In practice, in most countries, culture and tradition place women in a subservient position to men.
People are deeply influenced by their cultural environments but at the same time, they influence and build the cultures around them. Culture is dynamic and cultures survive by responding to changing realities. Gender roles are also dynamic and can therefore change.
Tradition is a custom or belief that the people in a particular group or society have practised or held for a long time.
Culture is usually a combination of a shared common history, religion, customs, art, dress and ethnic background and the way that different groups depend on each other.
Culture and tradition can:
oppress and/or liberate
empower and/or disempower
(UNESCO Bangkok)
- in daily life most women have fewer rights than men, even when they are equal before the law. This is reinforced in countries where not only official or state law is practiced, but also customary and family or religious law. It has severe implications for women.
- in some African countries such as Zimbabwe and Uganda, under customary law, women are always considered to be minors. This means that they can't inherit land or property and therefore have no collateral to get loans.
- women who are considered to be minors do not even have the right to keep their own children. If the husband dies everything goes to the male members of his family. The widow is also expected to marry one of them.
- rural women are often more likely to take their grievances or problems to the more accessible community or customary courts, particularly poor and illiterate women who are afraid of state courts. But these customary courts often don't apply the laws protecting women that have been agreed by their governments.
EXERCISE
Think of examples of cultural practices in your own countries that place women in an inferior position to men.
Assess whether they can be changed without destroying the good aspects of your culture'?