Even though there have been talks of equal rights for both men and women all over the world, women are still fighting for their rights in 2021. Women do everything possible to get freedom from the male-dominated society so that they can breathe in the open air.
Today we are going to talk about a village that is ruled by women. This village is in the African country of Kenya. Umoja is a village near Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. It is a village where only women live. The specialty of this village is that no men can enter here.
Here, a group of 48 women live in straw huts with their children. Men are banned in this village. If a male enters here, then they will be arrested by the local police.
The village started with a group of 15 women from the year 1990. These women were raped by British soldiers in the vicinity of the trading border located near Samburu and Isioso. Umoja’s population has now expanded to include any women escaping child marriage, FGM (female genital mutilation), domestic violence and rape – all of which are cultural norms among the Samburu.
After which they began to be seen with hatred in their community, as if it was their fault. There are many rape victims who say that after the crime with them, their husband considered them disrespectful to the family and drove them out of the house. Women came to live here and named the village Umoja, which reflects unity.
Gradually, this village turned into a refuge. Here, all the women who are expelled from their homes are welcomed.
All the women living in Umoja are of Samburu culture. This society is patriarchal and polygamy is practiced here. Female mutilation is most commonly performed here. Women of all ages can come and live here. The women living here range from a 98-year-old to a 6-month-old girl. Many women come and live here while pregnant.
In Umoja village, women live happily with complete freedom. They do not have to take permission for any work here. The women of this village make colorful beads of beads, which makes their living.