Struggle for Independence

Women All Over the World Gaining Their Rights

Malak Kira

Is it true that women are treated equally as men? Are women sacrificing themselves for their family if they stay at home? Why aren't men asked to do the same? Stereotyping women as just housewives is the main hitch. They are looked upon as the ones who should just clean the house and take care of the children. This label has existed for hundreds of years. Women were forced to be in a situation where their rights are not totally recognized. As the world developed and education played an important role in modern times, women became more aware of their rights and the situation they were being forced in.

Growing up in communities that value tradition, women have always been thought of as a lesser version of men. The idea that women have a bigger role at home has affected them greatly. They have been limited by their communities. Their rights were lost and so was their independence. A woman should be able to choose what she feels is the right thing to do not only for herself but for her family as well. Each woman has her own criteria for her self-fulfillment; some need to work and others derive their pride by being housewives.

Men play a more dominant role as the provider for the family. It is common to think that men, more so than women, work to achieve their self-esteem and sense of identity. Women today have started to link their self-identity to work. For most of them, the decision to work is all about their independence. Women want to feel more freedom, self-assurance and independence. They do not want to rely on men and feel weaker or less self-sufficient. According to the U.S Census Bureau, 66% of the world’s labor is performed by women, but they only receive 11% of the world's income.

It is viewed by most of the Upper School Schutz students that a woman should work only when she ensures that her first priority is given to her family.

Women should have the choice to work or not to. It is up to them to assess their priorities. The society does not have the right to limit their opportunities and capabilities because they are thus suppressing more than 50% of the society. As the world transforms, this view of women must adjust to this progression.