PLIGHTS OF AN AFRICAN WOMAN
I can’t believe this is really happening! What on earth have we done? This thought has been on my mind ever since I heard about the demise of my best friend, Shadai who died yesterday at the hospital. On her way home back from work around 6 pm, she was raped by some group of heartless men who appeared to be drunk and in search of a good breed to satisfy their sexual urge. She was dumped in a nearby bush after the incident until some good samaritan saw her and rushed her to the hospital. Shadai was heavily bruised to the extent that she could barely breathe. All attempt was made to save her life, but she couldn’t survive it. What a world! She died as a result of the assault. The culprits are still on the run, yet to be found.
Do you know what appalls me the most? Some men in society view it as a woman’s fault that she is raped. How can you explain that a young lady was raped on her way home? What have we done to deserve this kind of treatment in society?
Source: Gettyimages
This is our story! I live in a continent where being born female is a disadvantage. We are neglected, abused, cursed and also marginalized in different sectors of the economy. It is either you are a first-class citizen, middle-class citizen or nobody. I have enjoyed every moment of my life as a woman in Africa not until I was 10 years when the suffering of the African women began to unfold into reality to me. In my imaginary world, I have always thought of a world where equity will take its pride of place in the society, where women will have a say in the development of our nation, but the practice of patriarchy and the worship of men as “lords” is still prevalent. Growing up, boys were taught how to be hardened with little or no respect for the women folks. In fact, our men have more preference for a male child over female counterparts in typical African society. Now, let me give you an idea of some of the challenges we are still facing in Africa.
In a typical African setting, a woman is never free, even if she escapes being sexually abused. Society always has a way of hurting her. A woman is only a success when she is married and has given birth to children as the husband desires. Her success in other spheres of life is short-lived irrespective of the efforts she has put forward to achieve a greater future. This is the reason why most women in Africa have chosen to embrace feminism as a way out.
Cultural practices that seem to belong to the medieval era still continue to hold sway in rural communities, subjugating the women and girl children from realizing their full potentials and living a very happy life. One example is the case of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM).
The practise of female genital mutilation in Africa.
Source: Gettyimages
This practice still exists in most rural communities in Africa and subjugates and subjects the girl child to have their clitoris removed at a very young age. In their view, this practice curtails and curbs promiscuity among the girl child. It is considered repugnant to natural justice, equity and a good conscience; it also infringes on the fundamental human rights of the girls subjected to this practice.
It is also common in the Cameroon region of West Africa to practice breast ironing. In this practice, some Cameroonian mothers flatten their daughters' breasts with hot spatulas in the hope that that will make them less attractive to men, and the consequences are quite tragic.
Victim of breast ironing in Cameroon.
Source: Gettyimages
Outside, these practices, other practices that deny the dignity of women and rights of the girl child are issues relating to Child marriage (more than 38% of young girls between the age of 15 -19 get married before age 15), Child abductions, media oppression, forceful marriage and the likes. Lack of education, poverty, strong religious and social traditions have contributed to this issue arising within the hub of the women folks. These cases abound and in most cases are not given the attention that it deserves. The stigmatization placed on the victims has also made it difficult for victims to come out and report some of these cases.
Advocacy on the need to save the girl child in Africa.
Source: Gettyimages
