Gender Equality Op-ed

By Farida Mohamed

Patriarchal societies have existed forever, it seems, and religious dogma even helped to enforce them such that they became the norm. Women have long accepted the rules and laws legislated by men and have dutifully and meekly fulfilled the roles handed down to them. Societies, too, for a long time, have found it hard to deal with any woman who dared to veer from the norm. One example that comes to mind is Joan of Arc, burned at the stake in 1431 for daring to be different from other women of her time, dressing like a man and heading into battle with a vengeance.

Not so long ago in Canada, women did not have the right to own property or to own a bank account. Let us not forget that women were not considered persons but, rather, property of men until 1867, when the British North America Act was passed, and even then, this recognition took time to be accepted within the male-dominated society. It was in 1884 in Ontario, in 1900 in Manitoba and only in 1964 in Quebec that married women could buy or own property. By 1916–1918, Caucasian women had won the right to vote in five provinces of Canada, but women in Quebec would only obtain that right in 1940.

Luckily, women have made giant strides and in our modern societies, young females just cannot imagine that the rights they take for granted were not handed out on a plate but valiantly fought for. Yet gender inequality still exists in many segments of society. In some of the most developed countries, women do not have the same access to employment. Qualified immigrant women still have to contend with menial jobs that are underpaid and that do not make use of their education, skills and talent. Pay equity is still an issue for many. Prostitution, predominantly run by males, who are now rampantly enrolling minors, enslaves women. In many parts of the world, girls are being traded or being married against their will at a very young age. 

“Women still have to fight. The #MeToo movement has shown that we can transform the norms of society.”

In many cultures, women still perform the roles laid out for them without questioning the status quo. Or maybe because we live such complacent lives, we may not realize to what extent some women may be helpless to change their situation. Yet it’s safe to say that in some societies, women are accepting of their roles, which are different from those of men, and believe that instead of competing with their menfolk, they would rather have roles that complement those of men. This is true of many Muslim societies, and while it is hard for some of us to accept what we term the subjugation of women, those women are happy to be taken care of by their male partners and to not have to worry about having to fend for their family. 

Schools, colleges and universities are now full of women who stay the course and acquire diplomas and degrees. These women want to be counted and be involved in decision-making; they look forward to being policymakers in order to bring real change to society. They tend to think of the general well-being of all members of society rather than being gender-centric. Women leaders think of enacting laws that ensure the security of the general public. Jacinda Ardern is a great model for other politicians to follow; she passed a law banning automatic weapons in New Zealand right after 51 Muslims were killed in Christchurch. 

Women still have to fight. The #MeToo movement has shown that we can transform the norms of society. What used to be acceptable sexual harassment of women in the workplace is now considered taboo. The Idle No More initiative has brought to light the abuses that Indigenous women have had to endure for many years and has given these women a voice. In light of the trend that is shaping society, I say that now, more than ever, women have to stand firm and assume new roles and be counted.

I am happy to see that there are several women in Canada in roles of leadership, but I ask and hope that these women reverse the way society has traditionally functioned, which has been to put the needs and desires of rich men and corporations at the forefront of all policies. For real change to happen, we not only have to question the old system but move forward and implement a new one, where the rights of the vulnerable components of society are not trodden upon, where the gap between the insanely rich and the poor is reduced, where equal opportunities are available for all irrespective of race or gender. Such a world may seem to be a dream, but it is possible through education of the masses and through creating awareness about important and pressing issues.

We are lucky in Canada to have a ministry called Women and Gender Equality. We hope that the minister responsible for this department, the Honorable Maryam Monsef, will direct resources towards areas with the greatest need: Indigenous women who have been wronged for so long and who need to rebuild their societies that were restructured during colonization, immigrant women who bring new skills to the country, women of colour who have been subjugated to minor roles for too long, and all Canadian women who have suffered from abuse and violence from their male partners or others. Empowering women and helping those in poverty can help to shape a better economy.

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Farida Mohammed is the President of CCMW Montreal Chapter