You know when sometimes you hear these awful stories about the life and you upset your mind but can’t really do anything. A foreign colleague of mine told earlier that her maid (23 yrs old) is pregnant to her boyfriend but not married. As you all know, even me and Pekka got married before coming here, so it is really something you have to be married here if you want to live with someone.

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Anyway, back to the story. This poor 23 years old maid had decided to get married and had told both families that the wedding takes place late Jan. But as a tradition here, you have to ask from a fortune teller whether the date is correct to get married or not. So, from the husband’s side the fortune teller (who may be a relative or external) had told that something terrible will happen if they get married in January. So, the bride’s family turned to their fortune teller who expressed something similar and was not able to recommend a marriage.

 

So what happened next, these two youngster, other one with a growing stomach (she must have been nearly 20 weeks pregnant as she had known the sex of the baby already) – can not get married as the fortune tellers do not recommend and the families do not therefore accept it. They can not live together, she can not give a birth, the pressure in society would be to strong. So – awful but true, she ended up with abortion!!!

 

Abortion rates are huge here, 2,5 abortions/woman, sex-selective abortions particularly huge, there are provinces where sex-selection is common due to the government’s 2 children policy. So this was something you readers to understand with what kind of problems we struggle here also in the gender field. Not explicitly, but quite.

 

I really stress myself with these stories. I get really angry but I realize that I can not do much. Although I work in the field of gender equality. A fact I just have to admit – but not to accept.

 

Comments and regards are welcome! There are quite a few of you from whom I have not heard for a while. I am not listing you, but if you feel “piston sydamessasi”, please leave a comment or write an email.