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Original poster

What would it look like if we treated the marginalisation of women the same way we treated apartheid?

28 replies

MrsChrisPratt · 08/01/2016 22:11

And how would we do it?

On a number of threads recently, I've seen posters refer to the boycotting / shaming of South Africa during apartheid and comparing this to how we treat, for example, Saudi Arabia.

I'm too young to remember apartheid, but should we be doing this? What would it look like? How can we achieve it? What personal steps can I take to make a difference?

OP posts:
Grimarse · 08/01/2016 23:10

Ego, out of the 30 cabinet ministers and attendees in the UK government, ten are women. Do you think that if more women were in the cabinet, and/or if we had a woman PM, that there would be more action from the UK government re women's rights in the countries we are discussing? Do you think that there might be sanctions introduced against S Arabia, for example?

Egosumquisum · 08/01/2016 22:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Grimarse · 08/01/2016 22:35

It's an interesting question, and one that will likely stir up a shit-storm of claim and counter claim of what exactly was done in terms of international relations between Apartheid-era South Africa and the rest of the world.

I grew up in the 1970's. There wasn't a single, determined, unambiguous opposition to the South African system. Many countries, including the UK, Israel and the USA supported the regime, overtly or covertly. They did it for the usual reasons - trade, influence and historical ties. So I don't think that there is a blueprint for anyone to follow.

If you want to improve the lot of women in the Middle East, I think you need to establish secular regimes, and remove religious influence from government, as a starting position.