The case study of Shah Bano is complicated by the issues of religion, government, and, very importantly, gender. The dilemma is whether Shah Bano should be awarded maintenance in the situation of her husband divorcing her, despite the fact that religious laws don’t support maintenance. However, the real problem is not one of maintenance or no maintenance, but it is actually related to gender inequality. Why does Shah Bano even need maintenance? Why is it the husband who would be responsible to pay maintenance in the first place? The true problem is that women are not seen as equals and are therefore not afforded the same opportunities as men, especially in employment. If Shah Bano is unable to get a job because she is seen as inferior due to the fact that she is a woman, then surely her husband would need to pay maintenance. However, if women were given equal opportunity in the workforce then there may be no need to discuss this case, as Shah Bano could easily go out and get a job to support herself. So in addressing this problem we must look to the bigger picture that is unfair treatment of women in regards to employment opportunity.
Unequal employment opportunity is affecting women not only in India but in the United States as well and everywhere for that matter. In India, it is reported that “less than 22% of women were engaged in work as either marginal or main workers” (Dunlop and Velkoff). Studies show the majority of women feel they have to work harder than men to get the same results. They also felt that they needed to work in jobs that men were not very prevalent in to avoid competition. If women are not given the same opportunity to work than how can we expect them to support themselves. The issue of gender inequality in the workforce also applies to women in the United States, although a bit differently. While in some places women may have the same opportunity to get jobs as men, there is still an inconsistency in salary. Women are, on average, paid seventy-seven cents for every dollar a man makes (Kirk and Okazawa-Rey 310). There are also the problems of gender division of labor and the discrepancy of pay in these gender dominated fields. It’s obvious there is a problem when child care workers typically earn less than automobile repair persons, and when child care is a generally female dominated field, while automobile repairs is typically dominated by men. Women need to be given equality in all senses but, for the purpose of this argument, in employment, and in order to do head in the direction of equality something will have to change.
Although we are all facing similar problems, as different countries we must approach equality in the workforce through different strategies. Women are treated unfairly everywhere, “In factories worldwide there are mostly female workers who are employed in precarious working condition who experience ‘low wages, stressful quotas and forced overtime’” (Kirk and Okazawa-Rey 383). With oppression in the workforce we must be able to work together in order to help each other to come up with the best possible solutions. As an American person, one cannot understand the situation of an Indian person completely and vice versa. As feminists fighting for equality we must combine our efforts and unite against the oppression women are facing. One specific way for us to join forces would be to contact and partner up with the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA), whose main goals is are to “organize women workers for full employment. [Meaning,] employment whereby workers obtain work security, income security, food security and social security (at least health care, child care and shelter” (“About Us” par 2). We would need to set up forms of communication with them. I believe visiting each other’s countries will help us gain a better understanding of the struggles the women in the other country go through, and will better equip us to help each other. Through visiting face to face and using technology to our advantage, through video chat, emails, creating a webpage, etc, I believe we will be able to communicate with each other very efficiently. In both countries, a core issue is how women are viewed. If we can change people’s perception of women and their “role” then we can be seen as equals. We must place importance on women as people and see them as more than mothers or home makers. In the United States, implementing paid maternity leave, creating more family friendly employer policies, and putting a higher emphasis on jobs like childcare and teaching could all be things that would help to change the view of the woman’s role. As an American woman I cannot be sure what would be best to allow more opportunity for women in India, but that is why teaming up with other activists living in India is so important. However, whether you live in India or America, the need to educate people is a vital part of creating equality. Some people may be stubborn in their ways and refuse to change unless forced. This is why the government must be educated and pressured to create laws and put importance on women’s rights.
While we are living in a world Globalization where we are all interconnected and affecting each other, so are the world’s problems connected. In order to achieve global equality than many problems such as poverty, slavery, sexism, racism, and the list goes on, will have to be solved as well. I don’t think you can tackle one without tackling the other in most cases, but that is surely a lot to tackle. It is possible to make changes, however, without changing everything, and that is what this idea proposes. We cannot change the world overnight, but through combining efforts and making movements together, we can create changes to move us in the right direction.
Works Cited
“About Us.” Self Employment Women's Association. 2009. November 16, 2010. Web.
Dunlop, John E. and Victoria A. Velkoff. “Women and the Economy in India.” International Programs Center (1999). Web.
Kirk, Gwyn and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women's Lives: Multicultural Perspectives. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2010. Print.
