By: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nahrizul Adib Kadri

Women’s roles and status in society have been viewed differently by various cultures and civilisations throughout history. Women were treated more fairly by some ancient civilisations than by others, while others were more patriarchal.

In ancient Egypt, which lasted from about 3000 BCE to 30 BCE, women had some legal rights and could own property. Some women even held positions of power, like the famous queen Cleopatra. However, women were generally viewed as subordinate to men and were primarily restricted to domestic duties. Similarly, women in ancient Greece were restricted to domestic duties and were forbidden from participating in education or politics. The philosopher Aristotle even considered women to be “inferior and incomplete” versions of men.

Still in the later Rome civilisation, which spanned between 750 BCE and 500 CE, women had limited legal rights, remained largely confined to their gender roles and were not permitted to hold public office or participate in politics. However, some highly exceptional women, like the empress Livia Drusilla, did rise to positions of power and influence.

According to Dr. Ruhana Padzil, Head of Gender Studies Programme at the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, Universiti Malaya, there has been no single event or date that has marked the transition to our current less patriarchal society. “As a result of a variety of social, cultural, and political movements, as well as changes in legislation and policy, women’s position and role have generally improved over time.

Dr Ruhana Padzil

But interestingly, she quipped, that the Malays in the Nusantara were already practising an egalitarian ecosystem, long before the arrival of the colonial powers. “The Malay men and women at that time had recognised their specific roles in the society, and everyone was given the platform to voice their opinions and critiques. Women, especially, were allowed freedom to make a choice in their households and their community. This is actually way more progressive than other countries at that time,” she said.

Nevertheless, socio-political changes occur at the global scale, and affects many societies in ways that we cannot imagine. With colonialism, changes that occur at the mother country, even if it is located half a world away, will also take place in the colonised states.

“Take the suffrage movement, for example, which fought for women’s right to vote in the late 1800s and early 1900s. As a result, more women in the West became involved in politics and public life. The feminist movement of the 1960s and 1970s, on the other hand, promoted women’s rights and status by raising awareness of issues like workplace discrimination and reproductive rights,” said Dr Ruhana.

The ripple effect that these movements had on other nations is immense. “Their impact on women’s roles and status in other nations, like Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, have raised awareness of and support for women’s rights all over the world. This has resulted in greater attention being paid to issues such as gender-based violence, reproductive rights, and women’s economic empowerment in many countries,” she added.

Although many nations have made significant progress toward gender equality and the protection of women’s rights, there is still a great deal of work to be done to ensure that women are given equal opportunities and are represented in all facets of society.

Dr Ruhana believed that future advocacy for policies and practices that promote gender equality and women’s empowerment is essential. This includes addressing gender-based violence and harassment, reducing the gender pay gap, and increasing the number of female leaders.

“The intersectionality of gender inequality, which is frequently made worse by factors such as race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation, must also be identified and addressed,” she said.

At this point the author was asking: “What can I do? Is it not true that only top-down policy initiatives can address these complex issues?”

With a smile, the gender studies researcher said, “Actually, there are many things that ordinary people, like you and me, can do to promote gender equality and support women in their communities. Supporting and encouraging girls and women to pursue their goals and aspirations, whether in the workplace, education, or personal life, is one good example.

Supporting women-owned businesses and enterprises, and advocating for practices that promote women’s economic empowerment, is yet another example. You can even volunteer or donate to organisations that work to empower women and promote gender equality.

And yes, even lending an ear by listening to the voices of women and other marginalised groups in our community, and working to ensure that their perspectives and needs are represented and addressed are very much appreciated,” explained Dr Ruhana.

There you go. Little things do go a long way, even for a deep-rooted and complicated issue like gender equality. We can all definitely contribute something to the development of a culture and society that values and supports women, as the PM intended when Malaysia Madani was recently launched.

Happy International Women’s Day.

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Note: The author is the Director of Corporate Communications Centre, Universiti Malaya, and may be reached at nahrizuladib@um.edu.my