As the women's liberation movement continues to develop, discussions on how to improve the status of women have become increasingly hot. At the same time, all countries are striving to improve the status of women in society and allow women to play a greater role in social development.
Located in the upper reaches of the Volta River in West Africa, Burkina Faso is a typical landlocked country. Its neighbouring countries include Benin and Niger to the east, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana and Togo to the south, and Mali to the west and north.
Despite being one of the least developed countries in the world, this ordinary West African country finally achieved true independence in 1960 after being colonized by France in 1904.
In Burkina Faso, every year Women's Day brings a strong festive atmosphere, with people observing the tradition of respecting women and cooking delicious meals for their wives to make their special day.
Burkina Faso has always emphasized the defence of women's rights, and its external propaganda has shown that women have the same status and rights as men. According to statistics, 7 of the country's 32 cabinet members are women, and women have the same rights as men in school, work and politics.
However, the reality is not as perfect as officially advertised.
The status of women in Burkina Faso is not as glamorous as it seems. It is a brutal fact that the practice of circumcision still exists, which is abandoned by all civilized nations.
This practice is a direct testimony to the perception of women as "subordinate" in Burkina Faso's civil society.
Let's put aside for a moment the moral controversy over premarital sex and focus on the sexual choice that women should enjoy. While it is officially proclaimed that women have free and equal rights in politics, in practice, we often see women being ignored or marginalized in decision-making.
Therefore, we need to further promote gender equality and ensure that women have the rights and opportunities they deserve in all fields.
In some parts of Burkina Faso, hospitals are not even set up, gender inequalities in family status persist, and women's rights are often ignored and violated.
Despite official data propaganda, in practice these problems have not been substantially improved.
The plight of women in Burkina Faso is rooted in deep-seated social problems, which are reflected in three main aspects: ideology, traditional culture and economic conditions.
First, Burkina Faso's social ideology is still dominated by men, leading to the low status of women in the family and society. Second, gender bias and discrimination in traditional cultures also limit women.
Finally, unequal economic conditions also make it difficult for women to obtain equal opportunities and rights. In order to solve these problems, we need to promote social progress and change from three aspects: ideology, traditional culture and economic conditions, so as to create a more just and equal social environment for women in Burkina Faso.
In Burkina Faso's social system, men are seen as a source of value, and their economic status directly determines their status in society. This mindset has become so ingrained that it is natural to think that men are the leaders of the family and society, and that women are only a symbol of male value.
This traditional way of thinking cannot be changed in a short period of time, resulting in the status of women not being promoted. At the same time, traditional practices such as circumcision are also hampering the development of women.
Despite calls for its abolition, the practice uses "traditional culture" as a shield, despite calls for its abolition.
They believe that maintaining tradition is a form of self-protection and does not face the risk of violating the traditions of their ancestors. This mindset is particularly evident in African tribal societies, where tribal lifestyles and attitudes continue to influence people in West Africa, even though the tribal way of life is no longer practiced in Burkina Faso.
Bound by tradition, people tend to maintain the status quo because they are afraid of the unknown risks and losses that come with breaking the mold. For those with vested interests, they fear losing their status and rights; And for the oppressed side, they fear that the result will be worse if they resist.
Therefore, no matter which side they are, they tend to stick to traditional culture as a way to protect their vested interests. That is why, despite the official call to abolish the "traditional culture" of circumcision, the policy has not been effectively implemented due to insufficient enforcement, which has allowed it to continue in the country.
Even in urban areas, where women in Burkina Faso may have better working conditions, neglect and discrimination are still prevalent in the workplace.
We respect the role of women in the family, but we also reject the social mindset that frames women under the dual pressures of work and family. Women in Burkina Faso are under tremendous pressure, and the only way to change this situation is through their own knowledge and education.
However, educational opportunities for women in this country are quite limited.
In Burkina Faso, women are often caught in an unsolvable dilemma. Recognizing the importance of "economic base" to social status, they experimented with a loan model that they hoped would help women expand their work and business space.
In practice, however, this model is quickly used by men as a tool for enriching themselves, and women who lack social experience often find it difficult to compete with men.
Men use their social resources and unfair means to plunder women's funds and make themselves the biggest beneficiaries. At the same time, they will also use false feelings to defraud women of their money, so that women will eventually fall into the predicament of both people and money, and even be forced to become laborers at the bottom of society.
This unequal economic basis prevents the improvement of the lives of women in Burkina Faso and makes it difficult to achieve equality between men and women in this society. However, for women in Burkina Faso, opportunities remain.
Handicrafts play an important role in Burkina Faso's economy and society, and women often have a natural advantage in this area. In recent years, Burkina Faso has continuously strengthened the construction of the handicraft industry, especially during the International Women's Day, the state vigorously advocated the purchase of flower cloth made by women, so as to open up the way for women to achieve economic independence.
True equality between men and women means not only that women and men have the same opportunities and receive equal attention, but also that discrimination and oppression are eliminated. In modern society, the economic society has gradually eliminated the differences between men and women, and women can obtain the same economic value and equal opportunities as men.
However, in Burkina Faso, women were not treated really fairly due to the influence of traditional thinking, which re-emphasized the importance of economic and social development in achieving the goal of equality between men and women.
In previous eras, manual labor was highly valued, so it was easier for men to achieve social status than women. However, with the development of the economy, the gap between men and women has gradually narrowed.
In the future, as Burkina Faso continues to grow, women will also be truly emancipated and will no longer be seen as an appendage to men.