the United Nations Decade for Women was launched in 1985, there was hope that accelerated economic growth, sustained by growing international trade, financial flow and technological developments, would allow the increased participation of women in the economic and social development of these countries. The various presentations at the conference showed, however, that the Decade for Women had only benefited a limited number of women. Makina says conference participants concluded that the world's declining economy was one of the main reasons that women's empowerment was not achieved, as economics in Africa are related to poverty and lack of access to resources and opportunities. She says that women, because of discrimination, are usually the last to benefit.
Makina mentions culture and tradition as a barrier to accessing constitutional and legal measures. She says many African women today do not have access to fair legal system, whether customary or civil. The very idea of constitutional rights in many parts of Africa is little known, and culture and religion are respected as governing forces. One of the other challenges women face, according to Makina, is being mainstreamed into the judiciary systems. Women in developing countries especially in rural Africa are still ruled by customary laws, and many do not have the knowledge or means to access constitutional measures that are available to them. Those who have access to human rights often lack the ability to negotiate for fair treatment in courts of law because of prejudice and sexism.
The writer highlights the controversial Jacob Zuma case as one that showed loopholes in the criminal justice system when dealing with rape victims. The case showed the power of secondary victimisation, especially during cross-examination, and low chances of securing a conviction. It also highlighted the state's inability to protect women from violence and intimidation by the accused and his family.
There is no doubt that the judgement reinforced women's fears and low confidence levels on the criminal justice system. The relevance of allowing the sexual history of a rape survivor to be discussed in court puts the blame on the woman, while sexual history of the alleged rapist is mostly ignored.
In some countries, women's rights can be denied constitutionally if it can be proven that it is acceptable to deny these rights under customary law. Makina describes an example that occurred in the late 90's in the Zimbabwean Supreme Court where the court ruled that Venia Magaya should not get her father's inheritance because she was a female. According to the court, a woman should not be considered an adult within the family, but as a ‘junior male'.
Makina also says that religion is a barrier to equality in social participation of women. The traditional, social role of women is that of wife and mother-roles that marginalize women in may aspects of social and economic life. The impact of unpaid labour or ‘labour of love' as it is called, affects the time women have to fully participate in public life. These common norms reinforce women's dependency and accountability to men and thereby limit women's choices and options. The sacredness that people attach to religion makes it difficult to debate, challenge and deconstruct. Makina gives an example of how the Roman Catholic Church's controversial stance on contraceptives has had a negative impact on many women's lives on two levels.
Firstly, it leaves them no ground to negotiate safer sex with partners. In many parts of developing countries where AIDS and poverty are rife, married women have been at higher risk of contracting HIV from their husbands because they follow the teachings of the church and not willing to compromise their beliefs.
Secondly, Makina says women exacerbate their poverty levels by bearing more children than they can financially afford. This happens because they have access only to either unreliable forms of child control or none at all. When discussing the barriers to social participation pertaining to women, the religious limitations women faces are rarely explored. Challenging religious discourse is seen as unacceptable to many. The Nairobi conference presentations did not prescribe solutions on challenging religious institutions, despite these institutions being utmost influential forces.
Makina describes culture and tradition as barriers to equality in political participation and decision-making by women. She adds that although there has been a sharp increase in women's visibility in the political sphere, in many instances, there has not been a marked change in women's lives. This is due to the fact that women in decision-making positions are still in the minority and their voices remain unheard. She says traditional and cultural beliefs make women believe that they should not hold powerful positions. In addition, skilled women will not stand for office because they do not believe that it is a women's place.
Makina's conclusion highlights core reasons why many African women's lives have not changed 21 years after the end of the Decade for Women. She concludes that social attitudes are still linked to cultural norms, which encourage male superiority and female inferiority. Culture, tradition and religion are used to justify and perpetuate discrimination against women, in many spheres of their lives. She also adds that since the South African government has accepted the challenge of achieving equality for all citizens, regardless of gender, it is important to challenge, change and enforce laws accordingly. Women should gather the strength and courage to continue contesting discrimination against them. Some achievements need to be acknowledged and celebrated. Considerable gains and strides have been made to include women's rights in national human rights frameworks and discourse in many African countries.
Imiceli - mngeni isafana - ubomi emva kwama21 eminyaka yenkqubo yezizwe ezimanyeneyo yamakhosikazi
Anesu Makina writes that Wwhen the United Nations Decade for Women was launched in 1985, there was hope that accelerated economic growth, sustained by growing international trade, financial flow and technological developments,, would allow the increased participation of women in the economic and social development of these countries. The various presentations at the conference showed, however, that the Decade for Women had only benefited a limited number of women. Makina says that conference attendeesparticipants concluded that the world's declining economy was one of the main reasons that most goals regarding women's empowerment wasere n not achieved, as economics in Africa are related to poverty and lack of access to resources and opportunities. She says that women, because of discrimination, are usually the last to benefit.
UAnesu Makina ubhala athi, xa izizwe ezimanyeneyo zaseka ishumi leminyaka ejongene nabaseTyhini ngonyaka ka1985, kwakukho ithemba lokuba ukukhula koqoqosho, okuxhomekeke kukukhula kokurhwebelana kwilizwe jikelele, kungenyusa izinga lokuthabatha inxaxheba kwabaseTyhini kuqoqosho nasekuphuculeni kwamazwe. Ababethabatha inxaxheba kulo nkomfa, bagqiba ekubeni ukwehla kwezinga loqoqosho sesona sizathu esasibangela ukuba ukuxhotyiswa kwabaseTyhini kungaphumeleli, kuba uqoqosho eAfrika ludnxulumene nentlupheko kwanokunqongphala kwamathuba.
UMakina ubalula inkcubeko namasiko njengemiqobo ekufikeleleni kumalungelo nakwezomthetho. Uthi abaseTyhini kule mihla abafikeleli kwiinkqubo zomthetho wenkcubeko nowesiLungu. Amalungelo ngokomgaqo siseko kumazwe aliqela eAfrika asasilela, abaseTyhini basalawulwa yimithetho yenkcubeko, ukanti abanalwazi lubanzi ngamalungelo abo kuba bengafikeleli kwiinkqubo ezinjalo. Abo bafikelelayo kumalungelo oluntu kuba nzima ukuba bafumane ukulingana kwiinkundla zemithetho.
Umbhali ubalula ityala elibenobuzaza likaJacob Zuma, njengelibonisa iingxaki kwinkqubo yezobulungisa, xa kufikelela kumaxhoba odlwengulo. Eli tyala libonise amandla okuxhaphazeka okwesibini, ingakumbi ngethuba lokubuzwa imibuzo enkundleni nelokubeka ityala. Libonise ukungakwazi kwelizwe ukukhusela abaseTyhini kwizenzo zodushe nokuphazanyiswa ngamalungu osapho.
Akukho mathandabuzo ekubeni isigwebo eso, sabuyisela ukoyika kwabaseTyhini nokungayithembi inkqubo yezobulungisa. Ukuvunyelwa kokushukuxwa kwembali yezesondo yommangali kubeka ityala kulo waseTyhini, lo gama eyommangalelwa imbali yezesondo ingazange ikhathelelwe.
Kwamanye amazwe amalungelo abaseTyhini anganyashwa nangumgaqo - siseko xa kufunyaniswe ukuba kulungile ukwenza njalo ngokwenkcubeko. UMakina wenza umzekelo ngetyala elangeniswa kwinkundla ephakamileyo yaseZimbabwe ekupheleni kweminyaka yoo90, apho uVenia Magaya walelwa ukufumana ilifa likayise kuba ebhinqile.
UMakina ukwathi inkolo ikwangumqobo kukulingana kwabaseTyhini ekuhlaleni. Ngokwenkcubeko namasiko indima yowaseTyhini kukuba yinkosikazi nonozala, nethi imvalele ukuthabatha inxaxheba kwezinye iinkalo zoqoqosho nasekuhlaleni ngokubanzi. Ezi nkolelo zenza kube nzima ukuzimela nokuzikhethela. UMakina wenza umzekelo ngendlela inkonzo yamaKatolika eme ngayo kukusetyenziswa kwezikhuseli kukhulelwa, nendlela ethe yachaphazela ngayo abaseTyhini.
Okokuqala ibashiya bengakwazi ukuthetha - thethana ngokwabelana ngesondo okukhuselekileyo namaqabane abo. Kwimimandla eliqela yamazwe asakhasayo apho uGawulayo nendlala behamba phambili, amakhosikazi akumngcipheko omkhulu wokosuleleka yintsholongwane kaGawulayo nebayifumana kubayeni bawo, kuba belandela iimfundiso zenkonzo.
worsenOkwesibini uMakina uthi, abaseTyhini benza intlupheko yabo ibheke phambili ngokuba nabantwana abangakwaziyo ukubondla. Le meko iqhubeka kuba bexhomekeke kwiindlela zabo ezingathembekanga zocwangciso - nzala kungenjalo bengacwangcisi kwaphela Inkomfa yaseNairobi ayizange inike zisombululo zokucela umngeni kumaqumrhu eenkolo nangona la maqumrhu enegalelo elikhulu.
In Xa ephetha uMakina ucacisa ezona zizathu ezibanga ukuba, uninzi lobomi babaseTyhini eAfrika lube alukaguquki emva kwama21 eminyaka kwabekelwa bucala uphuhliso lwabaseTyhini zizizwe ezimanyeneyo. Uthi inkcubeko neenkolelo ekuhlaleni zisakhuthaza ukuphatha kwamadoda nokujongelwa phantsi kwabaseTyhini. Wengeza ngelithi, kuba urhulumente woMzantsi Afrika eyibonile imiceli - mngeni yokulingana kwabemi bonke belizwe ngaphandle kobuni, kubalulekile ukuguqula nokunyanzelisa imithetho ngendlela. AbaseTyhini kufuneka bomelele ukuze baqhubele phambili nokulwa nocalu - calulo olujoliswe kubo. Ukhona umgama osele uhanjiwe ukubandakanya amalungelo abaseTyhini kwinkqubo zamalungelo oluntu kuninzi lwamazwe aseAfrika.
Azikaguquki izinselelo ezicindezela abesimame nangemva kwengqungquthela yenhlangano yamazwe omhlaba
Kweminye yemibhalo yakeh uAnesu Makina ukhuluma ngokuthi kwathi lapho kwethula Anesu Makina writes with regards on the 3rd World Conference on Women, which was held in Nairobi in 1985. It was significant because it marked the end of the United Nations Decade for Women and was themed Forward Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women. Makina quotes on one the attendees, Sheila Wangari, Kenyan hairdresser, living and working in Johannesburg who said that a women's conference held in Africa sparked much joy, pride and jubilation that a conference of such prestige and importance was to grace the African soil. She says that it was assumed that many women's issues were going to be brought into the attention of the United Nations.
okubizwa nge United Nations Decade for Women ngonyaka ka 1995 kwabanethemba lokuthi kuzoba nokusheshiswa ekukhulisweni komnotho, ezobuchwepheshe kanjalo neqhaza labesimame kuzona ezomnotho emazweni. Kwizethulo ezenziwa kulengqungquthela kwacaca ngokusobala ukuthi bambalwa abesimame abahlomula kulokhu emazweni abo. UMakina uthi izithunywa ezazikhona zavumelana ngazwi linye ekutheni ukungakhuli ngendlela komnotho kudalwa nawukungabikho kahle kwabesimame kulomkhakha.
Uthi ngenxa yokucwaswa abesimame abavami ukuhlomula kwezomnotho. UMakina ukhala ngamasiko kanye nemikhuba yezizwe ezehlukene njengeziny ezezinto ezineqhaza ekucindezelweni kwabesimame. Ubala nokuthi iningi labesimame emazweni ase Africa abakwazi ngisho ukufinyeela kwezomthetho. they areUthi abesimame emazweni asathuthuka abazi nokuthi kukhulunywa ngani uma kushiwo umthethosisekelo wezwe. Uthi abanalwazi nangamalungelo abo njengabantu ezweni.
Lombhali ukhuluma athinte nodaba lwephini likamongameli we ANC uJacob Zuma nathi umthetho wakuleli wakhombisa ukungasimame ngendlela owabhekana ngayo necala lokudlwengula elalibhekene noZuma. Uthi lelical alatshengisa ngokusobala ukuthi umthetho wakuleli awukakhuli ngokwenele ekutheni ukwazi ukuvikela ummangali kanye nomndeni wakhe kuloyo osuke ethweswe icala nabangane bakhe. Uthi indlela ekwabhekwana ngayo nalelicala yashiya ukwesaba kwabesimame uma bebhekene nezigameko ezifuze lezi. Ukhala ngokuvunyelwa kokuthi inkantolo ibheke umlando wezocansi womangali ecaleni elalibhekene noZuma.
UMakina ubala nokuthi nenkolo iyabavimbela abesimame ekutheni bathole ukuhlonipheka okubafanele emphakthini. Uthi kumane kwenziwe kube nzima ekutheni abesimame baphosele inselelo izingqubo zenkolo ezibacindezelayo. Wenza umzekelo ngebandla lama Roman Catholic Church odabeni lokuhlelwa kwemindeni. Uphinde abasole nabo abesimame ngokuthi bazandisela ukuhlupheka ngokuthi bazale izingane eziningi bengenamali yokuzondla. Esephetha ubala ukuthi In imiqondo yencindezelo esekhona kwabanye abantu bakuleli kanye namasiko athile kunomthelela ekungathuthukini ngendlela efanele kwabesimame emphakthini yakuleli.
Diphephetso tse tshwanang le tsa kgale - bophelo ka mora dilemo tse 21 tsa mengwahaya basadi ya kopanao ya matjhaba ( United Nations Decade for Women)
Ha ho ne bo thewa ‘United Nations Decade for Women' ka 1985, ho ne ho ena le letshepa la hore kgodiso ya moruo e tla potlakiswa, e thuse ho hodisa kgwebo le dinaha tsa matjhaba, tjalo ya tjhelete le kgolo ya tekginiki, mme tsena di tla eketsa karolo ya basadi kahong ya moruo le setjhaba sa naha tsa bona. Dipontsho tse ileng tsa etswa mmokeng ona di supile hore ‘Decade for Women' e thusitse basadi ba mmalwa fela. Makina o re ba nkileng karolo mmokeng ona ba phethile hore ho theoha ha maemo a moruo lefatsheng ke e nngwe ya mabaka a ka sehlohong a entseng ntlafatso ya basadi e se fihlelwe. Moruo wa Afrika o tsamaya le bofuma le leqeme, disebediswa le menyetla. O re basadi ka lebaka la kgenthollo hangata ba fumana menyatla ka morao ho batho ba bang.
Makina o bua ka meetlo le ditlwaelo hore ke tsona tse thibelang basadi ho fumana dithuso tsa molaotheo le molao. O re basadi ba bangata Afrika kajeno ha ba na menyetla ya ho fumana toka molaong, e ka ba setjhabeng kapo mmusong. Taba ya ditokelo tsa batho ho ya ka molaotheo tulong tse ngata tsa Afrika ha e tsejwe. Meetlo, setso le ditlwaetlo ha mmoho le kereke (tumelo) ke tsona tse hlopmhuwang ho feta ntho tsohle. Tse ding tsa diphephetso tseo basadi ba tobaneng le tsona ho ya ka Makina, ke ho kenngwa tulong tsa tsamiso ya molao (judiciary systems). Basadi ba naha tse sa hola haholo tulong tse ka ntle ho ditoropo Afrika, ba ntse ba le tlasa molao wa setjhaba (customary laws), mme ba bangata ha ba na tsebo kapo monyetla wa ho fumana tshireletso ya molaotheo. Ba nang le monyetla wa tshireletso ya ditokelo tsa batho ha ba na bokgoni ba ho ipuella, ho fumana toka makgotleng a dinyewe ka lebaka la kgenthollo le le ho kgenthollwa ka bong (sexism).
Mongodi o qolla nyewe ya Jacob Zuma e hlahisitseng bofokodi bo bongata molaong wa naha tabeng tsa mahlatsipa a peto. Nyewe ena e hlahitse hore motho a ka etswa lehlatsipa kgetlo la bobedi, haholo ka nako eo a hlongwang dipotso, le monyetla o tlase wa ho diya kotlo. Nyewe ena e tshwaile bofokodi ba mmuso tshireletsong ya basadi ho tlhekefetso le ditshosong ke baqosuwa kapo ba leloko.
Ha ho potang hore kahlolo e diilweng e ekeditse letswalo la basadi le ho hloka tshepo ya tsamiso ya moalo. Taba ya ho dumella hore bophelo ba kgale ba tsa motabo ba lehlatsipa la peto bo hlahiswe lekgotleng la dinyewe e bea molato mosading, ha bophelo ba mmeti ba kgale ba thobalano bona bo sa shejwe le ha nyane fela.
Dinaheng tse ding ditokelo tsa basadi di ka hatikellwa tlasa molaotheo ha fela ho ka bewa bopaki ba hore ho dumelehile ho etsa jwalo tlasa molao wa setjhaba (setso). Makina o hlalosa mohlala wa se etsahetseng lekgotleng le leholo la dinyewe Zimbabwe moo lekgotla le ileng la re Venia Magaya ha a na ho fumana lefa la ntatae hobane e le mosadi. Ho ya ka lekgotla mosadi ha a ya lokela ho bonwa e le motho e moholo lapeng labo, o nkuwa a le ‘mohlankana'.
Makina hape o re kereke ke e nngwe e thibelang basadi ho nka karolo e lekanang le ya banna setjhabeng. Karolo e tlwaelehileng le karolo ya basadi setjhabeng le mosebetsi wa bona o ba bea ka thoko tabeng tsa moruo le setjhaba. Sekgahla sa mosebetsi o sa lefellweng kapo ‘mosebetsi o etswang ka lerato' jwaloka ha o bitswa, o na le tshusumetso nakong eo basadi ba ka e qetang ba nka karolo e tletseng setjhabeng. Ditlwaelo tsa setjhaba di eketsa ho itshetleha le boikarabelo ba basadi bathong ba bang ka hoo ho fokotsa matla a bona a ho ikgethela ho inkela diqeto. Bohalaledi boo basadi ba bo beang tumelong (kerekeng) bo etsa ho be thata ho phehisana, ho phephetsa le ho fetola tumelo. Mikina o fana ka mohlala wa ka kereke ya Roma (Roman Catholic Church) e sa dumelleng dithibela pelehi mme ketso ena e na le ditholwana tse mpe maphelong a basadi.
Ha e fe mosadi monyetla wa ho lwanela thobalano e sireletsehileng le molekane wa hae. Tuolong tse ngata naheng tse sa hola moo phamokate (AIDS) le bofuma di leng hodimo, basadi ba nyetsweng bakotsing e hodimo ya ho tshwaetswa ke kwatsi ya bosolla hlapi (HIV) banneng ba bona hobane ba latela dithuto tsa kereke mme ha ba ya ikemisetsa ho lahla tumelo ya bona.
Makina o re basadi ba eketsa bofuma ba bona ka ho tswala bana ba bangata ba se nag tjhelete ya ho ba hodisa. Sena se hlaha hobane ba na le menyetla ya ho fumana dithibela pelehi tse se nang thuso kapo ba sa di fumane. Ha ho buisanwa ka dintho tse thibelang.
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