The Law the Fit All of Us
In this paper I will analyze CEDAW (Convention) against the UDHR (Universal), Tsisti Dangarembga’s “The Letter”, and Judith Butlers “Beside Oneself” to show that the universal claim of equal rights isn’t equal in a sense that not everyone had the same chance to experience the same human rights. Although the UDHR states in article 2 that “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind,[…] including sex (1), CEDAW alludes that statement by stating similar text in the beginning of the convention : “the term "discrimination against women" shall mean any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of …show more content…
The story takes place in South Africa during the apartheid. A woman and her two children live with her mother in the “hometown” while the atrocities occurred. In the beginning of the story, the main character tells how her husband up and left; no one knows how yet, but he is gone. Then it is revealed that while her husband is away she has a child with a man outside her marriage in a moment of weakness. Instead of her to be ashamed, she chooses to move one so that she does not think of herself as a “virtuous women” (Dangarembga 393). Because she was well off and could provide for her children, made her situation particularly unusual. The government took the men away from the hometown leaving women and children to fend for themselves, which is typically impossible in some situations. This division produces gender segregation while breaking the social norm. As the story ends, the authorities break in and starts to abuse the family. However, instead of the main character to describe the beatings, she repeats “I won’t begin to explain (…), and I will not tell you how they threatened my children” (396). By doing this, the author creates the division that the audience cannot imagine the pain that they could have endured. In the same way, the author also never mentions the main characters name. I believe she does this to show that this did not only happen to her, but other people. If …show more content…
The UDHR states in Article 2 “everyone is entitled to rights no matter race, color, sex etc.” (Article 2). The UDHR gives a basic description of the rights that are to have and whom can attain them. However, CEDAW clearly defines who can have these rights and why in the first article. CEDAW clearly defines the reason for writing the articles and whom it was written for; “For the purposes of the present Convention, the term "discrimination against women" shall mean any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field” (CEDAW Article 1). The CEDAW states clearly that in order to have rights work, there has to be a complete elimination of the social norms concerning gender roles. Dangarembga does an excellent job of proving this. She writes the main and supping characters all females that live on their own and provide for themselves. The two documents that align the best are “The Letter” and CEDAW because they support each other. Gender roles play a major part in the development of these
In this paper I will analyze CEDAW (Convention) against the UDHR (Universal), Tsisti Dangarembga’s “The Letter”, and Judith Butlers “Beside Oneself” to show that the universal claim of equal rights isn’t equal in a sense that not everyone had the same chance to experience the same human rights. Although the UDHR states in article 2 that “Everyone is entitled to all the rights and freedoms set forth in this Declaration, without distinction of any kind,[…] including sex (1), CEDAW alludes that statement by stating similar text in the beginning of the convention : “the term "discrimination against women" shall mean any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of …show more content…
The story takes place in South Africa during the apartheid. A woman and her two children live with her mother in the “hometown” while the atrocities occurred. In the beginning of the story, the main character tells how her husband up and left; no one knows how yet, but he is gone. Then it is revealed that while her husband is away she has a child with a man outside her marriage in a moment of weakness. Instead of her to be ashamed, she chooses to move one so that she does not think of herself as a “virtuous women” (Dangarembga 393). Because she was well off and could provide for her children, made her situation particularly unusual. The government took the men away from the hometown leaving women and children to fend for themselves, which is typically impossible in some situations. This division produces gender segregation while breaking the social norm. As the story ends, the authorities break in and starts to abuse the family. However, instead of the main character to describe the beatings, she repeats “I won’t begin to explain (…), and I will not tell you how they threatened my children” (396). By doing this, the author creates the division that the audience cannot imagine the pain that they could have endured. In the same way, the author also never mentions the main characters name. I believe she does this to show that this did not only happen to her, but other people. If …show more content…
The UDHR states in Article 2 “everyone is entitled to rights no matter race, color, sex etc.” (Article 2). The UDHR gives a basic description of the rights that are to have and whom can attain them. However, CEDAW clearly defines who can have these rights and why in the first article. CEDAW clearly defines the reason for writing the articles and whom it was written for; “For the purposes of the present Convention, the term "discrimination against women" shall mean any distinction, exclusion or restriction made on the basis of sex which has the effect or purpose of impairing or nullifying the recognition, enjoyment or exercise by women, irrespective of their marital status, on a basis of equality of men and women, of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the political, economic, social, cultural, civil or any other field” (CEDAW Article 1). The CEDAW states clearly that in order to have rights work, there has to be a complete elimination of the social norms concerning gender roles. Dangarembga does an excellent job of proving this. She writes the main and supping characters all females that live on their own and provide for themselves. The two documents that align the best are “The Letter” and CEDAW because they support each other. Gender roles play a major part in the development of these