Eritrean Women: Holding Up Half the Sky
"There would not be an independent Eritrea without Eritrean women"
http://geeskaafrika.com/2016/03/06/eritrean-women-holding-up-half-the-sky/
*Eritrean Women: Holding Up Half the Sky*
*Dr. Fikrejesus Amahazion *Emerging from the activities of labour movements
at the turn of the twentieth century in North America and across Europe,
International Women’s Day (IWD) was first commemorated by the United
Nations (UN) on March 8th during International Women’s Year in 1975.
Around the world, IWD represents an important opportunity for individuals,
communities, and countries to celebrate the progress, great achievements,
and contributions of women, raise and confront difficult questions and
challenges, build broad support for women’s rights, and work towards the
full and equal participation of women within all areas of society. In
Eritrea, a young, low-income, developing country located within the
fractious Horn of Africa, IWD is celebrated as a national public holiday.
Furthermore, it helps underscore how Eritrean women have long been key
components of families, communities, and society, and that they are
extremely vital to the country’s present and future.
The longest African independence war of the 1900s, and amongst the most
destructive, Eritrea’s three decades long struggle was about far more than
just political emancipation. Rather, it sought to usher in a complete and
radical transformation of society. Accordingly, an important dimension of
the struggle – giving special attention to egalitarian, popular democratic
principles and ideals – was a particular focus on women’s and
gender-related issues. No longer would women be narrowly viewed as
secondary, subordinate figures within society; instead, they would stand
proudly as full equals to men.
Embodying the notion of *equality through struggle*, thousands of valiant
Eritrean women joined the armed struggle, eventually comprising over 30% of
its ranks. They served honorably, fought bravely, and sacrificed greatly
alongside men in the labyrinth-like trenches, high in the rugged mountains,
on the battlefields, and across the frontlines. Ultimately, Eritrean women
would prove absolutely critical to the eventual achievement of
independence. In a similar vein, since national independence, Eritrean
women have been key drivers of the nation’s pursuit of national development
and socio-economic progress.
In honor and recognition of Eritrean women’s monumental contribution to the
liberation struggle, the country undertook several steps after independence
to formally guarantee women’s equal standing in all sectors of society. It
ratified the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination
against Women (CEDAW) in 1995 and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’
Rights in 1999, and has worked diligently to implement the Beijing Platform
for Action. Furthermore, Eritrea legally prohibited harmful, traditional
practices, including female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C), child
marriage, bride price, kidnappings, and dowry.
As well, the National Union of Eritrean Women (NUEW), an organization first
established in the 1970s and boasting hundreds of thousands of members, has
actively coordinated, monitored, and implemented a broad array of programs,
initiatives, and public campaigns. Importantly, NUEW’s work has
substantively helped propel social transformation, develop a conducive
environment for gender equality, support the empowerment of women, and
encourage women’s equal participation in the political, economic, social,
and cultural spheres.
Notably, attention to gender equality has also extended to the employment
and economic sectors. Globally, women’s economic empowerment is
increasingly recognized as a crucial factor in promoting gender equality.
Economically strengthening women is not only a fundamental moral
imperative, in terms of encouraging the realization of inherent,
inalienable women’s and human rights, it also serves to stimulate and
undergird economic growth and prosperity. A plethora of examples and case
studies abound – from Bangladesh to Bolivia to South Korea and Kerala,
amongst others – revealing that when families, governments, the business
sector, communities, and societies invest in girls and women, and work to
eliminate inequalities, developing countries are less likely to be plagued
by destitution and poverty and they become better positioned to thrive
within highly competitive global markets.
In Eritrea, National Labour and Land Reform Proclamations secure legal
protection for women in employment, guarantee women equal opportunities and
maternal protection benefits, and ensure that women are able to purchase,
use, or inherit land without discrimination. Additionally, several national
initiatives, such as the Macro Policy, the Interim Poverty Reduction
Strategy Program, the National Saving and Loan Program, the National Gender
Action Plan, and NUEW’s micro-credit programs were created to guarantee
that women would be adequately supported with the requisite resources and
vital technical training that would help them fulfill their potential.
The diverse efforts promoting equality, coupled with gradual – yet
noticeable – societal cultural changes, have seen women integrated into
many sectors of the economy, allowing them to play a vital role in the
country’s development and progress. With the majority of the Eritrea’s
population residing within rural and semi-rural areas, relying
predominantly on agriculture, crop cultivation, and animal husbandry for
income, it is notable that many Eritrean women now proudly own land.
Women’s ownership also extends to business, where they retain control over
40% of all small and medium-sized enterprises. Moreover, women now
constitute a large segment of the workforce, and they remain very active in
the informal sector. While women have traditionally been concentrated in
manufacturing, such as the garment, leather, and tobacco industries,
through steady improvements and investment in education and human capital,
and greater access to opportunity, they are gradually transitioning to
high-skilled sectors.
Around the world, it has long been the rule that women are inferior, with
little ability to contribute substantively to society. However, from the
days of the long struggle and since independence, Eritrea’s resilient women
have shattered such outdated, patriarchal rules and notions through their
wholehearted participation, struggle, contributions, and sacrifice. Today,
Eritrean women are active within all areas of society and they contribute
in many diverse ways, ultimately playing a crucial role in the country’s
socio-economic progress and overall development.
In Eritrea, an old, backwards proverb states that, “like there is no donkey
with horns, there is no woman with brains.” Relegating such sentiments to
the dustbins of history, a more apt phrase, to borrow from a proclamation
by the late Chairman Mao, is that “[Eritrean] women hold up half the sky.”
By 1991, women made up 40% of the fighting force in EPLF. There would not
be an independent Eritrea without Eritrean women.
Iconic picture on the left is of EPLF freedom fighter Lemlem in Afabet,
Eritrea in 1988. (Credit: Jenny Mattews)/Photo
Received on Mon Mar 07 2016 - 15:42:19 EST