Legal discrimination of women

Interesting stuff: the UN Human Rights Commissioner has published a report on legal discrimination of women.

At least 53 UN member states do not legally sanction marital rape and related domestic violence against women. Without looking into the report, bloggers and newspaper commentators assume that nearly all of those states must be muslim.

Not so.

Among the worst offenders (both legally and in practice) are nations that are predominantly Christian (South Korea, Kenya, Ghana, DR Congo, Ecuador, Mozambique, Angola, Nicaragua, Haiti), Hindu (India, Nepal), ‘mixed’ (Lebanon, Tanzania, Nigeria, Malaysia) or ‘other’ (Madagascar).

The report also highlights legal loopholes. Many constitutions pay lipservice to gender equality, but nonetheless prioritize personal (religious) law over equality law.

Other issues are hidden in the legal small print, such as the minimum age for marriage. This is often much lower for girls than for boys, based on religious precepts or tradition. As a consequence, girls are married off at a young age which severely restricts their development and independence.

When it comes to ‘early marriage’ numbers, the authors quote a chart composed in 2005 by the International Planned Parenthood Federation. It shows that the worst practices are mostly in Africa, the poorest continent, and the very worst countries are also among the very poorest in the world, regardless of religion: Niger, Bangladesh, Nicaragua.

We can not ignore the anti-feminine bias in muslim tradition, but it appears that there are more ‘religions of peace’ than just Islam. When it comes to legal discrimination of women, poverty seems to be the major determinant. Followed by strong religious traditions as such, not restricted to one denomination or even to monotheism.

Whoda thunk, eh? :wink3:

Domestic rape, tricky, how to get the numbers. Now would a woman in a fundie country like Iran or Pakistan go to the police, would they listen, would it be smart. If the point is that not enough is being done ok but sounds a bit like wrapping the math around the conclusion to me.

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Originally Posted by Fragony

Domestic rape, tricky, how to get the numbers.

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I think you didna read properly, me lad.

With regard to domestic rape they refer only to laws, not numbers.

When it comes to numbers, they refer to the IPPF report which is based on official marriage statistics, not statistics on domestic violence.

So no bogus numbers, no statistical hocus pocus. So sorry.

Ya sorry my bad, was confusing it with some other report on domestic violence, mea culpa.

even if you remove religion entirely it all falls to the inherent difference between men and women, they look different so they must be treated differently.

This has been going on since the stone age, and will not change in our lifetimes most likely.

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Originally Posted by Leet Eriksson

even if you remove religion entirely it all falls to the inherent difference between men and women, they look different so they must be treated differently.

This has been going on since the stone age, and will not change in our lifetimes most likely.

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Different treatment does not equal discrimination. With religions "removed" the path to rational thinking is opened and the religious dogmas about discriminating women disappears. It is primarily secularisation that has led to todays equality between men and women in the Western societies.

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Originally Posted by Viking

Different treatment does not equal discrimination. With religions "removed" the path to rational thinking is opened and the religious dogmas about discriminating women disappears. It is primarily secularisation that has led to todays equality between men and women in the Western societies.

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Not really true, because the inequalities are a product of the scoial systems not the religions. Yes, religions can inshrine such prejudice but they can also be erercised against it. Secularisation did not lead to equality in Europe, industrialisation and rising standards of living did. Secularism was primarily a product of the last century after the two World Wars. It's a very modern idea and from the looks of things it might be stalling because young people here have grown up in Thrachurite/New Labour Britain and increasingly they are rejecting the rather vacuous and relativistic moral stance of the political and intellectual elite.

If you take a look at the countries Adrian lists you'll find they are all outside the West and are either Third World or only recently developing. Their societies have yet to come to terms with what began here two centuries ago, but which has only really taken off in the last fifty years.

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Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla

Not really true, because the inequalities are a product of the scoial systems not the religions. Yes, religions can inshrine such prejudice but they can also be erercised against it. Secularisation did not lead to equality in Europe, industrialisation and rising standards of living did. Secularism was primarily a product of the last century after the two World Wars. It's a very modern idea and from the looks of things it might be stalling because young people here have grown up in Thrachurite/New Labour Britain and increasingly they are rejecting the rather vacuous and relativistic moral stance of the political and intellectual elite.

If you take a look at the countries Adrian lists you'll find they are all outside the West and are either Third World or only recently developing. Their societies have yet to come to terms with what began here two centuries ago, but which has only really taken off in the last fifty years.

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Yeah, but you have to look were these social systems stem from. And as we know, in earlier times religion meant more in everyday life and the interpretations of the holy texts of the day had much more to say. LE seems to be suggesting that discriminating women lies in the human nature. Methinks you rather need someone to stand up and suggest it, typically as a part of a greater context, and get alot of followers for it in order for it to happen.

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Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla

Not really true, because the inequalities are a product of the scoial systems not the religions. Yes, religions can inshrine such prejudice but they can also be erercised against it. Secularisation did not lead to equality in Europe, industrialisation and rising standards of living did. Secularism was primarily a product of the last century after the two World Wars. It's a very modern idea and from the looks of things it might be stalling because young people here have grown up in Thrachurite/New Labour Britain and increasingly they are rejecting the rather vacuous and relativistic moral stance of the political and intellectual elite.

If you take a look at the countries Adrian lists you'll find they are all outside the West and are either Third World or only recently developing. Their societies have yet to come to terms with what began here two centuries ago, but which has only really taken off in the last fifty years.

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Then how do you explain South Korea?

So all those drunkards beating up their women are religious people?
Makes you wonder which religion supports people in drinking themselves senseless. Could never happen with more secularism and atheism of course. The final solution is found! :idea2:

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Originally Posted by Husar

So all those drunkards beating up their women are religious people?
Makes you wonder which religion supports people in drinking themselves senseless. Could never happen with more secularism and atheism of course. The final solution is found! :idea2:

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Well, you could say that an important cause of it would be an underlying disrespect for women, and that it is cultural (methinks the impact of one's own culture is greater than what one like to think). And where did this particular bit of culture originate? Europe was christened for about a thousand years ago; any pre-Christian culture is for the most part eradicated. Saying that, not attempting to create a scape goat.

Well goodness gracious , great balls of fire , I have it from the highschool confidential that there do be a whole lotta shakin going on .
Now some of them cold heart who talk about us , wanna make us break up.
So baby bye bye I'll make it up to you when you are sweet little sixteen .:inquisitive:

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Originally Posted by Viking

Well, you could say that an important cause of it would be an underlying disrespect for women, and that it is cultural (methinks the impact of one's own culture is greater than what one like to think). And where did this particular bit of culture originate? Europe was christened for about a thousand years ago; any pre-Christian culture is for the most part eradicated. Saying that, not attempting to create a scape goat.

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Wait - you're trying to say that drunken people beating their wives is a result of Christianity? How can you even link the two? How can you say that beating your wife while drunk is a result of religion and culture, instead of, you know, the alcohol?

:idea2:

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Originally Posted by Viking

Yeah, but you have to look were these social systems stem from. And as we know, in earlier times religion meant more in everyday life and the interpretations of the holy texts of the day had much more to say. LE seems to be suggesting that discriminating women lies in the human nature. Methinks you rather need someone to stand up and suggest it, typically as a part of a greater context, and get alot of followers for it in order for it to happen.

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You're seeing the religious laws as the cause, not the result. In most comunities the religion is the first form of law and it is used to enshrine cultural norms. If a society has a prejudice against women that becomes written into the religion. In settled cultures, for fairly obvious reasons, the men do the building, fighting and hunting. Then they start doing the decision making because the women stay in the village while the men go out and risk their necks. That gets worked into the religion. It's the same accross the Classical World, which is where Christianity comes from. Things might have been better among the Gauls for women but homosexuals were ritually drowned, so I'm afraid we don't have a "noble savage" culture in our past.

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Originally Posted by HoreTore

Then how do you explain South Korea?

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Different cultural norms, arising in a different part of the world which has then had Christianity superimposed on top of it.

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Originally Posted by Viking

Well, you could say that an important cause of it would be an underlying disrespect for women, and that it is cultural (methinks the impact of one's own culture is greater than what one like to think). And where did this particular bit of culture originate? Europe was christened for about a thousand years ago; any pre-Christian culture is for the most part eradicated. Saying that, not attempting to create a scape goat.

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Firstly, Europe was largely Christian 1,500 years ago at least and Christianity in Europe goes back further than that. In any case the Romans and Greeks were well known for beating their women folk, things got better in the Middle Ages and then took a dive during the renaissance but they did so because of power-politics, religion was just the excuse.

Religion is always the excuse.

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Originally Posted by Adrian II

We can not ignore the anti-feminine bias in muslim tradition, but it appears that there are more ‘religions of peace’ than just Islam. When it comes to legal discrimination of women, poverty seems to be the major determinant. Followed by strong religious traditions as such, not restricted to one denomination or even to monotheism.

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That education and poverty are interwined. And those who are least educated will look for the answers they can use.

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Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla

Different cultural norms, arising in a different part of the world which has then had Christianity superimposed on top of it.

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But then what about Japan?

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Originally Posted by HoreTore

But then what about Japan?

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What exactly about it?

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Originally Posted by Evil_Maniac From Mars

Wait - you're trying to say that drunken people beating their wives is a result of Christianity? How can you even link the two? How can you say that beating your wife while drunk is a result of religion and culture, instead of, you know, the alcohol?

:idea2:

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Well to my knowledge, alcohol does not create its own social norms in people; deeper feelings are let out.

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Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla

You're seeing the religious laws as the cause, not the result. In most communities the religion is the first form of law and it is used to enshrine cultural norms. If a society has a prejudice against women that becomes written into the religion. In settled cultures, for fairly obvious reasons, the men do the building, fighting and hunting. Then they start doing the decision making because the women stay in the village while the men go out and risk their necks. That gets worked into the religion. It's the same across the Classical World, which is where Christianity comes from. Things might have been better among the Gauls for women but homosexuals were ritually drowned, so I'm afraid we don't have a "noble savage" culture in our past.

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Well this religion expanded it's borders quite substantially and so could have replaced less discriminating cultures. When Christianity replaced Norse Mythology, women could no longer lead religious ceremonies et cetera. Point being that most of the modern discrimination could ultimately for the greatest part stem from a certain set of books. Not too much of a strong point, but my argumentation regarding this was in response to what seemed like a justification for to continue with any discriminating practises still on going, because humanity would disrespect women regardless of society; which is wrong.

.

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With religions "removed" the path to rational thinking is opened

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Greatest :daisy: of the century.
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It meant in that context that one do not have to consider a prejudice to begin with. Are there any reason why women should not be allowed to lead meetings? Organisations? Are there any reason at all for these claims? Through empiricism one can close in on truth.

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Originally Posted by Viking

Well this religion expanded it's borders quite substantially and so could have replaced less discriminating cultures. When Christianity replaced Norse Mythology, women could no longer lead religious ceremonies et cetera.

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This is a very bad example, because the Norse lacked a priestly cast like the Celtic Druid. I'm not aware of many Norse ceremonies, the only one that springs to mind is the ritual strangulation and hanging of dead men as a sacrifice to Odin, though I suppose there is also the "Blood Eagle" where the ribcage is ripped open. In any case I don't recall a specific form for worship of the Aesir or Vanir.

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Point being that most of the modern discrimination could ultimately for the greatest part stem from a certain set of books. Not too much of a strong point, but my argumentation regarding this was in response to what seemed like a justification for to continue with any discriminating practises still on going, because humanity would disrespect women regardless of society; which is wrong.

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Your point is bad, because discrimination is a product of the developement of the society common to almost all cultures at a certain stage. I've already given you the reasoning. Men do the fighting, so they make the decisions, while the women stay at home. when the whole tribe is on the move the women share more of the risks and usually have more of a say.

Greek, Roman, Semetic, Persian, Celtic, Iberian... all these ancient cultures discriminated to one level or another, the Greeks were worst followed by the Romans and the less settled and orderd the culture the better things are for women. The same thing happens in the Middle Ages, as society puts itself back together things get worse for women.

Your thesis seems to be that but for religion things would have been better for women but if you look at women's rights movements they are rarely rooted in secularism, and the prejudice is seen in every culture.

That in no wise makes it right but but blaming "ignorant" or "evil" religion is an exercise in historical revisionism. As the Bishop of Rochester said recently, Christianity fosters a belief in equality because we are all God's children.

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Originally Posted by Viking

It meant in that context that one do not have to consider a prejudice to begin with. Are there any reason why women should not be allowed to lead meetings? Organisations? Are there any reason at all for these claims? Through empiricism one can close in on truth.

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Actually, through empiricism alone people are absolutely unequal and probably shouldn't even be treated as such.

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Originally Posted by Viking

It meant in that context that one do not have to consider a prejudice to begin with. Are there any reason why women should not be allowed to lead meetings? Organisations? Are there any reason at all for these claims? Through empiricism one can close in on truth.

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Of course, everyone thinks his lovely hobby will one day bring world peace if all the other stupids would just start loving it as much as she/he does. ~;)

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Originally Posted by Husar

So all those drunkards beating up their women are religious people?

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Haha, yeh, it makes you wonder why Ireland isn't on the list... :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Philipvs Vallindervs Calicvla

This is a very bad example, because the Norse lacked a priestly cast like the Celtic Druid. I'm not aware of many Norse ceremonies, the only one that springs to mind is the ritual strangulation and hanging of dead men as a sacrifice to Odin, though I suppose there is also the "Blood Eagle" where the ribcage is ripped open. In any case I don't recall a specific form for worship of the Aesir or Vanir.

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I was citating my history book which I consider a fairly reliable source.

I found this on Wikipedia as an example: Völva.

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Your point is bad, because discrimination is a product of the developement of the society common to almost all cultures at a certain stage. I've already given you the reasoning. Men do the fighting, so they make the decisions, while the women stay at home. when the whole tribe is on the move the women share more of the risks and usually have more of a say.

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Seeing that not at all all societies have been equally discriminating to women, it should be perfectly valid. Not at all all societies need to tak the same path.

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Your thesis seems to be that but for religion things would have been better for women but if you look at women's rights movements they are rarely rooted in secularism, and the prejudice is seen in every culture.

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Yes, but the cultural prejudice has it's roots in somewhere. I do not think the societies would be better for women without religions, no (if such a thing is even possible for the first tribes/socities). If something is viewed as heresy and that "preaching" it could lead to death, it'd certainly slow down any process.

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Originally Posted by TuffStuffMcGruff

Actually, through empiricism alone people are absolutely unequal and probably shouldn't even be treated as such.

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Absolutely so. Men cannot give birth to babies (ignoring silly claims from a certain topic), only women can; they must thus be treated unequally in that aspect. What other aspects should they be treated different in though, apart from the obvious? I'm not sure to which you're referring.

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Originally Posted by Viking

Seeing that not at all all societies have been equally discriminating to women, it should be perfectly valid.

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Not all Christian societies have been equally discriminating to women, either. Or all religious societies for that matter, either.

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Absolutely so. Men cannot give birth to babies (ignoring silly claims from a certain topic), only women can; they must thus be treated unequally in that aspect. What other aspects should they be treated different in though, apart from the obvious? I'm not sure to which you're referring.

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Not all people are equally tall. Not all people are equally strong. Not all people are equally intelligent. Not all people are equally coordinated. Not all people are equally graceful. Not all people are equally creative. Not all people are equally charismatic. Shall I go on?

Ajax

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Originally Posted by ajaxfetish

Not all people are equally tall. Not all people are equally strong. Not all people are equally intelligent. Not all people are equally coordinated. Not all people are equally graceful. Not all people are equally creative. Not all people are equally charismatic. Shall I go on?

Ajax

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And in what ways should they, seemingly politically incorrect, be treated different?

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Originally Posted by Rythmic

Haha, yeh, it makes you wonder why Ireland isn't on the list... :rolleyes:

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Yeah, they're so religious they even used to kill people of other denominations.

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Originally Posted by ajaxfetish

Not all people are equally tall. Not all people are equally strong. Not all people are equally intelligent. Not all people are equally coordinated. Not all people are equally graceful. Not all people are equally creative. Not all people are equally charismatic. Shall I go on?
Ajax

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Exactly - people are equal in the eyes of God, If there was no God, how could they be?

Funny how this thread has narrowed down to a peeing contest over religion. Whereas poverty seems to be the most important determinant of legal and factual discimination of women. Is it because poverty compounds existing legal and social (including religious) obstacles for women?