Despite being half the population, women are still underrepresented in politics. They lag substantially behind men when it comes to their representation in leadership positions throughout the world. However, the situation has improved to some extent in the recent past. Last month, Theresa May became the leader of the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom and the country’s second female prime minister in history; both elected during the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the longest serving monarch in modern history. At the same time in the United States of America, Hillary Clinton is leading over Donald Trump in national polls, according to different surveys. While Germany is currently led by a strong female leader, Angela Merkel, since 2005.
Women are serving as Presidents or Prime Ministers in several others developed and developing countries like Croatia, Chile, Malta, Mauritius, Nepal, Taiwan, Austria (where Doris Bures is acting Co-president), Bangladesh, the Bahamas, Grenada, Namibia, and New Zealand. Moreover, some of the prominent positions in International organizations are occupied by women, such as the current CEO of the International Monetary Fund (Christine Lagarde).
From the last 15 years, 33% of the parliamentarians in Pakistan have been women. It is clear from the aforementioned facts that the number of women in influential positions has substantially increased in the recent years and it would be logical to expect that these influential women would make it a priority to ease the lives of the other women in their countries. It is unfortunately not what has happened.
Pay equality is still a problem in every developed country, education is still not an option for many and violent crimes against women have increased. The question must be asked, “Are these influential women not doing enough to make a positive impact or despite being influential, they are helpless in the face of male chauvinism?”
The United Nations General Assembly Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women, written in 1993, provided a comprehensive framework for action on the pandemic of violence but even after 23 years, 1 in 3 women still experience a physical or sexual attack. In majority of these cases, the aggressor is an intimate partner or acquaintance of the victim. Violence against women is often considered as a developing country problem.
The statistics from most of the developed countries show a more disturbing picture. A European Union survey conducted by United Nations in 2014 showed that 43% of women living in the 28 European Union Member States have experienced some form of psychological violence in their lifetime. This number has risen substantially in recent years.
Germany’s ‘Iron Lady’ Angela Merkel, has often been reluctant to support women’s rights until last year’s G7 summit in Germany when she called finally called for gender equality at work. During her decade long rule, German Chancellor had not made any solid efforts for women’s rights.
It seems instead she has followed in the footsteps of British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in this regard. Thatcher had no time for the feminist movement and has negated the argument that she had any responsibility to promote women within Government. This is quite obvious when in 11 years of serving the country, she has promoted only one woman to her cabinet.
What we see of the conditions in developing countries is not very different. Bangladesh has been ruled by two female prime ministers for more than two decades. Sheikh Hasina, is currently ruling the country for the last 7 years. Despite this, violation of women’s rights and violence against women is shockingly common across the country. Dowry killings, rape, sexual harassment and stalking, acid attacks, physical and mental abuse and sex trafficking are the major issues faced by the mothers, daughters and sisters of every class on a regular basis.
Despite being ruled by a strong woman, gender based violence is on the rise in the country to the point that of every 3 women, 2 will be victims. In 2004, there were 2,981 cases of dowry related violence; women were beaten or killed because their parents failed to pay the dowry that had been requested. This number rose to 4,563 cases in 2012. In India and Pakistan, it is the same story.
Sexual violence against women is on the rise in India, where rape is officially reported every 15 minutes and several thousands are unreported every year because 98% of the rapist’ are known to the woman and her family. Every year there are thousands of murders, “honor killings”, simply because someone decided murder is a response to being offended. All while 33% of the members of parliament in Pakistan, since 2002, are themselves women. That means, by Pakistan’s own data and numbers, 22% of parliament has been beaten or raped and still will not try to protect others.
These examples clearly show the fact that electing women to high positions will not guarantee equal rights for all women. Margaret Thatcher cannot be seen as a warrior in the fight for women’s right, nor can Angela Merkel be seen as the ultimate women’s libber. History tells us that women have not always been good for other women due to the simple fact that the gender of a person matters a lot less than that person’s beliefs. So the question is, will women continue to suffer even in a women dominated world? Apparently yes.
One obvious reason for the state of affairs is that women leaders do not want to focus too much on women’s issues because they fear that they will be seen as weak and emotional feminist by their male counterparts. As a result they do less than a man in the same position. Many who have been victims are reluctant to mention the issues because of social stigmas and not wanting to draw attention to that part of their own lives. There is also an attitude of complacency, that when a woman reaches a higher position; it is easy for people to say the problems have been solved. We get a woman leader and quit there.
Women are 51% of the world’s total population which means they are not a statistical minority. They are instead considered a minority because they do not share the same privileges, rights, opportunities and legal protection as men. Although some women have reached a high enough position where they could make a significant impact, they have not lived up to the expectations.
There is still hope for the future as the world is becoming more connected than ever before, awareness among the people regarding women’s rights is on the rise and rapid political change is happening around the world. Prime Minister Theresa May has already appointed six women in her cabinet which is a good omen for women’s prospects at least in Britain.
Hopefully all the influential women will strive to change the history of females in politics and use their roles effectively in the efforts to eliminate violence against women. Every human being, man or woman deserves to live the peaceful and safe life we would want for our own family.