EMPOWERING WOMEN!?

Many activists have for years been advocating on the issue of empowering women. Interestingly, I have come across a form of empowering women that I had never thought of or rather prioritised. It was about empowering women with physical strength, and not with the canonical empowering of women that entails providing them intellectual capability and skills to enable them to be well equipped to overcome the global socio-economic challenges. I was really surprised after reading the internet article that claimed that President Gaddafi has been recruiting his alleged ‘virgin’ bodyguards, famously known as Amazonia Guards, as a way of empowering them '' Gaddafi believes it is empowering for women to be his bodyguards. He says, “Women should be trained for combat, so that they do not become easy prey for their enemies.”

I wonder if this type of empowering women has any positive and sustainable trickle down effect as far as the women population is concerned. I think the real enemies of the people are: poverty, ignorance, corruption etc. Thus all the efforts geared towards empowering women should be directed to addressing the fore mentioned enemies instead of providing them with 'physical power' which will only end up diverting them from their real enemies and even make them heartless.

OLD IS GOLD

From 2nd -4th February, the Koreans were celebrating the Lunar New year. This is a very important event in Korea and in other Asian countries. Normally during this period most people spend their time at home with their families to celebrate the event. It is therefore not surprising that almost every business is closed, public and private.

On 4th February I visited Chungmuro village-a place where Lunar New Year traditional ceremony was taking place(in Seoul). Variuos traditional things ranging from, tools, attire, houses,and pottery were displayed. The raditional games were also taking place involving all age groups .

The main event that attracted most people was the traditional dancers; they wore smiling faces all the time, and performed very skillfully and energetically thus attracting everyone who visited the village that day. For sure, they made the event even more interesting. The events that took place at Chungmuro village were indeed an exhibition of the Korean History and Culture.


As this blog is dedicated to women issues, I will be wrong to conclude my story without commenting anything concerning women as far as the visit is concerned. I have attached with this story a Korean Woman (not a statue) in her traditional attire. These are the clothes Koreans used to wear long time ago while working. The woman has a basket on her back, traditional shoes and gloves. From her appearance, she is a hard worker, probably a peasant. This woman fascinated me alot as she reminded me of the great role that women have playing in development allover the world. I sincerely believe that hard working women of South Korea have contributed a lot to the current Economic Success of South Korea. Bravo South Korean Women!!!!