CALDE, GHEOXEL KATE C.

B.A. Political Science 1-A

Women have fought and won many battles over the decades. Attitudes towards them have changed.
But still, systematic barriers are still ingrained and they must be torn down.

Starting from a young age, girls face many gender stereotyping that affects their dreams and
aspirations. It can be as simple as pink or blue, engineering or medicine. And did you know that women in
India are in a constant state of vigilance, like a country on terrorist alert, and that according to National
Crime Bureau statistics, 40% of the rape cases in India are minors? In the Middle East and North Africa
according to UN, women have a hard time finding work, and most are only bound to what their husbands
want them to do, and that there are 18 countries legally allowing husbands to prevent their wives from
working.

Though, legal frameworks covering sexual harassment, employment and other women’s rights do
exist, enforcement and access to justice is still slow and challenging. What I want to point out here is the
simple fact that women still undeniably face significant challenges over their lifetime, just because they are
women. And, I want to tell each and every one that we can do simple things to help in empowering women,
just by showing respect is a big help. And as for us ladies the biggest contribution we can make is through
education.

Society depends on women and we should stand up for our rights, as what Hillary Clinton said
“human rights are women’s rights and women’s rights are human rights once and for all”.

References:

Ann Elizabeth Mayer, (June 1984), LAW AND WOMEN IN THE MIDDLE EAST,
Retrived at: https://www.culturalsurvival.org/publications/cultural-survival-quarterly/law-and-women-middle-
east

African women battle for equality, Retrieved from https://www.un.org/africarenewal/magazine/july-

2005/african-women-battle-equality.

Narayan, D. (2018, July 2). India is the most dangerous country for women. It must face reality | Deepa Narayan.
Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jul/02/india-most-dangerous-country-
women-survey.

Minister for Women & Equalities Penny Mordaunt – Launch of the Women's Empowerment Roadmap, Retrieved
from https://www.gov.uk/government/minister-for-women-equalities-penny-mordaunt-launch-of-the-womens-
empowerment-roadmap.

https://interactive.unwomen.org/multimedia/infographic/changingworldofwork/en/index.html

Gender Equality in MENA. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/region__ext_content/ifc_external_corporate_site/middle east and north
africa/priorities/gender/gender equality in mena.

Saudi women can drive. But gender equality isn't yet 'mainstream.' Retrieved at:
https://www.pri.org/stories/2019-02-19/saudi-women-can-drive-gender-equality-isn-t-yet-mainstream