KVT – International Women’s Day…A Farce or a Future
KVT in ponderous mood
In 1977 the United Nations announced that March 8 every year would be known as International Women’s Day. As the years have progressed the day has been commercialized and rather than a day when women, and hopefully men, consider the equality, the human rights and the dignity of women- and may also consider steps they could take to eradicate inequalities- it has too often become a day when women are given gifts and treats in a paternalistic manner.
Just a few of the many inequalities that I know are abounding around me are the way in which female divorcees and single mothers are ostracized; poor rural women co-erced to work in prostitution areas; that to give birth to a boy is luckier than to have a girl baby; women who are paid less than males for equal work; domestic violence; abuse of female children; females working in dire conditions in sweat shops…………
On International Women’s Day I refuse to bow to commercialism and paternalism (though I will buy some flowers from a female bicycle vendor). I think that males should stay at home and look after the kids or take on the women’s tasks and allow and encourage females around them time to get together and reflect on those things around them that need to be given attention to make the lives of other women in their society far better than they are now…like perhaps giving really poor females time off to celebrate their gender.
I like the following by a male…but a male determined to make a difference, Ban Ki moon
As we commemorate International Women’s Day, we must look back on a year of shocking crimes of violence against women and girls and ask ourselves how to usher in a better future.
One young woman was gang-raped to death. Another later committed suicide out of a sense of shame that should have attached to the perpetrators. Young teens were shot at close range for daring to seek an education.
These atrocities, which rightly sparked global outrage, were part of a much larger problem that pervades virtually every society and every realm of life.
Look around at the women you are with. Think of those you cherish in your families and your communities. And understand that there is a statistical likelihood that many of them have suffered violence in their lifetime. Even more have comforted a sister or friend, sharing their grief and anger following an attack.
This year on International Women’s Day, we convert our outrage into action. We declare that we will prosecute crimes against women – and never allow women to be subjected to punishments for the abuses they have suffered. We renew our pledge to combat this global health menace wherever it may lurk – in homes and businesses, in war zones and placid countries, and in the minds of people who allow violence to continue.
We also make a special promise to women in conflict situations, where sexual violence too often becomes a tool of war aimed at humiliating the enemy by destroying their dignity.
To those women we say: the United Nations stands with you. As Secretary-General, I insist that the welfare of all victims of sexual violence in conflict must be at the forefront of our activities. And I instruct my advisers to make our response to sexual violence a priority in all of our peace-making, peacekeeping and peace-building activities.
The UN system is advancing our UNiTE to End Violence against Women campaign, which is based on the simple but powerful premise that all women and girls have a fundamental human right to live free of violence.
This week in New York, at the Commission on the Status of Women, the world is holding the largest-ever UN assembly on ending violence against women. We will make the most of this gathering – and we keep pressing for progress long after it concludes.
I welcome the many governments, groups and individuals who have contributed to this campaign. I urge everyone to join our effort.
Whether you lend your funds to a cause or your voice to an outcry, you can be part of our global push to end this injustice and provide women and girls with the security, safety and freedom they deserve.
Ban Ki-moon is the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
| Kiem Van Tim is a keen observer of life in general and the Hanoi cultural scene in particular and offers some of these observations to the Grapevine. KVT insists that these observations and opinion pieces are not critical reviews. Please see our Comment Guidelines / Moderation Policy and add your thoughts in the comment field below. |
Commendable sentiments.
Walking on Lang Yen Phu by the West Lake yesterday in the late afternoon, I passed by few young men who were propping up in front of their business premises a huge cheerful placard in celebration & with greetings for the 8th of March — The International Woman’s day.
These fellows were proud of the lovely placard they were erecting and their activity to be noticed by the folk going by.
They showed it by friendly greetings, flashing happy smiles all -round…
I thought it was wonderful!
Yes – smiles and cheery signs are quite nice, but I couldn’t believe my first International Women’s Day in Vietnam last year: it seemed to be just another ‘Buy your girlfriend flowers and perfume and designer handbags etc etc!’
There doesn’t seem to be much consciousness of women’s struggle for equality, the appalling rate of domestic violence, the harsh mistreatment of daughters-in-law, for example: all around the world and right here here in Vietnam.
Anyhow, I loved KVT’s piece, thankyou — and Happy International Women’s Day to all!
… quite right, Brenda… quite right…
…and in all my many-many years living in Australia, I could not believe that this day is not mentioned overtly at all by the Australian mainstream media and the population hardly knows it, and does not think it is worth noticing either (unlike the truly commercial Mother’s Day and Father’s Day)…
…also… speaking of this day’s celebrations in different countries… 3 years ago I happen to be on that day in Paris, steadily combing private and state art galleries — most impressive for me was that every one of them without exception was showing exhibitions on the theme of ‘Woman’…
Cheers!
Did a search through the Oz media and found a quiet reserve about IWD but hit upon two nice bits tucked away in comment section of SMH: http://www.smh.com.au/comment/international-womens-day-has-yet-to-achieve-its-purpose-20130305-2fiv3.html and http://www.smh.com.au/comment/this-womens-day-remember-fallen-in-domestic-wars-20130307-2fo1v.html . Also one good piece from the Oz national broadcaster http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-03-08/baird-international-womens-day/4559846. Perhaps it shows how parternalistic and patriachal we Ucs might tend to be. Yep I’m a true blue too but more gypsy than oi oi oi!
Good on you Tristiana!
All the write ups touching on IWD in SMH today are in the Daily Life section, which to the all readers’ very recent outrage was about to be re-named “Women’s Perspective”…
Well, we did put up a good fight and now it is as it should be — an all-embracing and positive title that it was … because, that is how we see and perceive ourselves …
… and here is another one from this morning front page on SMH, (swimming in international waters on the issue of Paternalism) — the comings & goings of Saudi royalty… !
… so, let us spare a thought for this princess — http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/the-runaway-shopaholic-saudi-princess-who-left-iou-notes-for-millions-has-her-assets-seized-20130308-2fpfz.html , who could not help “protesting” the patrimonial relations in her family…
… trust & hope that on this day women celebrate the recognition of (in one form or another) the quiet power of their being…
To Brenda
PS>>>… a bunch of flowers and a bottle of perfume from a boyfriend or a husband …?
… yes, please — let’s not be hypocritical about it all either… nothing’s wrong with a heart-felt gesture — just like a smile from a stranger on the street could be a gift to you….
I think that more than the ‘quiet power of their being’ its about time they got a bit or a lot angry. As one of Tristiana’s links said, there’s nothing wrong with women’s anger when it’s directed at inequality and human rights.
As to the perfume and flowers, great if it isn’t a matter of here’s a gift Darl now get back to the sink and the dishes and when’s me dinner ready.
Are you sure that you are not too much of an appeaser?
@ Portia
…is your question directed at me…?…in which case my answer is: no, one can never be “sure”… however, I am not too sure why should you berate me ?
re anger: … do not think I was attempting to stop anyone expressing their anger and outrage…just not my style to be overtly militant when it comes to sociopolitical or feminist activism…
It was good to see an excellent documentary on Friday night at about unmarried mothers in Vietnam with an audience of lots of Vietnamese women there too. This addresses a good and current issue for Vietnamese women
To Ngoc,
I appreciate you giving us this example.
It shows that that the Vietnamese people are well aware of whatever social problems they may be facing today …
P.S. to Portia,
re “… directed at inequality and human rights.”:
In my humble and not so very humble opinion, I dare say, we have come to the sloganeering we would most likely disapprove of, if it came from quarters other than ours…
I personally do not subscribe to the notion of inequality between the two genders. Each and every one of us is a human being with, I believe, equal potential and in as much as I know of most countries today, our iqual rights are constitutionally inscribed and presumably protected, but I also acnowledge that they are projected and utilised differently in different societies and under different circumstances.
In the light of what you said in your comment … what, I believe important is not just how angry or outraged we can get, but the ways in which this ‘inequality and human rights’ you protest could be constructively addressed…
…and as soldiers say .. the battle is conducted and decided on the ground… so, it is up to each and every one of us …