Femicide

Until recently I had no idea that a word called Femicide exists. A UK based campaign group recently coined this term to keep track of no of women killed by men. This is an extremely progressive idea and one that will go a long way in addressing male violence against women.  Nothing quite like the power of statistics to drive the point home.

So, let’s look at some stats.

1.         In Australia, 57 women were killed through male violence in 2014.
2.          In Britain, 126 women killed through male violence in 2012, 143 in 2013 and 150 in 2014.
3.          In the USA, 1/3^rd of female homicide victims were killed by intimate male partners.

In the US alone, 18,000 women were killed by men over a period of ten years (2003 – 2012). Femicide is the oldest genocide on earth.

The laws seem to have little impact on these perpetrators. The only way we can hope to reduce these numbers is by decreasing gender based violence. It is abuse and rape that lead to murder in most cases.  

So what motivates the perpetrator to abuse and kill? The popular theories include – jealousy, sexual passiveness, proof of masculinity, etc. But in most cases of homicide it is usually violence and abuse gone too far.

The only way to end this cycle, is for law enforcement authorities to sentence convicted perpetrators to life with no parole.

This comment from Violence Policy Center USA, Legislative Director, Kristen Rand sums it up for me,

“Since the passage of the Violence Against Women Act 20 years ago, the federal government and many states and communities have taken heroic steps to reduce domestic violence.Yet today, far more remains to be done to stop the epidemic of violence against women. The rate of women murdered by men in the United States is tragic and unacceptable.”

                    

Like A Girl

The Always #LikeAGirl campaign was certainly an eye opener for me. I myself have used the phrase Like A Girl as an insult several times, without actually realizing the underlying meaning that it has for my gender.

It was a moment of great self realization for me when I watched the original video by Always. I would have behaved exactly the same way the older girls did when asked to run like a girl. Its amazing how the younger generation needed to teach us what it means to be a girl.

Today, when I attend an interview I proudly admit that one of my best qualities is that I am bossy. The best part? I was amazed how the interviewers - male and female respected me so much more for saying it.

This leads to me to an interesting question - are some types of discrimination just in our heads? Why do we women talk ourselves down?

Its time for women to challenge the status quo. Its time we raised our hands and voiced our strengths instead of hiding behind the stereotypes of society. While rape and domestic violence are more social problems that require a collective multi pronged effort, issues such as gender stereo typing and segregation can be addressed individually.

We just need to be willing to change the rules. Case and Point -  Olympian Hilary Knight weighs 180 pounds and is the first Woman to practice with the NHL. Why should women athletes be size zero?

We have all been told not to do something Like A Girl at some stage in our lives. Its time for us to own the things we do Like A Girl. Thanks to the #LikeAGirl video I am not afraid to say I cry like a girl, I write like a girl, I am bossy like a girl.

Wage Inequality

Patricia Arquette raised a valid concern at her Oscars – Wage Inequality. This is a universal problem. Women do not get paid the same amount for the same job, as men do

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While the Sri Lankan laws protect wage inequality in the public sector, this still does not guarantee performance based promotions.  Studies conducted by ILO indicate that men have a higher chance of getting promoted to certain positions and are also more likely to reach the top of the corporate ladder.

Glass ceilings and brick walls are prohibiting women from diverse job roles and reaching the top.

Interestingly, in 2012 the unemployment rate of women was 6.6% and if the education level was higher – the unemployment rate was higher. 3.5% with an education level of Grade 10 and below, 8.8% - General Certificate of Education (GCE) Ordinary Level (O/L) and 10.8% - GCE Advanced Level (A/L). 

The private sector has no laws prohibiting wage inequality. Although women make up 45% of the workforce, gender segregation in occupation is quite prevalent and so is wage inequality.  Even though management studies have indicated that women in leadership positions, increase productivity organizations have still not made the jump.

I personally know of many prominent women in Sri Lanka, who have been paid almost 70% less than a man for the same job, even though they had more experience for the role. The reason for this is the male is still seen as the “primary provider”.  Companies also don’t want to make allowances for the woman’s responsibilities outside of the company.

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Dr. Dileni Gunewardena, lead author of Gender Wage Gaps in Sri Lanka: Glass Ceilings or Sticky Floors? says, “the evidence is that women are being paid less than they should be, given their characteristics, rather than that women are lacking in certain productive characteristics. This indicates the importance of policies that promote gender equity in the workplace and combat discrimination. Such policy options may include programmes that reduce gender stereotyping of roles, the introduction of day-care centres and crèches at the workplace, parental leave etc.”

Men SHOULD be up in arms

President Obama’s Grammy message was on sexual assault and domestic violence against women, and what we can do about it.

In Sri Lanka, statistics submitted to parliament 2013 state 2080 reported cases of rape, of which the report states - 1750 cases of child rape in 2012. A further 5475 cases of child molestation and 1194 cases of child abuse cases were reported.

It also estimated that every 90 minutes a woman is raped in this country. The perpetrators are a small percentage, so why aren't the majority of men up in arms about these stats?

Why is that only the Woman who protests against violence against their own women? Shouldn't the men be protesting more vociferously than the women? After all, every time a man abuses a woman it’s a knock on the self-control of all men.

It makes matters worse for men, when the speaker states that violence against women is their own fault. Are men really alright with being objectified as weak minded and mentally unsound?

I believe that for a majority of men, it will be a cold day in hell before they lay a hand on a woman. In spite of this, a majority of men remain silent when statements are made regarding a woman’s dress code – which is her freedom and right.

A friend of mine alerted me to an interesting conundrum – it seems that are ashamed of the subject of rape and abuse, that they don’t want to speak about it even to stop it.

So our generation of males would rather stick their head in the sand than rally and take action.  Aren't all women some one’s loved one?  Let’s collectively end this cycle of abuse. 

http://conversationsofchange.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/head_in_the_sand-461x307.jpg

Baby Boom or Bane

The recent budget reading grants an allowance of Rs 20,000 for expectant mothers. While the initiative itself is commendable, how do we streamline to ensure that the health of mother and new born really benefit?

Would it be used to pay off a default on the housing loan? Or the grocery tab that been pending for a few months? Or will it be a catalyst for procreation?

Sri Lanka is already the most densely populated independent island nation in the world. We have approximately 400,000 new born babies annually. This allowance if not executed properly may result in a baby boom that will become the bane of this country. 

Ideally the allowance should be provided not as cash, but in the form of rations – food supplements, medicine and other needs of the expectant mother and baby. 

According to a statement made, the allowance will be appropriated over a 9 month period - from the fifth month of pregnancy until the first four months of infancy. Hopefully this scheme will be a contributing factor in reducing iron deficiency amongst the lower income new mothers in the country.  With a bit of luck, the affluent woman, although eligible will not claim it and therefore ensure the long term success of this scheme.

This allowance was announced bearing in mind the needs of the Woman. The scheme will be even more successful if there is secondary stipend for the Woman to practice birth control and sterilization. This procedure for sterilization was a practice started 45 years ago to encourage the concept of small families. The average size of a household then was 6.8 which has now come down to 3.9. This should act as an encouragement for the few who are still with large families. Surprising the allowance paid in the 70’s was Rs. 500/- per sterilization (which seemed a big amount then) and remains the same today. Shouldn’t it be increased to at least Rs 10,000 now? The compounded expenditure of child and adolescent care costs much more due to the socialist policies of our country.

It is always the mother who is left holding the burden: even if it is one, two or three children. The family has to be fed, clothed and sheltered appropriately. Therefore, the Woman should be empowered with more education.

Proper education on family planning should be the next step of this scheme. The masses should be made aware that family planning is a choice and at current growth rates we cannot possible sustain. The environmental and social cost of overpopulation must be addressed and people should be made to understand the rewards of small families.

If we fail to do so from the outset, the very scheme that addresses the needs of the woman, may just end up making her a means to an end. We as a society, will be left to bear the burden of this baby boom! #WeCanChangeSL

The Balancing Act

Let’s take the challenges of an average Sri Lankan working woman's day.

Her day starts early, having to cook breakfast and lunch for the children and her husband. Then she gets ready for work and takes the public transport where she has been groped on many an occasion.  When she finally gets to office, there is a message waiting from her boss. Her request for leave to attend her daughter’s concert has been denied, the boss says. Companies thrive showing profit and Return on Investment to stakeholders and leave cannot be granted for such trivialities. Torn between needing to keep her job and being a good mother, she sets about her daily office activities.

During lunch, she meets a former colleague of hers, who was promoted while she was away on maternity leave. After lunch, she attends a departmental meeting where she speaks up with regards to employee rights. Once the meeting is over, other women question her motive for speaking up and tell her it’s better to remain silent – “we are women, what can we do”, they say.

She leaves right after lunch, to pick up the kids and drop them off in day care. Back at office, one of her male co-workers mentions that she looks sexy today. Uncomfortable with that remark she asks him not to make personal comments. He responds saying she is too emotional and behaving like a girl. This is an office environment he says, it’s only natural for co-workers to banter. For which she responds that, had he told her she looked good instead of sexy, she wouldn't have found it offensive.

As her day in office ends, she picks up the children and walks in to get her groceries. Now she faces challenge of balancing her household budget.

Credits : - https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnmA6XadtmFINfZ2kpp-W1bG01rusMHdADRVX1YUBi2xydI1nYnR1XbcyL37KzFkMf2net119Rx6dSsJom_JTSqp9T-2YzSqYvVhawn9HL-poUIie_U6owX3h_x3LRhXUEw4gbKJg8xGc/s1600/Balancing-Act.gif

In the next blog post, I would like to address the 100 day and the New Minority.

Women - The New Minority

When the word minority is mentioned, it is associated mainly with ethnic and religious identities. Even more disturbingly, the word minority is almost synonymous with terrorism.

I would like to focus on a “New Minority” – Gender and more specifically women. How can women, who make up roughly half the world’s population and 52% of the Sri Lankan population be considered as a minority? While most Sri Lankans cannot accept ideological differences, I believe the key to ending all social injustice lies in recognizing this new minority.

Women aged between 15 - 65 amount to 7.4 million of our population and should be in a dominant position as they are major contributors to the economy.

Source : http://www.indexmundi.com/sri_lanka/demographics_profile.html

In Sri Lanka, the top two forex earners can be attributed to women – housemaids and garments. Yet, our influence on policies, economic development and education remains nil. Women holding portfolios in parliament is 6.8% whereas the representation is over 35% in some countries. This minority is a key segment and a dominant contributor in every way to socio-economic development of this country. As such, policies should acknowledge the ramification of social injustice.

To quote the famous words of Martin Luther King Jr. “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”. Law enforcers should be held responsible for enacting the laws effectively and law makers need to be held accountable. 

A gender based injustice is far more fundamental than any other form of prejudice. Two genders is the very foundation upon which nature is built on. Gender is the ultimate reality of biology and we must respect this fact. When there is discrimination against nature, how can we except society to render fair treatment against one another? When a nation doesn't respect and love its women – how can it be expected to respect and love other differences?

This blog has been started with the sole purpose of educating society on one simple fact – Women are the new MINORITY.  In accordance with the President's manifesto, which states that maximum action will be taken to prevent abuse. Let us all work together to stop the perpetrators and hold them culpable for their actions. Because --“we cannot succeed when half of us are held back." ―Malala Yousafzai.

Let us unite in this National Call for Change and reconstruct the foundations of Sri Lankan society!