WOMEN’S DAY SHOULD BE A TIME FOR REFLECTION, NOT A PARTY
ACCORDING TO THE STATISTICS, WOMEN CONSTITUTE 50% OF THE MONGOLIAN POPULATION: 51.4% OF THE EMPLOYABLE POPULATION, 49.4% OF ALL WORKERS, 73% OF STUDENTS, 79.2% OF ALL TEACHERS AND 82.3 % OF HEALTH CARE SERVICE WORKERS. IT IS EVIDENT THAT WOMEN PLAY BIG ROLE IN SOCIAL LIFE, AND HAVE OBLIGATIONS TOWARDS NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT.
FROM MANY YEARS MONGOLIAN WOMEN HAVE TRADITIONALLY HAVE HAD RELATIVELY HIGHER SOCIAL POSITIONS. WOMEN HERDED AND MILKED SHEEP, AND THEY ROUTINELY MANAGED THE HOUSEHOLD IF WIDOWED OR IF THEIR HUSBANDS WERE ABSENT TO PERFORM MILITARY SERVICE OR CARAVAN WORK.
Mongolians valued fertility over virginity and did not share the obsessive concern with female purity found in much of Southwest, South, and East Asia.
Women, however, although not shy, remained subordinate to men and were restricted to the domestic sphere.
It is characteristic of Mongolian attitudes toward male and female contributions that the care of sheep, which provided Mongolians with their basic daily sustenance was the responsibility of women, while the care of horses which contributed much less to subsistence but more to prestige, war, and sport was the prerogative of men.
Traditional Mongolians combined firm notions of female subordination with a flexible attitude toward female participation in male-associated tasks, and women ordinarily filled in for men when no males were available for such activities as milking horses or even riding them in races. Archery contests, one of the “three manly sports,” always included a female round.
1921 marked the beginning of efforts to bring women into public life and into the labor force. The state’s constant efforts to promote population growth also led to a strong emphasis on women’s reproductive capacities; bearing large numbers of children has been considered a civic duty.
Possible contradictions between women’s productive role in the economy and their reproductive role in society have been glossed over in public rhetoric. The tension exists, however, and frequent childbearing, state-mandated maternity leaves, as well as caring for young children have affected the sorts of jobs women hold and their commitment to their occupational roles.
In current times, the violation of women’s rights has increased, the number of women’s representatives is insufficient at the decision making level, and poverty among women has also increased.
All of these situations are more severe for women with many children, elderly single mothers, and disabled women. Between 2000-2004, women headed 17-18% of all families, 35.6% of abjectly poor families, and 23.2 % of poor families.
Due to economic reform the employment rate of women has changed. Opportunities are arising for women to work in different types of economic entitles, run businesses and improve their economic rights and potential.
It is regrettable that domestic violence, crime, alcohol addiction, and depression has increased in social life due to unemployment and absence of economic guarantees.
The Law Against Domestic Violence was approved in 2004 by Parliament and enacted in 2005. This was due to the diligent and constant actions of civic social organizations fighting against women’s suffering. After the Law’s enactment, the public as well as governmental and non-governmental organizations became involved in actions aimed to prevent domestic violence; protect the rights of women, and hold the perpetrators responsible.
March 8th marks International Women’s Day. It is big celebration for Mongolians but almost no one understands the real meaning of the day. We need to seek out people who are break laws regarding women, not to celebrate the day like a holiday. If we do this and continue to concentrate the advancement of women, we can change the attitudes and actions of more Mongolian citizens.
SOURCE : UB POSTf
FROM MANY YEARS MONGOLIAN WOMEN HAVE TRADITIONALLY HAVE HAD RELATIVELY HIGHER SOCIAL POSITIONS. WOMEN HERDED AND MILKED SHEEP, AND THEY ROUTINELY MANAGED THE HOUSEHOLD IF WIDOWED OR IF THEIR HUSBANDS WERE ABSENT TO PERFORM MILITARY SERVICE OR CARAVAN WORK.
Mongolians valued fertility over virginity and did not share the obsessive concern with female purity found in much of Southwest, South, and East Asia.
Women, however, although not shy, remained subordinate to men and were restricted to the domestic sphere.
It is characteristic of Mongolian attitudes toward male and female contributions that the care of sheep, which provided Mongolians with their basic daily sustenance was the responsibility of women, while the care of horses which contributed much less to subsistence but more to prestige, war, and sport was the prerogative of men.
Traditional Mongolians combined firm notions of female subordination with a flexible attitude toward female participation in male-associated tasks, and women ordinarily filled in for men when no males were available for such activities as milking horses or even riding them in races. Archery contests, one of the “three manly sports,” always included a female round.
1921 marked the beginning of efforts to bring women into public life and into the labor force. The state’s constant efforts to promote population growth also led to a strong emphasis on women’s reproductive capacities; bearing large numbers of children has been considered a civic duty.
Possible contradictions between women’s productive role in the economy and their reproductive role in society have been glossed over in public rhetoric. The tension exists, however, and frequent childbearing, state-mandated maternity leaves, as well as caring for young children have affected the sorts of jobs women hold and their commitment to their occupational roles.
In current times, the violation of women’s rights has increased, the number of women’s representatives is insufficient at the decision making level, and poverty among women has also increased.
All of these situations are more severe for women with many children, elderly single mothers, and disabled women. Between 2000-2004, women headed 17-18% of all families, 35.6% of abjectly poor families, and 23.2 % of poor families.
Due to economic reform the employment rate of women has changed. Opportunities are arising for women to work in different types of economic entitles, run businesses and improve their economic rights and potential.
It is regrettable that domestic violence, crime, alcohol addiction, and depression has increased in social life due to unemployment and absence of economic guarantees.
The Law Against Domestic Violence was approved in 2004 by Parliament and enacted in 2005. This was due to the diligent and constant actions of civic social organizations fighting against women’s suffering. After the Law’s enactment, the public as well as governmental and non-governmental organizations became involved in actions aimed to prevent domestic violence; protect the rights of women, and hold the perpetrators responsible.
March 8th marks International Women’s Day. It is big celebration for Mongolians but almost no one understands the real meaning of the day. We need to seek out people who are break laws regarding women, not to celebrate the day like a holiday. If we do this and continue to concentrate the advancement of women, we can change the attitudes and actions of more Mongolian citizens.
SOURCE : UB POSTf
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