In terms of sex, there are men and there are women.
In the early 1900s Freud suggested that women are mutilated men and that they are therefore inferior to men. Freud was more than unfair to women, possibly as a result of his own upbringing in a traditional Jewish middle-class family. He claimed in addition that women had smaller intellectual capabilities than men, and that they were ‘weaker vessels’.
Studies over the past century have shown that Freud’s view of women as being inferior, mutilated males is wrong. His assessment of their inferiority is more an indictment of the cultural environment in which they are brought up than a result of their inherent nature.
In other words, a woman behaves in certain ways because she has been brought up to believe that society expects her to behave in that way. This does not mean that she is weaker or inferior to men even if both men and women are brought up to believe this. Given the opportunity, a woman can succeed in most activities as well as any man. It follows that a woman’s rights should not be violated in any way. On the contrary, she should be given the opportunity to exercise and express her rights.
Taking the plight of Afghan women as a case study, it is clear that the Taliban are making rapid gains in Afghanistan. The Taliban ruled Afghanistan between 1996 and 2001, and they imposed strict rules on women during that period. Now women’s rights in Afghanistan are under threat once more and Afghan women are again pleading for help to resist the roll-back of their rights.
Gender-based violence and violence against women play a central role in the violation of women’s rights to life, health, information, economic development, housing and more. What is happening to the women of Afghanistan is an outrageous human rights violation.
In October 2021 Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi warned an extraordinary summit of the G20 countries about the violation of women’s rights in Afghanistan. He emphasised the need to protect Afghan women’s rights, warning that women risked becoming second class citizens under the Taliban once again.
Today we have so much more to fight for – women’s voting rights are now under attack. Women make up half – or more than half – of society and they should not be prevented from voting. Letting women take part in politics is a win for everyone because women know how to manage things and their active participation makes society better for all.
Patriarchy should become a thing of the past and all stereotypes imposed on women should be removed.
I should not be sidelined in society because I am a woman!
Women should be treated as full human beings without any exceptions.
Responsibilities, roles and opportunities should not depend on whether our sex at birth is male or female.
Being a woman does not make one less human!
Hear women! See women! Let women lead!
Women’s rights are human rights!
By Ijeoma Adeniyi