Stand up for women's rights
Women in Hong Kong are treated well. The law advocates equality of the sexes, which means women can have their own businesses and pursue what they like. But in some other parts of the world, men have been destroying women's dreams for thousands of years.
According to the United Nations, as many as 70 per cent of women worldwide experience violence, usually at the hands of men they know well, most often their husbands or partners. Violence against women takes place all over the world, but it is an especially serious problem in Africa and Asia. A particularly bad example is acid attacks. Men do it out of revenge or jealousy and the women are left with scars on their face and in their heart.
We need to stand up now. We can donate medicine and money - even everyday items like clothes, furniture and bedding - to the survivors of these terrible attacks. Most importantly, we need to raise awareness of violence against women.
Riza Yiu Tsz-ying
From the Editor
Thank you for your letter, Riza. Much of this violence against women is because the society in which they live believes they are second-class citizens. We see this to a lesser degree on the mainland where parents only want to have boys as they believe the boys will look after them in their old ages.
In other places in Asia, women have to pay a large sum of money to their prospective husband's family. Sometimes the family is not satisfied and will beat the young woman to force her to bring them more money. Where women are the 'property' of their father or husbands they are open to abuse. Luckily in Hong Kong we have laws to protect women but there are many women in the world who have nothing to protect them.
Susan, Editor
