to think we should more than thank our lucky stars we live in the UK

[seakelp]

we were not born in Afghanistan, Somalia, Congo, India or Pakistan - the world's worst places to be a woman. Imagine having absolutely no rights whatsoever, no healthcare and being abused daily because culturally that's how it is.

nope. I regularly thank my lucky stars i live here, and not somewhere like that, or somewhere were having apendicitis or god forbid cancer without medical insurance would leave me bankrupt like in alot of "developed" countries with non-existant social healthcare.

Completely agree. By an amazing fluke of biological good fortune we were born with rights, the NHS, universal education and social welfare. Bitch about the running of these all you like, but I dare you Daily Mail readers to go and live in Sudan for a month, and tell me how much fun you're having being gang raped as part of a war strategy, watching your children die for lack of clean water, and knowing that there is no way out of the cycle for the next generation.

I honestly think we take it for granted we can study, go to work, pop to the shops, drive, get free medical treatment and marry who we want.

There are very few countries like this, may be just a handful. I don't think women here have any idea that we are the tiniest minority of the world's female population.

you're right seakelp. Nothing wrong with wanting more though. If we are talking about more equality of opportunity, respect for caring work and more freedom from commodification, rather than more material things of which most of us already have enough.

(*btw by 'most of us' I mean those who are not struggling/on benefits etc. Not everyone.)

I've been having a fair amount of tests on the NHS recently, and am hugely grateful it's all gratis.

YANBU.

I was born in/lived in Kenya until I was 9. Saw children living in city dumps, countless beggars on the streets, women without access to education, forced to stay with cheating/abusive men, no access to healthcare ... it goes on.

Things are amazing in the UK. Brilliant. Of course, we shouldn't put up with discrimination just because things are better here than elsewhere. But it's good to sit back and appreciate this country once in a while.

Yes! And to think we have benefits too so that we are never completely and utterly destitute.

The way most women are and have been treated is deplorable, but was it always like this when humankind began do you think?

totally agree- thank my lucky stars usually on a daily basis for 1 reason or another. Been plying my wailing fever-riddled baby with calpol 6 hourly for the last week- even something that simple isnt available to most of the world.

Imagine having to watch your children cry from hunger

cant bear people moaning about the NHS

YANBU - I regularly think and wonder at how fate or whatever you may call it has decided that i would be born here in this first world country. There is so much suffering that we couldn't even dream of in our nightmares. I am thankful that we have the NHS and don't have to worry about not being able to access health care because we don't have insurance or for lack of facilties

My (free) prescription is worth nearly £500 a month, I would not have a future nor would my family if we had to pay this ourselves. I heard the Canadian system is nearly as good but some provinces better than others. I think we should be told how much things cost so that we appreciate them!

My dc go to excellent state schools, I never forget watching some dc in Africa poring over a battered textbook as that is the only one they had. Years ago I went to the Cameroon and the economic situation was so bad that teachers etc weren't getting paid, and new graduates had no hope of getting a good job.

Free healthcare
Available free contraception
Universal education
The vote (thank you Pankhursts)

I just read a National Geographic article about child brides. Heartbreaking.

Oh, and I live in Canada, their system is not as good at all. They just think it is because they are next door to the USA.

Nope, yanbu.
Readily available running water.
Personal freedom.
Free healthcare.
We are really, really lucky.

You do know that there are loads of people on MN not in the UK though?

MrsTerry, I read that article too, absolutely shocking.

YANBU

I often think about this especially when I see news reports on Afghanistan etc.
We all whinge from time to time but we really are blessed and take it for granted far too often.

Yes - that we live in the UK at this time. Although not so bad as some of the places mentioned in the OP, I'm glad I wasn't born a century earlier.

Being a western European is a privelige we shouldn't take for granted so easily.

YANBU at all.

We are incredibly fortunate.

I'd rather have the chance to live with my dp in the US instead of saving for just two week visits at a time. :(

Exactly OP! We are bloody LUCKY.

I certainly do feel very glad I live in a country where I can vote, drive, earn and own my own money, go out unescorted, have access to contraception, abortion and free health care, and all the other good things. But I don't think that means that feminists in the developed world can just sit back, or that we should just suck up the inequalities that still exist, like the pay discrepancy between men and women and the appallingly low rate of rape convictions, and the fact that about two women a week are murdered by their partners or ex-partners. A lot of ground has been gained, but there's still a fair way to go.

I am very, very glad I don't live in one of the countries named in that article, but I also have to say that I am glad (obviously in a totally different way) that I don't live in the UK either.

I agree, we are astonishingly fortunate with healthcare, rights, education etc. Sometimes though I wonder if we have gained those at the expense of living in a really close community. I think it is quite lonely in our society.