Gender equality is not reflected in African modernity
Although more and more symbols of modernity are visible in Africa – modern cars and electronic devices – a modern attitude towards gender equality and respect towards women is still missing. “The problem is not just gender discrimination, it is favouritism” says a mid-level civil servant in Tanzania talking about nepotism which is actually exacerbated when it comes to considering women for good jobs.
Elizabeth Mosha, the Director of Tanzanian NGO Women In Action, talks about violence as one of the underlying reasons for gender discrimination. “Domestic violence is still enormously common, and often expected, in many of our communities. Men think they are not doing their job unless they beat women. We've had to sensitize communities that violence against women is abnormal and not healthy”, she said.
However, women have a great potential in Africa. According to the World Bank's President Robert Zoellick, statistically, women are the strongest entrepreneurs in Africa. The problem is that they have many extra hurdles to registering their companies. Additionally, over 70% of Tanzanian farmers are women, according to Margareth Chacha, of the Tanzania Women's Bank.
“It is through giving women access to education, knowledge, to paid income, independence and of course access to reproductive health services, reproductive rights, access to family planning, that we change the current pattern of human consumption: that has to be integrated into all development work. Tinkering at the edges will not do the job”, said Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, former Director General of the World Health Organisation.
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