LET NOT AMANAT'S DEATH BE IN VAIN

I heard the news over breakfast early this morning that gang-rape victim 'Amanat' (not her real name) had passed away at 4.45am today. She had been flown to Singapore and admitted to Mount E barely 24 hours ago in a critical condition. Yesterday the doctors had announced that 'the vital signs of the 23-year old paramedical student were deteriorating with signs of severe organs failure', and her parents had been told to be by her bedside to comfort her.

Her demise will certainly re-ignite protests and demonstrations worldwide that violence against women should not be tolerated, that women are to be respected and anyone found guilty of abuse against women should be severely punished. The term 'women' here includes little girls as well for they are tomorrow's women.

Source: Associated Press

Enough is enough. For too long rapists have managed to get away either scot-free or given only a light sentence. This makes a mockery of justice. Our world is pretty much a patriarchal one. Policy-makers are still overwhelmingly male. It's about time we had more women representation in governments and public organizations. Only women can truly know what it is like to be treated less worthy than a man. Only they know what it feels like to be treated as objects of sexual pleasure for men or traded as commodities by them.

The Straits Times published a poignant letter today that deserves to be shared. It was written before the announcement of Amanat's passing. Do read it to appreciate what it is like to be a woman living in a country where you feel safe no matter where you go on your own. It is a 'Tale of Two Countries'. I am writing this in Singapore, and I echo the sentiments expressed in the letter.

Over to you, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. You know what needs to be done. A pledge means nothing if it is not honoured.

From today's Straits Times

Isn't it ironic that women bear the two most iconic symbols of liberty and justice? Statues are mere tourist attractions if the values they represent are not embraced by men and women everywhere.

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY - IS THERE CAUSE TO CELEBRATE?

Today, 8 March, is International Women's Day. Since 1893 when New Zealand became the first country in the world to give women the right to vote, women's emanicipation has come a long way. It strikes me as strange that women have to struggle to win what should rightfully be their birth rights.

Speaking as a woman born and bred in Malaysia, I am fortunate that I have the right to vote, to be educated, to earn a living, speak freely, and choose my life partner. But women here are still discriminated against in many areas, including employment, salary, inheritance, custody of children in divorce cases. Gender bias is still encountered on a daily basis.

While my counterparts in the west have made remarkable progress on the road to emancipation, enjoying freedom in almost every facet of life, the same can't be said of the majority of women living outside the west, especially those living in many parts of Asia, Africa and the Middle East. We are living in the 21st century, yet there are cultures that still adhere to age-old practises which discriminate against women.

In patriarchal societies, women have no or limited access to education. They are viewed as second class citizens. They have virtually no say in anything. Abortion of female fetuses is still practised in India and China. Child marriage is condoned, despite statistics showing that underage pregnancies often lead to death for the young mothers during childbirth.

Let's not even go into sexual harassment, rape and sex trafficking.

So is there cause to celebrate Women's Day today? Well, I'll lift my glass of teh tarik for a toast, but it would be premature and presumptious to open a bottle of champagne. Not yet anyway.

Just for the record, 8 March 2011 marks the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. Is there an International Men's Day? Yes. It is celebrated on 19 November. Next year will be the 12th anniversary celebrations - almost a new kid on the block as far as anniversaries go. Why the late start for the men? Go figure.