Irrational teachings

On September 18, the president announced measures to turn the tide against women abuse. By tackling uneven economic power dynamics the government can reduce the vulnerability of women to abuse.

But what about religion and culture, in the name of which women are treated as unequal to men based on religious teachings and cultural norms, subjugating women to inferior and subservient status? Such teachings are irrational, unjust and unacceptable to fair-minded people. Ironically, they conflict with the cornerstones of religion such as love, generosity and justice.

The constitution provides that every person has the right to equality, and the right not to be unfairly discriminated against, inter alia on the grounds of gender. It also provides that every person has the right to freedom of religion and culture. In the case of women, there is a clear dichotomy and tension in the application of these conflicting rights. Hopefully the former will trump the latter if challenged in the Constitutional Court.

There is an urgent need for archaic unconstitutional religious teachings and cultural norms to be abolished. Such teachings and norms adversely influence the male ego, personality of boys and men, and social attitudes and behavioural patterns, to the prejudice of women in many spheres of their socioeconomic life, including violent abuse and the “feminisation of poverty, seen in its starkest form in marriage”, to quote June Sinclair, a former dean of law at Wits.

There is at least a need for men and women to engage in debate with their religious and cultural leaders (most of whom are men) in a dignified and unbiased manner to effect change.

Alick Costa Via e-mail