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Women Go 'Missing' by the Millions
International Herald Tribune ^ | 3/25/05 | Ayaan Hirsi Ali

Posted on 03/29/2006 8:36:01 AM PST by JAWs

As I was preparing for this article, I asked a friend who is Jewish if it was appropriate to use the term "holocaust" to portray the worldwide violence against women. He was startled. But when I read him the figures in a 2004 policy paper published by the Geneva Center for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces, he said yes, without hesitation.

One United Nations estimate says from 113 million to 200 million women around the world are demographically "missing." Every year, from 1.5 million to 3 million women and girls lose their lives as a result of gender-based violence or neglect.

How could this possibly be true? Here are some of the factors:

In countries where the birth of a boy is considered a gift and the birth of a girl a curse from the gods, selective abortion and infanticide eliminate female babies.

Young girls die disproportionately from neglect because food and medical attention is given first to brothers, fathers, husbands and sons.

In countries where women are considered the property of men, their fathers and brothers can murder them for choosing their own sexual partners. These are called "honor" killings, though honor has nothing to do with it.

(Excerpt) Read more at iht.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: feminism; islam; misogyny; missing; muslims; women
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This courageous woman is a true feminist, fighting for her actually oppressed sisters.
1 posted on 03/29/2006 8:36:03 AM PST by JAWs
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To: JAWs
This courageous woman is a true feminist, fighting for her actually oppressed sisters.

Thank you for recognizing that feminism exists as a force for positive change.

The fact that it's misused by some does not change that.

2 posted on 03/29/2006 8:40:46 AM PST by CobaltBlue (Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. Moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.)
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To: JAWs
This courageous woman is a true feminist, fighting for her actually oppressed sisters.

When my wife shays that she is a "feminist" this is what she means.

Like Jerry Clower said, she "don't want nobody messing with the deal she's got."

3 posted on 03/29/2006 8:42:48 AM PST by SquirrelKing (Contrary to popular belief, America is not a democracy, it is a Chucktatorship.)
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To: JAWs

I am curious to find out exactly which countries are being referred to, and if there is a particular religion adhered to by these countries.


4 posted on 03/29/2006 8:48:15 AM PST by IX0YE
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To: JAWs

Thank God I was born in America. These people protesting in the street in the past few days need to read this article and learn what REAL oppression is.

God bless this woman for speaking out against it and I wish I knew what to do about it. I have three daughters and my heart hurts to think of them going through what these young girls go through. How can mothers allow it? I would die protecting my children. What is wrong with these women who don't care?


5 posted on 03/29/2006 8:53:16 AM PST by sandbar
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To: IX0YE

Give you three guesses.


6 posted on 03/29/2006 8:53:30 AM PST by sandbar
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To: JAWs

Agreed. She is doing something that is helpful for women. This is quite different from the 'other' type of 'feminists' who instead spends time quarrelling amongst themselves on whether 'militant feminism' is 'purer' than 'radical feminism,' and doing nothing else. True feminism is what this woman (and others like her) is doing, since it seeks to help, heal, empower and uplift women .....unlike all the stuff that goes under 'feminism' in liberal circles at universities is simply angst and vitriol (much of it directed against men and doing nothing to actually help women).


7 posted on 03/29/2006 8:55:54 AM PST by spetznaz (Nuclear-tipped Ballistic Missiles: The Ultimate Phallic Symbol)
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To: JAWs

Bump!


8 posted on 03/29/2006 8:59:19 AM PST by bondjamesbond (Rice '08)
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To: IX0YE

China, N. Korea and any Islamic country.


9 posted on 03/29/2006 8:59:47 AM PST by Andy from Beaverton (I only vote Republican to stop the Democrats)
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To: IX0YE

China, N. Korea and any Islamic country.


10 posted on 03/29/2006 8:59:49 AM PST by Andy from Beaverton (I only vote Republican to stop the Democrats)
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To: JAWs

113 million to 200 million women around the world are demographically "missing."

demographically "missing"? what the heck does that mean?

Answer: it means what ever the author wants it to mean.


11 posted on 03/29/2006 9:00:59 AM PST by PeterPrinciple (Seeking the truth here folks.)
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To: IX0YE

I have a feeling you already know what you want to hear.


12 posted on 03/29/2006 9:01:52 AM PST by stuartcr (Everything happens as God wants it to.....otherwise, things would be different.)
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To: PeterPrinciple

It means that the world is short 113-200 million women based on computations abased on gender numbers unskewed by unnatural factors that lead to the premature deaths or outright murders of many girls. I think the term is precise, if a bit euphemistic.


13 posted on 03/29/2006 9:06:01 AM PST by JAWs (Ytringsfrihed er ytringsfrihed er ytringsfrihed. Der er intet men.)
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To: sandbar

It just sickens and appalls me when I hear these stories.
I never had any beautiful daughters, but if I did, I'd be a nervous wreck with worry! It's so scary to raise kids these days but I think those with daughters have an especially tough time of it. Thank goodness your beautiful daughters have been blessed with loving parents. I just wish all little girls could be so lucky!


14 posted on 03/29/2006 9:08:33 AM PST by derllak
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To: IX0YE

Not always religion. Example: Communism and China.


15 posted on 03/29/2006 9:28:03 AM PST by dhs12345
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To: IX0YE

There was an interesting piece on NPR (yes, believe it or not, NPR) last week about what a problem this is in India. Surprisingly, it's not so much a question of poor people aborting because they can only "afford" to have sons, but middle-class and wealthier people are aborting girls simply because the cultural pull to have a son, especially as the first child, is so strong.

India has outlawed ultrasounds for the purpose of reporting the sex to parents, but no one takes this seriously and the practice continues. In Gujurat and Punjab evidence of "missing" girls is particularly high; among young children the proportion (they said) would normally be 90-95 girls per 100 boys. Instead, for every 100 boys there are 50-60 girls.


16 posted on 03/29/2006 9:32:43 AM PST by linda_22003
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To: PeterPrinciple

No, it has a real meaning, despite your dismissive post. There is a standard ratio for male/female births, and when the numbers are greatly off from expectations, that number is "missing". You may not have studied demographics, but it is a legitimate field of study and has standards of measure.


17 posted on 03/29/2006 9:34:28 AM PST by linda_22003
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To: IX0YE

Without key information, this article and cause is garbage.


18 posted on 03/29/2006 10:06:42 AM PST by Galveston Grl (Getting angry and abandoning power to the Democrats is not a choice.)
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To: Galveston Grl

She certainly doesn't give citations, does she? I know there are reports (in some cases annual) from UNICEF, the World Bank, and the World Health Organization on this issue; I wonder why she didn't cite anything.


19 posted on 03/29/2006 10:14:07 AM PST by linda_22003
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To: JAWs

It means that the world is short 113-200 million women based on computations abased on gender numbers unskewed by unnatural factors that lead to the premature deaths or outright murders of many girls. I think the term is precise, if a bit euphemistic.


Well, what this resembles most is "Peter Palaver" (you know,from the same author who wrote "The Peter Principle") All the words have a distinct meaning, but the sentences make no sense at all. Lots of jargon, to put off sensible people from responding.

Don't mean to pick on you but I am tired of words that do not communicate. Having said that, I am an expert on non communication so I welcome you to the club....meetings are on Tuesday.


20 posted on 03/29/2006 10:15:39 AM PST by PeterPrinciple (Seeking the truth here folks.)
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