Noble Status of Our Women.....

"The SADC (Southern Africa Development Community) Gender and Development conference (2005) was held in the backdrop of a region that is currently facing increasing poverty with over 70% of the region’s population living below US$2 per day and 40% below US $1 (SADC 2003), severe drought, extremely high HIV/AIDS prevalence (of the world population living with HIV, 60% come from the SADC region and of this number, 57% are women), serious food insecurity, high unemployment and cross border economic migrants." These, and other, limitations and challenges overbearing the world, not only SADC, precipitate as problems for women in their practical day-in day-out experiences. This is because of the gendered nature of allocation of roles and responsibilities in our societies both at primary level (in the family) and at secondary level (in the public space). When the state cannot provide for its citizens, women become the subsidizers of the state by providing for unrecognized and unrewarded skills and services. This has been witnessed through the increased burden of care and basic food provision being shifted from the state to women .
In a patriarchal world, where men breathe down women's progressive-seeking necks and trip their developmentally-directed steps, so many adverse consequences are hampering women's realisation of their full potential. The true reflection of a woman - as a partner towards an ever advancing civilisation - keeps being marred by gross male subordination.
Women continue facing increased challenges, marginalization and appalling gender crimes - despite vigorous gender awareness campaigns, women’s empowerment policies, legislation and programs adopted at national level since Beijing and other much earlier processes. In Africa, what is unique with regards to dissipating typical gender stereotypes is that women’s emancipatory efforts in this region were evidenced by their active participation together with the men in our liberation struggles. Note:
- Until January 2006, adult women of Swaziland were being denied the dignity of being legal entities.
- Up to today, adult women in Botswana who decide to marry cannot open a water utilities account without the substantiation of their husbands.
- Ordinary women’s everyday lives are rife with husbands and lovers who claim to love them yet beating, kicking and plundering their bodies, and while it is acknowledged as ‘domestic violence’ it remains difficult to ‘treat’ in our Justice Systems because of its ‘household’ nature.

Now of course this scenario is prevalent across the globe, not just in the SADC region, and depending on who raises their voice loudest and who can secure a hearing platform soonest, the trials and tribulations facing women and girls on the globe come to the fore. And once in a while are taken seriously. But not enough. In fact one - with sane and just faculties and the betterment of humanity at heart - would ponder: what more calamity does humanity need to accept the imperative need for promotion and sustenance of Equality Between Women and Men? Wars, macro -economic collapses, religious revolutions and now the ravaging HIV/AIDS pandemic...... what next to engage the world in a gender-transformed gear?

Bahá'ís appreciate that the values which women bring to human interaction are necessary to the proper functioning and advancement of modern society (http://www.bic-un.bahai.org/list.cfm) They further attest that qualities that have formerly been associated with the "feminine" elements of human nature - including compassion, nurturing, cooperation and empathy- will be increasingly important in creating a peaceful, just, and sustainable world civilization. Even science and philosophy is beginning to bear witness to this. The full and equal participation of women in all spheres of life is essential to social and economic development, the abolition of war, and the ultimate establishment of a united world. In the Bahá'í Scriptures the equality of the sexes is a cornerstone of God's plan for human development and prosperity:

The world of humanity is possessed of two wings: the male and the female. So long as these two wings are not equivalent in strength, the bird will not fly. Until womankind reaches the same degree as man, until she enjoys the same arena of activity, extraordinary attainment for humanity will not be realized; humanity cannot wing its way to heights of real attainment. When the two wings . . . become equivalent in strength, enjoying the same prerogatives, the flight of man will be exceedingly lofty and extraordinary. - 'Abdu'l-Bahá

Take your stand in promoting the noble status that women hold in this world, http://info.bahai.org/article-1-7-0-6.html