Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
heads of state in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries.
Let' s see what they have in common. (Figure 3-9)
Several points are apparent. All these women are
daughters, wives, or widows of politically influential and
wealthy families. Their rise to power is linked to the no-
tion of “dynasty ,” which generates a succession of hered-
itary rulers from prominent and powerful families
through several generations. Furthermore, these women
have “fulfilled their proper role” as wives and mothers.
They also symbolize nonpartisan alternatives to corrupt
male leadership even though they might become corrupt
themselves.
It should be pointed out that substantial numbers of
women have become active in programs to promote gen-
der equality at the grass-roots level in most Asian coun-
tries, especially in India, Bangladesh, and various
countries in Southeast Asia such as Indonesia and the
Philippines. For example, the UN-supported Interna-
tional Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) assists
women' s groups that make efforts to increase female self-
esteem and help them cope with family injustices includ-
ing domestic violence.
In Pakistan, those women' s organizations that do
exist battle culturally embedded attitudes of male supe-
riority throughout society . In 1996, the country' s gov-
ernment ratified a UN convention to end gender
discrimination. According to Amnesty International,
women' s rights continue to be routinely ignored and vi-
olated in Pakistan.
Given their sheltered and largely uneducated cir-
cumstances, most women in patriarchal societies are un-
aware of their inferior status. They accept 12 or more
hours of hard labor in and out of the home, eating last
and least, constant pregnancy , forced sex, beatings, and
even death as their lot in life. These women do not know
that they have even the potential to make a decision or
control anything. Even if they are aware of their lesser
position, most often there is little they can do about it.
Figure 3-9
Corazon “Cory” Aquino was the Philippines' first female leader
serving as President from 1986 to 1992. She oversaw the restora-
tion of democracy and promulgated a new constitution after the
harsh and corrupt rule of strongman Ferdinand Marcos. (Y ou
might have heard of his wife Imelda, who is reputed to have
owned 2,000 pairs of shoes.) Promoting herself as “just a plain
housewife,” Cory was proclaimed the “Saint of Democracy” by
TIME
Magazine. Sadly , she died of cancer in 2009.
©Sandro
T Tucci/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images, Inc.
Recommended Web Sites
Amnesty International follows human rites violations around
the world.
International AIDS charity that has an excellent and informa-
tive site with articles and global statistics.
Bangladesh Research Advancement Committee for alleviation
of poverty and advancement of the poor.
U.S. Census international data base statistics and population
pyramids.
A network of groups fighting child prostitution, especially in
Southeast Asia.
Social Institutions and Gender Index plus information and sta-
tistics by country .
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