Feminism is a well-known topic in today’s society, with recent conversations including the #MeToo movement and the period poverty campaign. Although, in the third world, feminism is seen as an attempt at cultural relativism, which is the process of western nations pushing their morals and social norms onto developing nations. Whatever you believe, feminist movements do exist in the third world, and they’re campaigning for a range of rights and for equality. Feminists around the world all campaign for empowerment, as “Empowerment comes in many shaped in the first world and beyond” [1]. The empowerment of women should be a goal all around the world, however, in third world countries, women have more concerns than just empowerment.
Figure 1: Women poster
Female genital mutilation
FGM is a practice that takes place where part of a girl`s genitalia is cut. The reason this is practiced in some countries is because it’s believed that cutting or changing the genital area makes it cleaner, and in some cultures, it is seen as preparing a girl for marriage. It is also used as some think it helps ensure premarital virginity. FGM is a violation of human rights, and yet, “UNICEF estimated in 2016 that 200 million women living today in 30 countries—27 African countries, Indonesia, Iraqi Kurdistan and Yemen—have undergone the procedures.” [2]
Education
Girls are often taken out of education or are not put into it in the first place so that they can help out at home instead and learn the way of a “housewife”. Child marriage happens all over the world and 1 in 5 girls are said to be married before 18. It is thought by some that girls miss school to be taught household jobs so when they get married as a child, they are on track for their husband.
Also, another reason is that boys are often sent to school more so rather than girls as boys are often seen as stronger and more intelligent in the third world, as was the case in the early 20th century in the UK. Lack of education in children contributes to health both mentally and physically. A lack of education means lack of knowledge about things such as exploitation or discrimination. “Educated women are less likely to be vulnerable” [3]. Education can play a wide part in how women see themselves and how women interact with the world, along with how they allow the world to interact with them. When children are young, they will soak up any information given to them; education is really important at a young age and a key area in their life which if missed, will shape their lives and the society and world around them.
Figure 2: Schoolchildren sitting in the shade
Taliban and Feminism
Women in the Taliban are treated unfairly and discriminated against often. One example of this is that in 1996 the Taliban decreed that all women should be banned from employment [4]. At just fifteen years old, Malala Yousafzai was shot by the Taliban in 2012 because she had been passionate about speaking out for girl`s right to education. “After her recovery from her attempted assassination she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize and she has an organization called the Malala fund, which raises money for girls to attend school.” [4]
Menstruation
Often water in third world countries is unhygienic and not clean, as such, girls tend to miss school as they don't often have proper facilities to clean and wash themselves. Also, there is a stigma attached to periods in some countries as it is rarely spoken about and treated as taboo. “In Zimbabwe, 20% of girls in rural areas skip school when they menstruate, which is reflective of many African countries. The schools might not have proper toilets, and girls cannot afford sanitary pads.” [5]
There are organizations and charities that aim to provide sanitary products to women in the third world that would otherwise have no access to them. An example of an organization with this goal is Lunapads, which has provided over 100,000 reusable period products to more than 17,000 women in 18 countries. [6]
Feminism benefits everyone and women in the third world have their trials just as women in the 1st world have. Each have different struggles, but each share the same goal: equality of the sexes. Feminism affects everyone for the greater good and adds to society's well-being. Feminism exists in third world countries, an example of a third world feminist movies is a woman called Masih Alinejad who is an Irian woman who took her hijab off and since has started an online movement called `My Stealthy Freedom` to promote women’s empowerment.
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