Pat Perrielo writes: "We understand that Africa or Asia may have a different view of women. We try to understand their culture and make some allowances for it." 

And yet Asia has had a majority of women presidents to date - Muslim majority countries (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia), Buddhist majority countries (Sri Lanka, Taiwan), Hindu majority countries (India), and even a Catholic majority country - the Philippines! Indonesia stipulates a minimum of 30% women candidates in elections. Asian Catholic women doing theology as deep and as radical anywhere meet, share and publish every two years (since 2002) in the "Ecclesia of Women in Asia" network (EWA). Women religious tend to belong to one of two extremes - dutiful practitioners within a clerical church (a minority), or long term feminist engaged with the marginalised (a slowly increasing majority of Sisters). Yes, we remain patriarchal churches within patriarchal societies, yet the ground is shifting beneath our feet. Thank God!