Despite, a number of real types of progresses around the globe, bedrock type problems that have targeted women over many years, still remain. Over 3.3 billion women on the planet still continue to go through and feel discrimination, enforced ignorance, repression and violence in the 10 worst countries for women. The progression in “women’s rights” worldwide offer political participation, income, education and better laws. However, certain countries still discriminate against women and they are constantly under attack and unprotected. In a few of the 10 worst countries for women, the degrees of violence are so intense that life becomes unbearable. Certain richer type countries burden women with certain repressive laws. However, in any country in the world, refugee women are regarded as the most vulnerable and at risk. The disadvantages placed on women are often associated with health indicators and “quality of life” aspects. Groups for human rights often highlight and target countries where the violations are severe enough that murder is almost a routine occurrence. Here are the top 10 worst countries for women today:
1. Somalia
In the capital city Mogadishu, civil war has placed women under attack. In a broken down society women are subjected to attacks by dangerous armed gangs, rape and poor health facilities regarded as dangerous.
2. Saudi Arabia
In this oil rich country women undergo severe punishment and pain and live under the rule of a male relative as lifelong dependents. They are deprived from mixing with any men in public, driving a car and they live segregated and confined lives of shame and punishment.
3. Pakistan
Located along the tribal borders, women have been known to be subjected to gang rape and this act is seen as a type of punishment for the men’s crimes. However, honor killing is more widespread and religious extremism targets female lawyers, human rights “workers”, and politicians.
4. Mali
This country is considered to be one of the poorest in the world, where very few women are able to escape the torture involved in genital mutilation. Most of these women are forced to marry at a very young age and surveys reveal that one out of these ten women die during childbirth or pregnancy.
5. Guatemala
Impoverished women face rape, domestic violence; an epidemic has resulted in unsolved murders of a gruesome nature. This epidemic has left thousands of females dead and many of their bodies display hate messages.
6. Sudan
The plight regarding Sudanese women in western parts of Sudan such as Darfur have become unbearable. Since the year 2003, over a million women have had their lives destroyed through forced displacement, rape and abduction. Janjaweed militias use systematic rape as a type of demographic weapon. The justice system and access to assistance is near impossible for these women.
7. Nepal
Early childbirth and marriage cause severe problems in this countries malnourished women. It has been revealed that 1 in every 24 women will die from childbirth or pregnancy. Young women who are not married can be sold off to traffickers, well before they even reach their teen years. Widows in this country are often faced with discrimination and extreme abuse.
8. Iraq
An invasion led by the U.S in order to “liberate” the country Iraq from “Saddam Hussein” has caused an imprisonment of women in sectarian violence targeted at girls and women. The rate of literacy which was once regarded as the highest in Arab counties has now dropped to the lowest. Families are too scared to send their daughters to school as they risk kidnapping and rape. Women who used to work now stay at home.
9. D.R.C (Democratic Republic of Congo)
War has started up again in the eastern parts of the D.R.C and women are forced into this war. Rapes are extremely systematic and brutal and many of the victims die, others contract the HIV virus and are often left to care for their children all alone. Foraging for water and food exposes these women to violence. Without any connections, transport or money these women are trapped in a living hell.
10. Afghanistan
The average age for an Afghan woman to live to will be around 45 years of age. After 30 years of religious based repression and war many of the women today are illiterate. More than 50% of all the brides are younger than 16 years of age and every thirty minutes a woman will die giving birth. Domestic violence is high and over a million widowed women land up on the streets. These women are forced into a life of prostitution and the suicide rates in females are much higher than the men.
The 10 worst countries for women are related to complex factors rooted in cultural and social norms. These factors hinder the female’s abilities to benefit from any social advances and in achieving potential from education, care and love.