Chelsea's+Rough+Draft

As a whole, Africa does not get a lot of media attention here in the United States. Most of the attention is focused on celebrity mishaps, political controversy and overpaid sports figures. Most of the international coverage is focused on the war in the Middle East and as a result, Africa is often forgotten left behind and forgotten about. Even in school, most of the attention is focused on European and American history. In fact, the only exposure I remember having to Africa was during my 7th grade social studies class and a history class about West Africa here at NC State, which was required for my major. Because of the lack of information available, I have often wondered what life was really like in Africa, especially for women. Networks such as The Discovery Channel and National Geographic sometimes put together documentaries focusing on life in Africa, but I wanted to learn more. What is life really like for African women? What are some of the challenges that they have faced from the beginning? These were the questions that I decided to focus on while conducting my research.

From an early age, women have faced different circumstances than neighboring boys. For most parents, sending their young daughters to school is not a priority, but instead a privilege usually given to the sons of the family. When girls grow up, they are only expected to work and clean around the house or in the field, tend the gardens, take care of the children, and wait on the men in the house. Public education is free throughout most of Africa, but with uniforms, books and school supplies, the expenses quickly add up. As a result, many girls do not receiving schooling in Africa and those who are wealthy enough to afford it usually do not make it past primary education (Kaziba). In Malawi, for example, only 4 percent of women have secondary education (CBBC). Not having an education to fall back on usually creates more problems for women later in their lives.

Things do not get any better for girls as they get older. Most young girls also complete the rite of passage into womanhood, which usually consists of female circumcision (Kabiza). This is an extremely painful and dangerous custom young woman are forced to adhere to. Research has shown that there is a strong connection between female genital mutilation and the spread of HIV/AIDS virus. The procedure is usually carried out by a traditional medicine man and birth attendants and neither parties usually have knowledge of sterilization or disease prevention. As a result, an instrument used to treat an infected girl may be used again on other girls, which spreads the virus. Senator Iyabo Obasanjo Bello in Nigeria believes that, “we must shine the light on this hidden ritual and talk about it openly. We must understand the thinking of the perpetuators and try to enlighten them by debunking each of their reasons for continuing this outdated and unnecessary custom” (UN). Female circumcision provides no health benefits to young girls and only causes problems for them later down the road.

Sexual violence is very common against women in Africa, and it starts at a young age and continues into adulthood. Many young girls report that once after reaching puberty, they are often violated by relatives or neighbors. Rape and incest often goes unreported in many countries in Africa and no punishment is usually given. The violent practices do not stop once a woman is married. In fact, sexual violence and infidelity is even more common once a woman is married and the impact is even greater. The majority of Africans living with HIV are female, and 80% are between the ages of 15 and 19 (Independent). This stems from the fact that women are forced into sexual activity at a young age, cannot insist on condom us, have few resources to call upon and often have unfaithful husbands. A report from a Church of Uganda Bishop reported that 86% of men who are married or currently in a live-in relationship have illicit affairs that have resulted in HIV transmission (Kaziba). One husband even admitted to his wife that he had had over fifty affairs during the period of only twelve months (Kabiza). Unfortunately, stories like this are not uncommon throughout many African countries and with numbers like this, it is no wonder that HIV/AIDS has affected so many. Unfortunately, to many men, women are not seen as people yet. Instead, they are seen as objects that can be tossed around and abused. However, women are expected to take care of the house, take care of their husband and children, find a job, provide for their family - they are given all this responsibility, yet they have no respect. Ironic?

A typical day for a married African woman consists of waking up extremely early and beginning their chores before their husband even wakes up. The house-hold chores include things like sweeping and dusting the mud floor in their huts. Women must be careful not to wake up their husbands while completing these chores, as they are usually started around 4am (Independent). The first major task of the day involves fetching water, which is no easy task. Water that is suitable for drinking is usually miles away and women have to balance babies and buckets of water on the journey back to their hut. On average, women walk six kilometers each day to fetch water, which could be avoided if there was greater access to clean drinking water (Independent). In some areas, women spend up to seven hours a day traveling to retrieve clean water, which is time that could be spent taking care of children or working a job to bring in an income (BBC). Water has to be collected multiple times throughout the day and is a physically demanding job. Many women experience back, neck and shoulder pains and injuries because of the heavy workload. Children try to help their mothers when they are old enough and often travel with their mother to help carry additional buckets of water.

After fetching water, many women either head into the field to work or travel to the market, in hopes of finding a job for the day. Children are assigned various jobs to complete around the house and some children, if they are old enough, even head into the market to find jobs. Rebeka Dz’da Buma said that she goes to the market “to find small jobs to do so that I can get food for my family. Usually I help people who sell beans and maize to weigh things and store them” (WFP). //The Independent// newspaper reports that African women, not men, grow at least 70 percent of food. Women work two-thirds of Africa’s working hours and somehow only earn 10 percent of its income, and own less than one percent of its property (Independent). These shocking numbers demonstrate the inequalities that women face in all aspects of their lives. Women spend most of their money trying to provide for their family, while men spend most of themselves and liquor. After working all day, women come home and if they had a good day at work, they are able to provide a meal for their families to eat. “There is very little to eat,” one woman said. “Sometimes we eat cassava leaves that are diseased and these give us diarrhea. Me and my friends worry a lot about food, about whether we will be able to feed our children,” she continued. Every day is a challenge to earn enough money to put food on the table for dinner.

As the day winds to an end, women usually continue completing chores around the house. Children are given a bath, usually without soap, and then put to bed. The floor is swept again, clothes are sewn and mended together after working in the field all day, and husbands are waited on hand and foot. When it comes to bed time, Anasthasie Bodha was interviewed and said, “In the evening we go back home, and we sleep on the floor on a mat I have made. We sleep all together myself, my husband and the children and we cover ourselves with my cloths. I do not have time to relax except at night when I sleep” (WFP). Unfortunately, many women agree with Anasthasie and share similar thoughts. Rebeka Dz’da Buma said, “We lie on a man on the floor and sleep next to each other, and we cover ourselves with cloths. There is no time to relax for me except at night when I sleep” (WFP). An unfortunate end to an extremely long and tiring day for many women.

Overall, my inquiry on African women and various aspects of their daily life was very interesting. I knew very little going into this assignment and I was not sure what to expect with my research. Africa, especially African women, is not a topic that is covered by the news or media that often, so I had not had a lot of exposure to what was really occurring here. I read blog entries, interviews and news reports which described the events and circumstances that surround African women. I read the painful stories that women told and I could almost hear the hurt in their voices as they shared what they had been through. “My problem is, I was born a woman,” Irene told her interviewer (Kabiza). Anasthasie Bodha from the Democratic Republic of Congo shared, “When I think about my life, my stomach hurts” (WFP). It was an eye-opening experience researching the various challenges that these women face on a daily basis.

What is life really like for African women? It is hard. It is hard, unfair and unacceptable. Each woman was different, but they all lived very similar lifestyles. The hardships are common in each story and the circumstances parallel. From sunrise to sunset, African women are on the go. There is no time for a break, no time to relax, and there is definitely no “me time” for these women. They are able to push their own needs aside, in order to take care of their husband and children. These women live extremely difficult and painful lives and I am not sure that I could survive a day in any of their shoes. I look up to many of them for continuing to get up each morning and deal with the obstacles that are thrown at them. It says a lot about the character of women and what they value in life. Of course it would be easy to sit back and say “I’m done, I give up” but most African women do not this. Some would say that African women are “weak” or “stupid” for putting up with the inequalities, abuse and poverty that they are forced to deal with – but I have to strongly disagree. I think it takes a lot of courage, strength and dedication to continue fighting on. I admire African women who are able to keep pushing despite the circumstances that they face. I hope that one day, African women will be able to band together and receive the treatment and respect that they deserve.

[|http://fgmnetwork.org/news/show_news.php?subaction=showfull&id=1283981718&archive=&template=]

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