SO 206 week 4 Discussion – Global Gender Inequality

Global Gender Inequality

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Global Gender Inequality

Gender inequality in most parts of the world is related to traditional, cultural and religious practices which are carried out among women. These practices include those that have been passed down from generations to generations, those dictated by religious teachings and false interpretations of religious teachings, and those which are practiced in the cultures of particular communities. Some of these practices are a blend of both culture and religion and bring great suffering and injustice to women.

One such practice is child marriage in the country of Zimbabwe in the African continent. This is the marriage of children below eighteen years and some even at the very small age of twelve to fifteen. Statistics from the United Nations indicate that about a third of girls in the country of Zimbabwe get married before eighteen years of age and four percent get married before fifteen years of age. This has been a big issue in this country and was brought to light by two Zimbabwean child brides who sued the government for failing to pass laws against child marriage. This has led the government to initiate the development of legislation against paying of bride price for girls under the age of eighteen.

Child marriage in Zimbabwe has been encouraged by a blend of religion and traditional practices. The indigenous religions in Zimbabwe including the apostolic churches and charismatic evangelical groupings are said to encourage child marriages. This, alongside the traditional practices whereby children are married off at a young age in the various cultures in Zimbabwe, have encouraged child marriages. Child marriages impact the girl child negatively in many ways including denying them the chance to continue their education, exposure to sexual and domestic violence, increased risk of exposure to HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections and complications during childbirth. All these make the girl child become weak and unable to develop themselves fully to reach their full potential.

In conclusion, it is evident that gender inequality is still present in many parts of the world. This gender inequality is manifested in several religious, traditional and cultural practices. A good example is child marriage in Zimbabwe which is encouraged by both religion and culture. This can be fought through passage of laws against the practice. This has however not been implemented and may take time even as children in marriages continue to suffer the consequences of this brutal act.

Reference

Dispatches: Ending Child Marriage in Zimbabwe. (2016). Retrieved April 18, 2016, from https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/03/31/dispatches-ending-child-marriage-zimbabwe