The European Tribune is a forum for thoughtful dialogue of European and international issues. You are invited to post comments and your own articles.
Please REGISTER to post.
Good question. What is striking about this piece is how vividly it demonstrates the power of Money to overthrow (undermine?) age-old cultural norms in the matter of a few short years. In this case, Money trumped misogyny, seemingly with ease:
A Pakistani woman is often forbidden to leave the house without her husband's permission, but husbands tolerate these meetings because the women return with cash and investment ideas. <...> Saima took her elder daughter back from the aunt and began paying off her husband's debt. <...> She doesn't even pretend to be subordinate to her husband. ... He has become more impressed with females in general: Saima had a third child, also a girl, but now that's not a problem. "Girls are just as good as boys," he explained. <...> Sharifa Bibi, the mother-in-law, looked shocked when we asked whether she wanted her son to take a second wife to bear a son. "No, no," she said. "Saima is bringing so much to this house. . . . She puts a roof over our heads and food on the table." ...
Saima took her elder daughter back from the aunt and began paying off her husband's debt. <...>
She doesn't even pretend to be subordinate to her husband. ... He has become more impressed with females in general: Saima had a third child, also a girl, but now that's not a problem. "Girls are just as good as boys," he explained. <...>
Sharifa Bibi, the mother-in-law, looked shocked when we asked whether she wanted her son to take a second wife to bear a son. "No, no," she said. "Saima is bringing so much to this house. . . . She puts a roof over our heads and food on the table." ...
Well, then again:
"A woman should know her limits, and if not, then it's her husband's right to beat her," Sharifa said. "But if a woman earns more than her husband, it's difficult for him to discipline her."
Gringo: So, is it the point that economic improvements/empowerment will eventually off-set culturally derived discrimination? marco: Good question. What is striking about this piece is how vividly it demonstrates the power of Money to overthrow (undermine?) age-old cultural norms in the matter of a few short years. In this case, Money trumped misogyny, seemingly with ease:
marco: Good question. What is striking about this piece is how vividly it demonstrates the power of Money to overthrow (undermine?) age-old cultural norms in the matter of a few short years. In this case, Money trumped misogyny, seemingly with ease:
Whenever I see when resources are not allocated efficiently, I immediately consider what is distorting the markets either through laws or customs. Rutherfordian ------------------------------ RDRutherford
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 14 12 comments
by IdiotSavant - Jan 15 15 comments
by Oui - Jan 16 4 comments
by Oui - Jan 13 65 comments
by Oui - Jan 17 1 comment
by gmoke - Jan 16
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 8 77 comments
by Oui - Jan 14 26 comments
by Oui - Jan 171 comment
by Oui - Jan 164 comments
by IdiotSavant - Jan 1515 comments
by Oui - Jan 1426 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 1412 comments
by Oui - Jan 1365 comments
by Oui - Jan 1177 comments
by Oui - Jan 1049 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 877 comments
by Oui - Jan 772 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 710 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 668 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 611 comments
by Oui - Jan 659 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Jan 229 comments
by Frank Schnittger - Dec 3151 comments
by Oui - Dec 3122 comments
by Oui - Dec 2834 comments
by gmoke - Dec 28