Women in Sudan, Research Paper Example

Abstract        

Sudan, an African country inhabited by diverse ethnic communities, has for the past many decades faced various national catastrophes ranging from drought to severe internal conflicts. A country composed majorly of two groups, the Arabs in the northern region and the black Africans who occupy the southern part of the country. Cultural differences between the two communities have led to scramble for control of the country in order to impose their respective traditions as superior to the other. The country has lost millions of lives and thousands of innocent women and children have been pushed out of their homes. Moreover, ethical dilemmas have risen in regard to the treatment of the female gender. The girl child has been denied access to education. Their role in the society is to tend for the family, playing the role of the family giver while the boy child assumes the superior role. Even though women account for over 60%of the total population, the country has a 15% level of female literacy (World Bank 2012) .

Introduction

Despite the fact that education is of extreme importance in human development and advancement of human security, it has been overlooked in this chauvinist dominated country. Women are perceived as the weaker genes that are unable to take the position of leadership or family control. According to Plato’s (454b-456b) Socrates’ view of feminism. Socrates argues that the exposure to either education or employment should be unbiased, regardless of the human gender that expresses the will to learn. Although education is a secondary need, on logical basis, philosophers believe that it is not plausible to deprive of the exposure to academic excellence. Still, Sudan boasts of preserving traditional rules which justify male dominance in the society. This poses as an ethical dilemma. Education on its own stand does not break any legal or moral codes. However, the opponents of educating the girl child argue that education defies traditional customs. In most Sudan communities, a woman upon reaching puberty should get married.

The role of women in development in academic fields has been suppressed by the preference of upholding marriage institutions in Sudan. The country which is majorly patriarchal believes in the essence of a woman serving the household role rather than academic excellence. In regard to Hypatia, a feminist philosophy journal, Kant’s philosophy supports the same view on the argument that women must be educated since they cannot develop their rational nature on their own. He believes that women tend to only develop aesthetic aspects that major on organizing the household view. (Gardner 2009)

The overall value of educating a woman cannot be underestimated. Particularly in Sudan, the girl child is capable of transforming the war-stricken country into a harmonious nation. It’s important to note that literate women possess the potential to reach mutual agreement with opposing sides without having to resolve to physical war to settle the dispute. Feminists advocate for women education pointing out that women possess similar attributes as those of the male counterpart. They have challenged the conventional view that only men can excel in various academic disciplines especially sciences that have been for a long time conserved for the boy child. From an ethical view, it’s irrational to hold predisposed notions of women’s abilities prematurely without offering them a chance to verify the ambiguity nature of their hypothesis. (Friedman 1995)

Sexual violence, a major issue in Sudan has hampered the strenuous efforts of women in their quest for knowledge. Early pregnancies due to rape cases have been on the rise ever since the civil war began. Ethical issues concerning the safety of these girls should be addressed. It’s morally unacceptable to engage in sexual act with a minor yet both the militia and Sudan army seem ruthless in raping innocent underage girls. Someone should be held accountable for the massive drop out cases in schools due to increased violence and rape cases. Girls cannot attend schools that are distant from their homes in fear of physical attack by the assailants. The experiences encountered by the girls at such a tender age block their ambitions in excelling. They are forced to stay at home to look after their own babies. The ethical issue arising is whether their mental age is capable of handling motherhood responsibilities. The constitutional definition of a child defines a child as any individual below the age of 18 years or one who is in a state of dependency of basic materials for survival. Most of the impregnated girls are usually below 15 years. On an ethical basis, it does not add up for a child to look after another child. The girl child is thus unable to focus on their most basic and primary goal of pursuing academic interests in the required time frame as per the 6+3+3 Sudan education system.

In a similar case for Sudan, the systematic rape of women in Bosnia rose to an estimated 200,000 during the civil war. This compares closely to the one in Bosnia during the Bangladeshi battle for independence in early seventies. According to BBC, during the 1937 occupation of Nanking, Japanese rape cases were equally high. The trend has been the same in the last one century in a number of regions.

So what motivates armed forces, whether state-backed troops or irregular militia, to attack civilian women and children?

Gita Sahgal, of Amnesty International, told the BBC News website that it was a big mistake to take such assaults as mere age-old “spoils of war”, or “sexual gratification”. “Women are seen as the reproducers and carers of the community,” she said.

The assault is more often used in ethnic conflicts by attackers to underline their social capability and control while redrawing ethnic boundaries. “Women are seen as the reproducers and carers of the community,” she said. “Therefore if one group wants to control another they often do it by impregnating women of the other community because they see it as a way of destroying the opposing community.”

Medecins Sans Frontieres asserts that rape is more of a weapon since their first experience in the 1990s. “In Bosnia systematic rape was used as part of the strategy of ethnic cleansing,” it said.

Amnesty International has pointed a blame finger at the pro-government Janjaweed militias in Darfur region of Sudan for using mass rape to humiliate and control non-Arab groups. These attacks force women and children to flee their homes, leading to destabilization of communities and risks of contracting HIV/Aids.

The imposition of traditional cultures such as female genital mutilation (FGM) as a rite of passage in some of the Sudan communities such as the, have created a major obstacle in pursuit for education for the girl child. The traditions which are mandatory for any woman who is to be considered an ‘adult’ have been on use for decades. Despite the hazardous exposure that the women experience during the barbaric process, there have been little efforts to curb the custom that is still rampant in many of the Sudanese areas. Professional from ethical sectors questions the essence of this rite of passage.

How does the use of tools to cut off female labia prepare the psychological sector of the woman into adulthood?  Is the method justified? Moreover, the whole process, which is time consuming, tends to weaken the woman’s ability to enjoy sexual pleasure. This is in contrast with the objective of the custom which is to prepare the woman to enjoy

marriage in all aspects. Feminists highly object to this practice pointing out that the method is barbaric as it interferes with a woman’s social status in the society. In real perspective, the practice tends to deprive off a woman’s esteem. Girls have to spend time nursing their wounds while the boy child remains in school studying.

Conclusion

Education is a vital aspect in the development of a society. In achieving a more civilized and knowledgeable environment, gender disparity should be keenly investigated to ensure that the often overlooked female gender is not left out. Women have equal rights, abilities and privileges as men in the modern society. Developing countries such as Sudan should consider eliminating cultural practices that hinder women’s quest for education. Feminists as well as professional in various disciplines have highlighted the importance of girl child education to the society. It’s therefore our sole responsibility to ensure we take correct measures that are unbiased of our customs in ensuring that we achieve these goals.