African woman, victim of our society

She is born into a society that expects so much from her but gives her limited opportunities to explore her potentials as she is bound by culture and religious dogmas.

She is a victim of her society.

Her achievements are rated on the scales of a successful marriage and her ability to procreate in her lifetime. Her level of educational attainment is of little or no relevance as it is relegated to the kitchen where she is deemed to belong.

Culturally, the male child is preferred to her because he is an heir in the lineage who has the right to inheritance. She is often denied this privilege because she is seen as an asset for exchange in due time through marriage.

She is subjected to the painful and barbaric practice of female gentile mutilation and breast ironing to stop her from being promiscuous. In religion, she is subjected to control from her husband.

She is denied the right to decide how many children she wants to bear. She must be submissive and enduring at all times because she is perceived to be weak physically and emotionally, and if she objects to these stereotypes, she is labelled wayward.

She is groomed to endure suffering and pain even in the most extreme cases of domestic violence. She is encouraged and expected to endure and pray in order to save her marriage because homemaking is her birthright.

In scenarios of infertility, she is labelled barren even when she is certified fertile by medical practitioners. When assaulted sexually, she is expected to conceal it and nurse her agony and pain in silence to avoid stigmatization.

In war and natural disaster, she suffers the physical and psychological effects more because she loses her husband and children and is subjected to culturally barbaric mourning rituals.

In childbirth, she endures the pain to give life and sometimes loses hers in the process. Her efforts in child rearing are unappreciated but she takes the blame each time a child is deviant.

Striving to break the bonds of societal stereotypes as a single lady she is discriminated, harassed and labelled an iron lady or even derogatorily called a prostitute.

The society ridicules her potentials at the slightest opportunity. It undermines the historic track records of women who have made a positive impact, the likes of Queen Amina of Zaria, Emotan of the Benin kingdom, Dora Akunyili, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Libera etc.

Still, she remains a victim of her society... Read full article : https://qwenu.com/2019/02/06/african-woman-victim-of-our-society/