N 41 Continuation of Books I translated 2

Another issue the writers presented is about rape , where girls and women are victims. Rape is a crime against women that is happening all over the world, but where there is protection of the law, actions will be taken on behalf of the victims. But in countries where there is restlessness raping is used as a tool of war , to humiliate , to discredit the ruler of that country. The writers did research in African countries , where there have been civil wars namely East Congo, Sierra Leone, Sudan, Darfur, Liberia and Rwanda etc. In Liberia they said 90% of girls over age 3 were raped during civil war and all were done by militias. It is not surprising because even in our country we have seen or heard these actions and some had been taken to the UN.

There also are chapters concerning womens’ health, about women suffering from fistula and not enough Doctors and hospitals to help them. And also that maternal health care is needing, for every minute one woman is dying in childbirth.

Judging from the book and from my own knowledge the most abused women in the world are muslim women. They don’t have equal rights with men. Some muslim countries like Afghanistan do not let their girls go to school, women have to cover themselves from head to toe, and when men can take as many wives as they want a woman cannot have a wrong love affair. Otherwise there are some places where they will be stoned to death, or killed by their own family which they called honour killing, because the daughter had shamed them. Some are tortured , beaten or doured with acid.

There is a chapter in the book with the title Is Islam Mysogenistic ( women hating ) I dare not translate it the direct way because they (sensor board ) will not like  the word. So I said “ Are Women Hateful only.” So you can guess what are written in that chapter which will be about those I have written earlier.

But apart from all these unpleasant things women have to face there are some chapters that gives hope for the future of women.  About how microcredit financing can help family lives become better by giving them to the women to handle the money . About how investing in girls and womens’ education can help a region’s economy become better and developed.

 Then also  there are some cases where women challenged the ready to kill rulers, rapers, pimps. For example Usha Narayan who was  not afraid of the thug who ruled the slum and  lived like a king. He and his mobsters robbed, raped, murdered and tortured . But Usha headed  a group of slum dwellers and fought and killed him in the end with one stab each. Then they confessed “We all kill him . Arrest us all . “ So no action cannot be taken on them.

See about  Sunitha Krishnan a small Indian girl, she is  also a legendary among those who are fighting human trafficking. Mukta Mai of Pakistan who used the compensation money for her being raped to build schools because she believes in education.

Edna who lives in Somalia comes from an elite family. She attended good schools and became nurse-midwife , then became Somalia’s 1^st lady. Later divorced and was recruited by W H O. She had a good life of a UN official and was posted around the world. When she retired in 1997 she sold her Mercedes and with her pensions, her savings she built a maternity hospital.

One thing that cannot be left out about the book is that it gives you information about all organizations that are helping girls and womens’ lives become better. They included the UN organizations, and many NGOs. A list is also given at the end of the book . It will be useful if someone wants to help or donate  or join in some activities.

The last thing I want to say is  that it is a good book . It  is not to enjoy but to feel. The full title of the book is Half the Sky…. How to Change the World. So after someone has read it and wants to do something to help change the world , our world will become a better place and the theme the authors had targeted will be achieved.