Different Faiths View the Rights and Education of Women - Essay Example

Insert How Different Faiths View the Rights and Education of Women It is true that different faiths have different levels of acceptance of women’s rights. This reality is underpinned by the fact that every religious faith has its own ideology and belief system and these belief systems are cast in stone. There are different levels of acceptance of women’s rights accorded in Abrahamic religions. Specifically, Islam accords limited rights to women, though this topic of women’s rights and Islam is very controversial. Salient features of women’s rights include the right to public participation, the power of choice, and civil liberties (such as the right of private property and freedom of association). The right to public participation is seen to be limited to women in Islam since women are not allowed in the public, save in the company of a male relative. Certain public roles cannot also be dispensed by women in Islamic countries and in accordance to Shariah Law. This explains the rarity of female participation in political affairs in the Middle East. Women are nevertheless allowed to own private property in Islam. The freedom of association is limited in that its realization is widely accorded within the ummah but limited outside it. It is unlikely that Muslimahs (Muslim women) will engage in secular or non-Islamic associations because of the restriction of the freedom of association and movement. Some may want to discount the standpoint above and argue that Islam is more silent on the treatment of women than it is restrictive as previously mentioned. However, this silence or ambivalence may be the fueling force behind the suppression of women’s rights. The fact that women are subjected to mercy killings and publicly executed in quasi-judicial arrangements without the involvement of proper legal apparatuses as Muslim leaders in the Islamic world (particularly, the Middle East) underscore the suppression of women’s rights. Just recently, the recent public stoning of a Pakistani woman on 29 May 2014, outside Lahore Courts and under the watch of the police illustrate the plight of women in the Middle East. The suppression of women’s right to choose in this situation is underscored by the fact that the woman in point was stoned for merely choosing her husband, in lieu of the man her family had entered an arrangement with. In Judaism, the recognition of women’s rights enjoys a relatively wider threshold. This is because, the right of the power of choice, and civil liberties (such as the right of private property and freedom of association). The place of the right of the woman to own property is well enshrined in the Torah, as can be seen in the case of the daughters of Zelophehad (Numbers 27). The right of the power of freedom of movement and association is also broader in Judaism and among the Jew. The preponderance of women (such as Deborah, Esther and Golda Meir) in Jewish history is a culmination of the extension of these freedoms to women. The recognition of women’s rights in the Christian faith is stronger and enjoys a larger threshold. Women are allowed to assume leadership positions in the Church, in Christendoms and in countries that are founded on Christian principles. Nevertheless, it is also true that there are aspects of suppression in mainstream denominations such as Roman Catholicism, the Anglican Church of England and Presbyterians. How Women’s’ Rights Impact the Society Women’s rights impact the society to a very large extent. First, the recognition of women’s rights is essential for the recognition of a democracy and an all-inclusive society. While some may gainsay this standpoint by saying that Athens’ classical form of democracy was exclusive of women’s political participation, yet it is important to appreciate the fact that the world over, most democracies are mainly representative and not classical. Particularly, American democracy is cognizant of the Declaration of the American Independence which asserts the equality of all people as equal beings, having rights that are unalienable and these rights being foremost inclusive of the right to life, the right to liberty and pursuit of happiness. It is therefore that if American democracy is to be fully realized, it has to factor the role and place of women in the society. In this light, locking out women from the corporate sector undermines women’s pursuit of happiness and the prospects of realizing an all-inclusive society. A democratic, just, egalitarian and free society must acknowledge the rights and freedoms of all races, classes, creed and sexes. How Women’s Rights Can Be Improved The best way of improving women’s rights is by strengthening or safeguarding democratic institutions which safeguard equality in the eyes of the law. The safeguarding of democratic institutions may involve, enshrining the laws that capture egalitarian values of the society in the constitution. In the event that the rights of women are still suppressed, legislative organs such as Congress or Parliament should sponsor and pass bills that espouse equality for women. This development is aptly captured in fledgling democracies. Particularly, Kenya in 2010 promulgated its constitution which specifies gender rule by stipulating the 1/3 rule. As touching this rule, all public service sectors and portfolios must reserve a third of its positions for women. The corollary to this was the US making structural changes to accommodate women in public positions, commonly known as shattering the glass ceiling. Education serves as a powerful tool for positive socialization and should therefore be used to conscientize the society not only on the importance of women, but also of both sexes. The educational curriculum in this light should be remodeled to capture the complementary roles that both men and women discharge in the society, as a part of a complex whole. How Women’s Rights Impacts the Economy If women had all the Rights It is impossible to envision the economic consequences that will accompany the ultimate empowering of women and the accordance of women’s rights. This is because, even in mature democracies such as England and the United States, women are empowered but not optimally. Research study findings which would support the concomitance between women’s empowerment and economic growth have not been philanthropic enough to demonstrate the relationship between women and constructs such as corruption, competence and diligence which are salient features of economic growth. Nevertheless, it is important to acknowledge the fact that if women are accorded equal rights with men, the society would experience improvement on the side of children. This is because women have a tendency to prioritize children over personal aggrandizement. How Faith, Justice and Globalization Would Impact Women’s Rights How Women’s Rights Would Impact Faith, Justice and Globalization in the World Works Cited Read More