|
 AFROL
Gender Profiles:
Angola
Angola
has been subjected to liberation wars, civil war and banditry and
terrorism from UNITA "rebels" for decades. Hundreds of
thousands, if not millions, are uprooted by the constant conflict.
Despite being a country of enormous wealth in natural resources,
extreme poverty is widespread and most resources are used on the
war. Women, as
always in a war, are the principal victims of large-scale war
crimes. Due to general poverty, displacement and traditional
practices, the situation of Angolan women remains difficult.
The Civil Code
includes discriminatory provisions against women in the areas of inheritance, property sales, and participation in commercial activities. Violence against women
is widespread.
The law provides for equal pay for equal work, but in practice, women rarely are compensated equally.
Rural women frequently are forced to work as porters for UNITA military units and kept in life threatening conditions of servitude. There also
are credible reports of sexual assault.
When it comes to
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), there have been rare occurrences in remote areas
in past
years.
Every woman in Angola averagely gives birth to 6.52 children (2000 est.)
Social data
Life expectancy: Total population: 38,31 years
male: 37,11 years
female: 39,56 years (2000 est.)
Infant mortality: 195,78 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Alphabetization rate: Total population: 42%
male: 56%
female: 28% (1998 est.)
Medical services: 25.000 persons per doctor. 76% of total population has no access to health services.
Sex ratio: at birth: 1,05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1,02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1,04 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0,84 male(s)/female
total population: 1,02 male(s)/female (2000 est.)
Religious data: Traditional African religions 28,95%,
Christians 70,92%, Muslim 0,13%.
Family and tradition
The Civil Code includes discriminatory provisions against women in the areas of
inheritance and property sales.
Under the law, adult women may open bank accounts, accept employment, and own property without interference from their spouses. Upon the death of a male head of household, the widow automatically is entitled to 50 percent of the estate with the remainder divided equally among legitimate children.
When it comes to Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), there have
been rare occurrences in remote areas of Moxico province, bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia in past
years.
Gender sensitivity in society
Under the Constitution all citizens are equal before the law and enjoy the same rights and responsibilities regardless of color, race, ethnicity, sex, place of birth, religion, ideology, degree of education, or economic or social condition. The Government does not have the ability to enforce these provisions effectively.
The Constitution and Family Code provide for equal rights without regard to gender; however societal discrimination against women
remains a problem, particularly in rural areas. In addition, a portion of the Civil Code dates back to colonial times and includes discriminatory provisions against women in the areas of inheritance, property sales, and participation in commercial activities. A series of national conferences on women's rights, partially funded by foreign donors,
continues to produce calls for the Government to amend the Civil Code to end women's legal inequality, create a social welfare program, and strengthen enforcement mechanisms for existing legislation.
Despite constitutional protections, women suffer from discrimination. The law provides for equal pay for equal work, but in practice, women rarely are compensated equally. Some women hold senior positions in the military (primarily in the medical field) and civil service, but women mostly are relegated to low-level positions in state-run industries and in the small private sector.
Health data
Access to potable water: 31%
Medical services: 25.000 persons per doctor. 76% of total population has no access to health services.
Maternal mortality rate: 1.500/100.000.
Infant mortality: 195,78 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM): There have been rare occurrences in remote
areas in past years.
Female genital mutilation (FGM) is widely condemned by international health experts as damaging to both physical and psychological health. There has been very little evidence of FGM. There were rare occurrences in remote areas of Moxico province, bordering the Democratic Republic of Congo and Zambia in past years; however, information from local and international health workers, including midwives, indicated that indigenous groups do not practice FGM.
In much of the country, women constituted a growing percentage of the disabled, since they were most likely to become victims of landmines while foraging for food and firewood in agricultural areas.
The maternal mortality rate in 1996 was estimated at 1.500 deaths per
100.000 live births. There are no effective mechanisms to enforce child support laws, and women carry the major portion of responsibilities in raising children. Due to poor economic conditions, an increasing number of women
engage in prostitution.
The U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) in 1998 estimated that there were approximately
5.000 street children in Luanda; some were orphans or abandoned while others ran away from their families or from government facilities that were unable to support them. Living conditions in government youth hostels are so poor that the majority of homeless children preferred to sleep on city streets. One international NGO that works with street children
estimates that there are 500 to 1.000 underage prostitutes in Luanda.
Violence against women
Violence against women is widespread. Credible evidence indicates that a significant proportion of homicides
are perpetrated against women, usually by their spouses. In 1997 a Ministry of Women was created to deal specifically with violence against women. During the year, the Ministry worked closely with NGO's and international organizations on a project to reduce violence against women and improve the status of women.
UNITA forces regularly abduct children for military service and other forms of forced labor. UNITA depends on forced labor for much of its logistical support. Refugees and internally displaced persons reported that rural women frequently are forced to work as porters for UNITA military units and kept in life threatening conditions of servitude. There also
are credible reports of sexual assault.
Main sources: U.S. Department of State, CIA,
UNICEF, Mundo negro
AfriPromote Banner Exchange
©
afrol.com. Texts and graphics may be reproduced freely, under the
condition that their origin is clearly referred to, see Conditions.
You can contact us at elin.nordhagen@afrol.com |
|
