What do women do in the community?
Orleanna tried to tell the readers that freedom and liberty for women did not exist during the era of colonialism. Women in the society before had to work in households only and follow their husbands’ decisions without any complaints. In fact, women were expected to be passive; if they acted as active patriots, they would either be punished severely for behaving in unfeminine ways or they would be banned from their home country (or region, neighborhood, village, etc.). As Orleanna further explains, the words “Conquest”, “Liberation”, “Democracy”, and “Divorce” were words that could have solved problems, yet the women could not use them. So close, yet so far.
Now, in 2013, most democratic nations enjoy equal rights for women and men altogether, though some nations (especially communists) debase the essential independence for women. The Democratic Republic of Congo might be one of the nations that still do not grant their own women full equal rights. Even if the government has been crushed down, rebuilt, and totally recapitulated its earlier stages of development, women were still disregarded as “to be in lower position” than men. Orleanna knew it from the beginning on.
Now, in 2013, most democratic nations enjoy equal rights for women and men altogether, though some nations (especially communists) debase the essential independence for women. The Democratic Republic of Congo might be one of the nations that still do not grant their own women full equal rights. Even if the government has been crushed down, rebuilt, and totally recapitulated its earlier stages of development, women were still disregarded as “to be in lower position” than men. Orleanna knew it from the beginning on.