A Call to Action

Women, Religion, Violence, and Power

By: Jimmy Carter

Narrated by: Jimmy Carter

The world’s discrimination and violence against women and girls is the most serious, pervasive, and ignored violation of basic human rights: This is President Jimmy Carter’s call to action.

President Carter was encouraged to write this book by a wide coalition of leaders of all faiths. His urgent report covers a system of discrimination that extends to every nation. Women are deprived of equal opportunity in wealthier nations and "owned" by men in others, forced to suffer servitude, child marriage, and genital cutting. The most vulnerable, along with their children, are trapped in war and violence.

A Call to Action addresses the suffering inflicted upon women by a false interpretation of carefully selected religious texts and a growing tolerance of violence and warfare. Key verses are often omitted or quoted out of context by male religious leaders to exalt the status of men and exclude women. And in nations that accept or even glorify violence, this perceived inequality becomes the basis for abuse. President Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, have visited 145 countries, and The Carter Center has had active projects in more than half of them. Around the world, they have seen inequality rising rapidly with each passing decade. This is true in both rich and poor countries, and among the citizens within them.

Carter draws upon his own experiences and the testimony of courageous women from all regions and all major religions to demonstrate that women around the world, more than half of all human beings, are being denied equal rights. This is an informed and passionate charge about a devastating effect on economic prosperity and unconscionable human suffering. It affects us all.

©2014 Jimmy Carter. All rights reserved. (P)2014 Simon & Schuster, Inc. All rights reserved.

A outstanding book

A pivotal book that stands as a testament for the care and protection of women worldwide. Jimmy Carter is an idol. I highly recommend this book.

Timely read!

The time is ripe for women to claim their influence and power in the world. This read is more than an education; it is an inspiration by one of our staunchest supporters. Hearing his words in President Jimmy Carter's sweet Georgian accent is a pleasant bonus. Enjoy & then go make it a better world.

Incomprehensible from a western point of view

Like Jimmy Carter as a president or not, like his style of writing or not, this is something that those of us who profess to be Christians, or at least decent human beings should read or listen to. It is easy for people in the west to view women's rights as equal work for equal pay. Not to dismiss this, but in large parts of the world women's the rights women need are the right to equal food, shelter, and safety from pain at the hands of people who profess to act in the name of the God they worship. This is probably why the people who want to control the other half of their population do not want those being controlled to learn to read.

Misinterpreting (or even lying about) the words of holy books was probably practiced since the books were scrolls. So this book is not a diatribe against a religion, it is an indictment of people who hurt other people for their own benefit and justify it by saying but I am just following the holy world. Even though scholars reading the same holy word are saying "no your are not". Somehow none of this discussion is making its way to the poor people who are being raped and starved, etc.

We as Americans and as part of the western civilization are very careful to respect cultures different from our own. But in American states and cities, if a person treated an animal the way the human beings are being treated in the countries noted in Jimmy Carter's book, the offending person would be prosecuted. Even in the most conservative of states.

I don't pretend to have answers, but personally I can't just not look at this ugliness because I am not smart enough to fix it. But as a practical matter, Americans are really stubborn about fixing things once the whole nation decides there is a problem. So as a speck of the American population I am admitting this is a problem, with the knowledge that the western world will find a way to do redress it. Because the people who have convinced themselves that starving and torturing people not only gives them benefits and pleasure, it is a holy duty and are not going to change a thing.

Former President Carter's narration and writing style are so famous that it does not need discussion. But I think he does a good job with this one.

Excellent

Everyone needs to read this book. President and Mrs. Carter should receive the Nobel Prize for the work they do on behalf of women. Thank you.

An Eye Opener

The Author and Narrator being President Carter himself describing real life situations was captivating. The genuine care President Carter exhibits prompted me to contemplate ways that I can contribute.

A must read to understand the complexities of the attack on women’s rights

Even though this book is now nearly a decade old, it remains as relevant (and possibly more so) than ever before. President Carter is far ahead of the thinking of moat leaders as he addresses several issues head-on and pragmatically. He also illustrates how no religion is an excuse for the subjugation of women. A must read for human rights and women’s rights practitioners- as well as every man and woman.

informative.

It was fun reading a book, written by an author, whose obviously a wonderful human being. I didn't realize how involved he was in women's issues. Over all, a good book.

Narrating best left to professional narrators

Would you try another book from Jimmy Carter and/or Jimmy Carter?

I will elect to buy the hardcopy version of his books

What did you like best about this story?

The author's sharing his experience in dealing with extremely complex issues

Who would you have cast as narrator instead of Jimmy Carter?

Any professional narrator. I missed half the book. I will need to buy the hardcopy to get the rest of it

Did A Call to Action inspire you to do anything?

Absolutely; all women should unite in these causes

Elocution is hard to say

I am glad that the author reads his books. It is an honor to hear a great president speak. President Carter should ask Howard Stern for help with the audio quality of the recording. Sometimes it is hard to distinguish his words. More compression helps with elocution.

I now know what it is to be black.

Very inspiring book president Carter is very good at putting his finger on the problem read it then look around you. You will see it. As a woman I have seen this around me and I am an American and as a woman a second class citizen!