Topic: Equality and empowerment for women in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean
Introduction:
Research Question: Latin America has a history of having a very patriarchal society. Over time, the area has felt some changes in respect towards women, but deep cultural values still remain in place for many. How has modernization and development effected equality and empowerment of Latin American women?
Thesis: There have been some strong advances for women in Latin America in the last two decades. More women have access to education and have opportunities to participate in politics. However, some deep-set cultural values still remain which limit still limit equality and empowerment for women in Latin America. Women are the key to development and are, in many cases sources of untapped economic potential. Eliminating gendered inequality in the region can help increase development and reduce poverty in the region.
INTRODUCE AREAS THAT HAVE SHOWN GROWTH TOWARDS EQUALITY
Political Participation
Transition/introduction- why is it important that women participate in politics
It is important for the region to increase the political participation and access of women. Increasing political participation in democratic countries will increase and strengthen the legitimacy of the government. (Desposato et al., pg. 160) There are many factors that contribute to the unequal participation in politics seen throughout the region. Studies have shown that more educated people are more likely to participate in politics. With this in mind, increasing access to education for girls in the region should lead to an increase in political participation. However, in the last decade, much has been done to increase girl’s access to education. (Desposato...
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...ics.” (Chant, 2003, pg. 10) Eva Peron, former leader of Argentina is a good example of marianismo values and political advancement. The values she endorsed, such as strong loyalty to the country and her husband as well as being the “mother of the nation” gave her political clout and power. (Chant, 2003, pg. 11)
“Violence Against Women: A Disaster Men Can Avoid”
How do you defeat traditional values/unlearn machismo?
Women as economic/development potential
Empowerment of women
“increased gender equality in Latin America and the world can, among other things: improve development outcomes for the next generation.” (Munoz, 2011)
Microfinance/microloans
Conclusion: there is still a long way to go for women in Latin America. Many positive changes bring hope to the possibility of establishing greater equality in the region. Education, politics; violence and poverty
Over the past few decades, research on women has gained new momentum and a great deal of attention. Susan Socolow’s book, The Women of Colonial Latin America, is a well-organized and clear introduction to the roles and experiences of women in colonial Latin America. Socolow explicitly states that her aim is to examine the roles and social regulations of masculinity and femininity, and study the confines, and variability, of the feminine experience, while maintaining that sex was the determining factor in status. She traces womanly experience from indigenous society up to the enlightenment reforms of the 18th century. Socolow concentrates on the diverse culture created by the Europeans coming into Latin America, the native women, and African slaves that were imported into the area. Her book does not argue that women were victimized or empowered in the culture and time they lived in. Socolow specifies that she does her best to avoid judgment of women’s circumstances using a modern viewpoint, but rather attempts to study and understand colonial Latin American women in their own time.
Not only cultural issue cause ineffective communication between the different cultures, but so do gender issues within the cultures. This article focuses on the issues that are faced not only by different cultures but also by the different genders. Starting out it shows how history has impacted equality for woman, along with the impact of politics, and ethics change how people live today. The main focus is on the Mexican-Americans culture and the African culture when it comes to gender roles and the effects those roles have on living daily along with communication in society. The main focus when it comes to Mexican- Americans is how men are taught to be macho or be emotionally detached, especially with their children, but the woman is expected
Women in Mexico and the United States of America have played an important role structuring their society and elevating their status. Between 1846 and 1930, the stereotype and position of women within these countries differed vastly from one another. While various traditional roles of women remained the same, the manner in which they were viewed differed. In many ways, women in Mexico held a higher position than those in the United States during this time.
Women's reproductive health is a debated and complex issue in today's society. Nowhere is its severity more prevalent than in areas of extreme poverty such as south and Central America. The resolution to these problems is far from simple. Yet, women are increasingly taking control of their lives and forming groups to combat many of the prejudices that hold them back. However highly debated some tactics for resolution may be it is hard to miss the shear urgency with which the issues of women's rights and health call us. The fight for gender equality cannot overlook the importance of equality in health care and control over one's own body. Women's health is an issue that passes along its concerns to another generation every time a child is born.
Craske, N. (1999). Women and Political Identity in Latin America. In Women and Politics in Latin America (First ed., pp. 9-25). N.p.: Rutgers University Press.
The hierarchy of gender played out in the new Spanish colonial regime where female dependency upon men was created and manipulated. The Spanish introduced ‘gender beliefs that proclaimed women’s infantility; only men could reach true adulthood and enter public life, freely sign contracts, and hold public office . Women, especially those in the newly created lower class, became dependent on men due to the new legal system put in place which made it so that they could not be full citizens. Men were able to realize full ‘citizenship’ along with the ability to leave the ayllus. This newly performed hierarchy was completely contradictory to the old gender parallelism of Andean society in which each gender had independent spheres and rights to
Women are part of our society and their tremendous performance is not less to those of men. They are competitive and superb in diverse areas, even beyond men in some situations. They constitute half of the world’s populace. Gender inequity subsists in many countries globally. Discriminating and preventing almost half of the world’s population from attaining its complete potential is an economic irrationality. Denying girls and women equality makes them endure, as well as obstruct development of whatever is left of society. In order to ensure we develop society as a whole, it is important to cultivate gender egalitarianism throughout all areas of our civilization.
Although women have conquered more power over the years, machismo still rules all over Mexico. Women is taught to be “stay-at-home” individuals and serve the men of her family and society. That type of thinking reinforces domestic violence, street violence, and the formation of groups that kidnap young women due to women’s vulnerability and the lack of protection in Mexico. Brooke Binkowski says that, “this issue’s been going on for a long time: the mistreatment of women, especially women of colour, the abuse of women, the disappearance of women” (Binkowski). Despite all the fight for equal rights, women are still treated like inferior
Indigenous people of the world have historically been and continue to be pushed to the margins of society. Similarly, women have experienced political, social, and economical marginalization. For the past 500 years or so, the indigenous peoples of México have been subjected to violence and the exploitation since the arrival of the Spanish. The xenophobic tendencies of Spanish colonizers did not disappear after México’s independence; rather it maintained the racial assimilation and exclusion policies left behind by the colonists, including gender roles (Moore 166) . México is historically and continues to be a patriarchal society. So when the Zapatista movement of 1994, more formally known as the Ejército Zapatista de Liberación National (Zapatista Army of National Liberation; EZLN) constructed a space for indigenous women to reclaim their rights, it was a significant step towards justice. The Mexican government, in haste for globalization and profits, ignored its indigenous peoples’ sufferings. Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico, consisting of mostly indigenous peoples living in the mountains and country, grew frustration with the Mexican government. It was in that moment that the Zapatista movement arose from the countryside to awaken a nation to the plight of indigenous Mexicans. Being indigenous puts a person at a disadvantage in Mexican society; when adding gender, an indigenous woman is set back two steps. It was through the Zapatista movement that a catalyst was created for indigenous women to reclaim rights and autonomy through the praxis of indigeneity and the popular struggle.
Women in Latin America were expected to adhere to extreme cultural and social traditions and there were few women who managed to escape the burden of upholding these ridiculous duties, as clearly shown in “Chronicle of a Death Foretold”. First, Latin American women were expected to uphold their honor, as well as their family's honor, through maintaining virtue and purity; secondly, women were expected to be submissive to their parents and especially their husbands; and lastly, women were expected to remain excellent homemakers.
In Diaz’s Mexico, Wealthier women had access to education, but could only use it to become the respectable matriarchs of their families, work for the church, or become teachers. Middle class women were relegated to vocational schools and were taught job-specific skills, which included no academics. Poorer women were treated by society with complete indifference, and only found opportunity as domestic servants, market workers, or prostitutes.
The fact that women are discriminated against and often viewed as inferior to men is no secret. Women all over the world have struggled to gain equality. Some of the rights that women longed for included better treatment at work and home, higher education, and parental authority. Many women in Latin America had conflicting views about certain women’s rights such as suffrage and divorce. While some progress has been made, Argentine women continue to fight for their rights with the help of important leaders and organizations because certain rights are still denied and violence against women continues to be a huge issue.
A women's role has changed tremendously and is making its greatest impact in our society today. Many years ago, women's contribution to society was limited and controlled by men. Women are standing tall and are playing a major role in many important areas. Women's role has changed at an accelerating rate and have part in areas such as Politics, Professional Training Jobs, Medicine,Business and Law. Formerly they were not part of any political matter, but they have advanced in many aspects. For example, women have attained power and have been growing in political office.
Women consist of half the world’s population and do two-third of the world’s working hours. However, they can only receive one tenth of money and own one hundred of property (“Women” 10). In spite of inequality enjoyed by men and women, there are distinct differences between the roles of women in the developed and the developing world- in the house and outside the house.
Mainstream development economists claim that investment in women may pay off eventually in the long run with high economic costs; such investments are not economically viable for a developing country with limited resources, but all evidence suggests quite the contrary. Women have an extraordinary power of being the enlightened agents of economic change; an economy that allows women to flourish and develop will henceforth emerge as a sustainable economy. Noting this relation public action and government intervention should facilitate the growth of these agents of change.