Gender and bureaucracy (corruption) - my South Asian reflections

"Every revolution evaporates and leaves behind only the slime of a new bureaucracy." Kafka

“A woman is human. She is not better, wiser, stronger, more intelligent, more creative, or more responsible than a man. Likewise, she is never less. Equality is a given. A woman is human.” Nazarian

Having been away from South Asia for 5 and a half years, returning to India for a week's holiday brought so many memories, smells, tastes and feelings rushing back. I was reminded intensely of my time living and working in Bangladesh and questioned again how I had navigated my life there and come out in one piece! You are not to misunderstand dear blog reader, I do not have any regrets of my time spent working and travelling in South Asia, but it is most definitely a thing of the past - aside from the occasional short jaunt of course. In reflecting on this thought or statement it comes down to two main reasons for my personally: gender and bureaucracy.
I begin with the curse of being the lowest 'caste' possible in India, Nepal and Bangladesh - a single Western woman. To be this brings limitless amounts of sorrow, sadness and disgust from locals of both genders. But I am lucky I get on a plane and return to worlds where I may not be completely equal but at least I am respected and where I can cherish my equal footing relationships with the both genders. To my fellow women and girls who are trapped in a society where their value is so often measured in terms of their biological function my heart breaks. The story of the young 23 year old medical student who was gang raped and beaten to death in Delhi was the central focus of Indian and international media during my time there. However, do not think that it is all in support or sorrow for the victim and her family, there have been endless comments on how women should dress and who they should be allowed to socialise with (the victim was travelling with a male friend). A prominent politician even went so far as to say that "dainted and painted" girls should be prepared for the consequences! This is a media focused example, but in my daily wanderings I witnessed so many examples of sexism that shocked my naive dulling of memories during the 5 and a half years since leaving Bangladesh. There was the 20 year old stall owner in Varkala who was sad that she had borne a girl, and that she worked while her husband sat in the nearby cafe. There was the lady on the train who was forced to sit on the edge of her husband's berth so that 4 young men could take hers. There was the absence of women from any hospitality jobs in restaurants and cafes. The unbelievable feeling I had forgotten where I am being molested simply through the eyes of the perpetrator. Consequently, during the course of the week more stories emerged in the media about other incidences of assault and rape - a stark reminder to my Western eyes that the case of the 23 year old Delhi student is a daily occurrence and not an outlier situation. Rather than lead to a shift in gender equality, I fear the current narrative and media focus will move the situation for women backwards in terms of verbal and physical expression. Do not think for a moment that I see the situation as being limited to South Asia, I see and hear it in Arab countries as well. Indeed a book my wee sis gave me for christmas on gender in Lebanon has partly inspired this blog entry. However, I would argue that a higher literacy rate and employment amongst many Arab women means that it is the extreme combination of social class and gender that heightens sexism in South Asia. It is fundamentally about opportunity and this in my mind comes in the form of education and a career. The most inspiring and Bangladeshi and Indian women I have met are lecturer, dentists, doctors and a world renowned chef. They carve out their own lives balancing tradition and career, and in doing so maintain a tantamount relationship with their husbands. Education should involve both men and women in creating opportunities for all, as I am no second wave feminist but rather hope for a time when the only differences between us are biological - those I respect!
Bureaucracy: once again I focus my current experience in India but it is a concept/situation that makes my blood boil daily in ireland and also in my experiences in other countries. In order to enter and leave (by plane) Cochin airport no fewer than 12 people had to look at my boarding pass. Now in current times around security issues this may not seem excessive but the problem is with regards to the purpose of checking the boarding pass! When I asked there is simply no reason aside from another employment opportunity created. I was reminded of my first trip to China when it took 6 people to change $100 in the bank. You may ask dear blog reader what the negative dimension is where jobs are being created and hence people contribute to the economy? It is simple really: this system lacks any innovation - it tapers motivation and kills the mind - it is the bureaucratic system. Why does a system exist that was a product of the 1940s and 50s when structures needed to be created and systems generated? The answer is about greed and control. When a person has a job and an income they will not pursue other desires they may have with regards to being innovative and self-fulfilling. Old structures and systems have kept the same small group of elites in power throwing crumbs to the masses in the form of menial paper pushing jobs. Alright I know I am ranting now but it seeing it so blatantly before me in India heightened its existence elsewhere. populations grow and so does discontent, the time will come when the corruption of the bureaucracy of India, Bangladesh, the EU, the UN and Ireland will fall around its maintainers. 

An ending note: You will see my dear blog reader from the post that proceeds this one that my week in India travelling up the Kerala coast has given me a great sense of peace - a peace I have longed for. In writing this blog entry and the prior one on education I am simply illustrating my unquenching passion even amidst the sense of calm.