Which country in the world is the most discriminated against by women? According to the Women Peace and Security Index (WPS Index), the tip of the answer lies in Afghanistan. The index is published by the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace and Security and the PRIO Center on Gender, Peace and Security, with the support of the Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, based on recognized data sources for measuring justice and security for women. They are releasing a list of 170 countries. The list is prepared by evaluating factors such as women’s education, political representation, maternal mortality, early marriage and teenage pregnancy. Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, Pakistan, Iraq, South Sudan, Chad, Congo, Sudan, and Sierra Leone are the countries that most often rank last in the WPS index. Along with this, the United Nations Gender Inequality Index also evaluates the treatment given to women by various countries. Nothing is impossible for a woman who knows how to use her talent and intelligence properly. But how many women around the world continue to live in hell in the 21st century with violence and oppression. It has to be said that it is ironic that nuclear power, which gained supremacy through physical fitness at some epoch of human evolution, is not willing to give it up after millennia. In some countries, the ruling class has crossed the line and caged women. Elsewhere, her own home becomes a nest of bonds for her. However, it remains to be seen whether the dignity and status of women is changing as the world grows. What could be the reason behind gender inequality? Which countries are lagging behind in respecting women? What is the situation in India? What should India, including India, do to improve the status of women? Isn’t it time to change society’s attitude towards women? Here is the assessment.
∙ Sexism is behind inequalities
The first level of gender inequality is gender based. Reports of gender discrimination are constantly being heard from around the world. Many countries are degrading women by not allowing them to enter the fields like education, health, economy and politics. In some West Asian countries and North African countries, gender discrimination continues to this day in its intensity. In other countries like India, which seem to be women-friendly, there is no less neglect and oppression of women.
∙ Afghanistan ranks first in misogyny
The WPS index clearly shows how dire the condition of women in Afghanistan is under the Taliban regime. The country is ranked 157 out of 162 countries in the UN Gender Inequality Index. More than four decades of conflict, crises and irrational gender norms have left Afghan girls illiterate and women enslaved. The Taliban enforces conditions that completely exclude women from the economic, political and social spheres. The country ranks highest in gender-based violence. It is also reported that 35 out of 100 women experience violence from their partner. Although honor killings are illegal, there are reports that they are rampant here.
∙ Afghanistan is better than Pakistan
Recent reports point out that Pakistan has more misogyny than Afghanistan. Afghanistan is followed by Pakistan (167) in the WPS index. Pakistan’s position in the Global Gender Gap Index is also behind. According to a 2022 Human Rights Watch report, rape, rape, acid attacks, murder, forced marriage, and domestic violence are plague-like problems in Pakistan. According to the report, Pakistan is the second worst country in terms of gender inequality and this is reflected in areas such as education, labor market and sports.
Leading Pakistani media such as The Express Tribune and Dawn are constantly reporting on the disrespect shown to Pakistani women. Leading newspapers report that the country wants to bring more control over women’s affairs and the outside world is not aware of the atrocities committed against women in Pakistan. Gulalai Ismail is a human rights activist who has called out hundreds of Pashtun women being sold as sex slaves by Pakistani soldiers. But because of this, they had to flee that country to save their lives in 2019. Women’s representation rates in economic and educational sectors of the country remain at low percentages. Pakistan follows highly differentiated social norms and legal frameworks in its approach to women. Violence against women is not less here. At the same time, the general criticism is that Pakistan is hiding or subverting these figures very neatly.
∙ Syria makes women sex slaves
In Syria, women are not given the respect they deserve and are openly tortured. Thousands of women are in Syrian prisons for protesting against the regime’s misogyny. These prisoners are also victims of sexual assaults by soldiers. The information given by the women who came to Turkey after being freed from Syrian prisons is shocking to anyone. One of them, the lawyer Gulden Sonmes, described the situation of women in Syria and the world heard with astonishment. But even the misogyny of IS terrorists is unfolding in this country at its peak without the intervention of the world nations. The documentary ‘Syria, the muffled cry’ prepared by the French channel France 2 describes the situation of young Syrian women. Even today in Syria, marriage is a contract between the groom and the father of the bride. Also know that honor killing became a crime in this country in 2020.
∙ Despite the division, Sudan does not change its position
Sudan and South Sudan, which have been divided into two, are a land of power struggles and tribal insurgencies. It is also a land of women who defy patriarchal gender norms. Here women are excluded from political action and decision-making. These women have less right to make decisions even within their own families. It is the country that records the highest maternal mortality rate in the world. More than 100 pregnant women die here due to pregnancy complications or problems during delivery.
∙ Struggling with hunger and disease…
Although the government and organizations are making agreements for women’s safety and welfare, it is not making much difference in the lives of women in Africa. Their position is at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Most of them suffer from very poor social environment, diseases and hard work. In addition to this, gender discrimination that has been going on for centuries is also a major factor that darkens the lives of women in African countries. The average African woman is far removed from education and politics.
∙ Shame on Somalia and Central Africa
The situation is no different in Somalia, which is notorious for starvation. The country is leading in terms of maternal and child mortality rates. Despite female representation in parliament, Somalia’s male-dominated society adheres to outdated gender norms. Harassment, violence against women and wage differentials are common here. Similarly, in the Central African Republic, women are generally given only three years of schooling. Their representation in the local parliament is less than 9 percent. Statistics also show that one in five women face serious violence from their partner.
∙ The Sierra Leone of Misogyny
Gender-based discrimination and violence, as well as soaring maternal mortality rates, make Sierra Leone a misogynist country. The country follows the strange practice of Female Genital Mutilation of girls from the age of 15. That means 90 percent of women in this country are victims of this violence. Sierra Leone has a higher maternal mortality rate than Somalia. There is no general education for women here. There are still African countries that continue to show gross disrespect to women. Liberia, Niger, Congo, Central African Republic etc. are leading in this.
∙ Norway, Finland…women are safe
Countries such as Norway, Finland, Iceland, Denmark, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria and the Netherlands are leading in respecting women. Countries like Japan (35th), China (89th) and Nepal (95th) are maintaining a decent position in the list. The United States is ranked 21st and Britain is ranked 9th, shining as women-friendly nations.
∙ How to solve this discrimination?
India is ranked 148th in the WPS Index 2021-22. It is worrisome that even a country with a great cultural heritage like India is unable to give women the respect they deserve. According to the World Bank’s Women, Business and Law 2022 report, 2.4 billion women of working age do not have equal economic opportunities. 178 countries maintain legal barriers that prevent women’s full economic participation. Women face some form of labor restriction in 86 countries and 95 countries do not guarantee equal pay for equal work. Apart from this, no country can claim to protect women’s rights and freedoms as long as women are not safe in public and private spaces.
∙ Women have to step forward
The journey towards gender equality can only be facilitated by individual, family and societal changes. Along with strict rules, the internal cultural awareness of individuals should also ensure this. To achieve such changes, many countries will have to let go of ideas they have carried for decades. A strong pressure must be created to motivate them to do so. It should be among women. If every woman starts dreaming of a day when centuries of discrimination and slavery will end, that will be the beginning of a change. There is good news that even the most uncivilized countries are starting to think differently and are ready to change their attitude towards women.
Remember, there has never been an emperor in the history of the world who wanted to build an empire without women. It is certain that such a ruler will never exist again. Women who realize that will have more than one way to be independent and live with dignity. To borrow the words of American author and journalist Nora Ephron – “Above all, be the heroine of your life, not the victim.”
English Summary: Discrimination, Sexual Assault, Acid Attacks… What ‘Women, Peace and Security Index’ Tells the World?