Women empowerment can be dated back in a series revolution when women advocated for their rights against gender violence and discrimination orchestrated by men. Since then the wave of women discrimination swept across the world giving birth to both local and international women organizations. They have fought tirelessly to ensure that girl child is protected against societal seclusion.
Even one of the Millennium goals was to fight for the girl child. The impact has been marvelous as we see women assuming chores traditionally rendered for men. For instance women are now fairly competing with men in jobs, politics and other walks of life. We can never forget Germany chancellor Angel Markel, International Monetary Fund (IMF) boss Christina Laggard, and locally we can’t ignore Nobel peace prize winner, politician and environmentalist the late Prof Wangari Maathai. These women have left remarkable marks in our lives. They are the point of reference in our daily lives.
However when many women around the world embraced empowerment some have misconceived the ideal meaning of women empowerment. The tragedy is where after empowerment there has been a crop up of single mothers, divorcees and the famous ‘independent women’. Men are now on the verge of despair.
One scholar coined that the more you are educated, the more humble you become. What is happening is the contrary. Women have turned to be lethal and dangerous to male species once they are empowered. Not long ago one week to be exact, a woman in Central Kenya (Nyeri) chopped off her husband’s genitals. This is among many gruesome acts women are doing secretly against men.
Talk of women who kick out their husbands who are either jobless or below their radar. Talk of men who have been dumped after struggling tirelessly to educate women. Is this the true meaning of empowerment?
Furthermore single mothers are now strong headed and beat their chests by bragging how good they are at parenting, forgetting that father figure is also paramount.
It is high time empowered women stand out and advocate for empowerment holistically. I know of many empowered women who have suppressed their pride and have modest families that each and everyone envies.
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