2005-05-25 - 6:22 p.m.

I wrote this article for the Gender And Development news letter and thought I would post it here:

“No Mohammed Lamine, you would break the baby.” Zeinabo is the most participative girl in our group, and her response more than summarizes the sentiments of the other girls. I rephrase my question, “So, because I’m a man, I would not be able to take care of children.”
The girls shout back with a resounding “Yes.”
‘’I’ve taken care of my cousins before. They're not broken. In fact they always asks for me to come over and stay with them. I fix food and change diapers.’’ The girls stare back at me with unbelieving eyes. Zeinabo speaks up almost laughing, ‘’Mohammed Lamine, you can’t cook.’’
“Yes I can,’’ I reaffirm. ‘’I cook at the house all the time. The other volunteers love my food. Audrey, do you enjoy my cooking?” Audrey who is sitting in on the lesson nods an affirmative. This time Vadilla pipes up, “She is just being polite. Your cooking is probably horrible. They just eat it to be nice.”

I can see that I am fighting a losing battle so I backtrack a bit. “So what are the jobs that men can do, but women can’t.” Slow at first the occupations start pouring forth: mason, policeman, military officer, baker, taxi driver, soccer player…
“Why can’t women have these jobs? What holds them back?” I’m met by silence, but after a minute Vadila raises her hand. “Women are weaker than men. They can’t do all of the same things.” I interject “Why would one have to be strong to be a baker or a taxi driver? Are the differences in what occupations men and women can have the same all over the world?” This time Selma speaks up. She is the most intelligent student, but is often timid to express her opinions. “No, in the western world, men and women have the same jobs.’’
‘’Then why are they different here,’’ I ask her.
‘’Because of culture.’’ My heart swells. I hadn’t expected them to get this on their own.
‘’Yes, that is it exactly, cultural difference, not religious. Does the Koran say that men are better than women?’’ The girls all shake their heads. ‘’No it doesn’t. Allah made men and women equal. The disparity between men and women’s rights has nothing to do with religion, but with culture.’’
‘’You are all the best and brightest of your class. It is you who will create the future of Mauritania. I am not telling you that staying home and taking care of a family is not a respectable job. What I am saying is that you have the option to do something else, something that women have never done before in this country. Whether it is your own battle in the Mauritanian business world, or the support you give to your daughters as they grow up, it is your job to raise the level of women in this country. I am a man, but I consider you as equals. I believe you are just as capable as any man to be the president, build a house, drive a taxi, or even bake bread.’’

For the rest of the period I had the girls choose the occupation they wish to have when they finish school and draw a picture of it on Cray paper. Though their lack of formal art training shines through in the posters they create, I am still impressed by their creativity. There is an over abundance of journalists, a few secretaries, a few nurses, two engineers and one girl wanted to be a lawyer. I don’t know if it is done just to please me, but none of the girls choose to be a stay at home mom. At the end of class they proudly hang their masterpieces on the walls of the center.

As a Nasarani male working at the girls center my job is often like walking on thin ice. We’ve covered our bases to avoid possible scandal. A female volunteer always accompanies me so I won’t be accused of doing anything inappropriate. Though it is not always the most comfortable job I still feel that my presence is important. The purpose of the girl’s center is to raise women’s rights in the community. I think the girls need to see that this battle does not have to be against men, but can be fought with them. Statistically a rise in women’s rights is followed by a raise in the standard of living. It is beneficial for men in the community and they need to know that too. As a male volunteer, GAD work does not end at the center. Talking to men in the community to raise their awareness, and planting seeds of development is the other half of my job.

’’We shouldn’t add any women into the class; they will distract the men from learning.’’
‘’Well that’s kind of their fault if they can’t concentrate.’’ The director of the youth center stares back at me in puzzlement. I can see he is thinking about responding to my comment, but chooses to elect a different argument.
‘’Women are difficult students. They talk all class period, and don’t retain anything. You will be better to have an all men’s class. There are some people from the mayor’s office we can put in their place.’’ I try to stay calm and respond to him in a civil fashion. ‘’Listen, I didn’t come here to help people who are already well off. I came here to help those who really need it. I don’t care if they are men or women that want to go in this English class, they can both enter for free. It is first come first served, and I will not turn away anyone. Women are the backbone of this community, and need these classes just as much as the men.’’ The director tries a few more times to sway me towards his cause, but finally gives up seeing I’m immovable. I may not have changed his opinion of women students, but at least I have fought the good fight for the day.

GAD is not my assignment, nor would I call it the first of my secondary projects. It is just one of the things I try to incorporate into living here. For me it is more the conversations I have with girls at elementary school, or with the old men at the corner store then the lessons I present every other week at the Girl’s Center. I’m as much a GAD volunteer as I am a SED or CHWS. It is part of being a volunteer here and I accept it willingly.

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