Berkley Center

Resolving gender issues is a topic of high importance that receives worldwide attention nowadays. This topic symbolizes the way our world should function.  What importance should be given to women in our social life? In the context of this International Women’s Day on March 8, 2015, I choose to focus on all the female victims of any sort of ill-treatment, and especially on African women. What I say before starting is, “Stop violence against women!”

That cry describes the high level of suffering African women have been facing for many years. They are really viewed as toys. Men consider (in our African societies) that women lack any ability to succeed in life. So they are often excluded from all the important social activities. Parents also refuse to send their daughters to school, protesting that boys are cleverer than girls. This brings about a great injustice. In fact, the example of Wangari Maatai, that special Kenyan woman who worked to protect the Kenyan environment, shows that African women can do fantastic things to contribute to the development of Africa. Moreover some African women assume high political responsibilities; some are ministers, and some others are presidents like Ellen Johnson Sirleaf in Liberia and Catherine Samba-Mpanza in Central African Republic. So considering women as playthings or people who do not have skills to improve their own life conditions and contribute to social development should be a great mistake.

Equity and equality should be respected between men and women in their social relationships. This is one of the priorities of Catholic social thought. Indeed, Catholic social thought struggles to eradicate any form of discrimination, or other kinds of injustice. Education is one of the key ways Catholic social thought works to end injustice. Among many examples in Catholic education, the Australian National Catholic Education Commission sums up the core principles of Catholic education: the pursuit of quality education based upon the human dignity of each person; the effective implementation of inclusive and equitable practices in schools and other educational environments; and ensuring socially just educational outcomes for both females and males. Equality in education is supported in scripture.  According to Genesis 1:27-31: "In God's own image, God created humankind. Male and female God created them. God gave man and woman to each other as partners and entrusted to them the care of all creation. God saw that it was very good." This means that there is not any difference between male and female. We have the same value, and we should have the same rights and advantages.