HER WORLD

By Faridah Ally

I believe in being bold and standing up for what is right. I believe in standing up for the women who are too scared to. I believe in teaching and reminding my sisters who they really are and what they are capable of. It’s so refreshing to see how women rise, because united we stand!

I am becoming a woman of courage, a woman of strength, a woman of self discipline. A woman of diligence. A woman of compassion ,a woman of beauty -true beauty. The unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit. A woman who loves much, because she has forgiven much. A woman of valor who does not run from the battle, but to it, relentlessly determined, through her obedience to defeat the enemy and bring victory to herself and her people .

It all comes in a pack of believing in yourself and overcoming every problem coming your way. Women do face problems and its high time we get into it in order to have solutions to them. The empowered women!

Women face problems in the current society in almost every field of domestic life, career and human rights. Partially or wholly, these problems are faced by different women in every corner of the world.

We have the aspect of culture where many are structured in a way to only benefit one gender. Problems concerning women’s rights, health and education hardly get much attention. In the past decades, the fight for gender equality has been on the forefront. Accomplishments have been made and there has been some progress. However, women’s rights and improvements concerning them have a long way to go before women get a fair shake.

Bonus: Download your copy of Mwangaza Magazine Issue 7

“Women don’t need to be empowered, they are empowered enough” Well I cannot express anything else but blank stare while listening to this because it doesn’t make sense. Folks! What does “don’t need to be empowered” mean? Are men good at empowerment?

Well, first and foremost, I suppose women don’t have to think like men just because they are not men! Though men can’t wear dresses, women wear pants. Being a woman in a man’s world is not easy.

Secondly, women’s interests are being undervalued. Undervalued interests and ideas are one of women’s problems in the present society. Regardless of how useful the thought or interest expressed by a woman, they sometimes never get enough attention. This is as a result of the idea we have in mind that women cannot be serious because of their emotions and shallow mindset. This is to mean women take nothing serious and their interest cannot be important.

Investing in a girl’s education is the best thing her family, community or country can do. It is no news that a good quality education can be life-changing not only for girls or women but boys and men; helping them to develop their potential and put them on a right path for success in their life. This will create a more advanced society. It is a kick start for a cycle of development.

Girls who get proper education for example play more active roles in their communities, earn money and bring up healthier families. However, my worry is girls continue to drop out of schools for various reasons.

Sexual harassment is a form of discrimination and violation of rights. I will define it as unwelcome sexual favours or other verbal or physical conduct of sexual nature by an employee or a colleague. Unwanted jokes, gestures, offensive words or comments, touching, grabbing around the waist, kissing or hugging an employee, even interfering with an employee’s ability to move is kind of a harassment.

It sounds weird but many stories about sexual harassment at work remain untold. Some don’t want to lose their jobs, others are afraid of the response they will get from family members among others. In most cases I know such behaviours usually gounpunished. This is really unfair. Aren’t human rights laws that strong to punish the guilty ones?

However the problem still exists and women face it all over the world. The bold one’s, anyway, share their stories to raise awareness about how harmful sexual harassment at work can be.

What hurts most is that some men are still arrogant against women and what they have to endure forgetting they were raised by their mothers. As long as men do not stand up and take action against sexual harassment then their niece, sisters, wives, daughters and mothers will forever suffer sexual harassment. Be grateful if you are surrounded by incredible men who respect women no matter what.

Solutions ought to be sorted for us to live a better life! My heart breaks for women all over the world. It is really hard out here for a girl, you never get to just breathe and not have to worry about how you look, act or who is behind your back.