The Role Of Women In The Middle East

One of the major issues the world has been dealing with for years and years is the oppression of women. A lot of women have been mistaken for their rights, and gender stereotypes are hard to break. The oppression of women showcased in many different ways such as jobs and their right to education. Many girls have had their education stripped away from them due to the fact that they are being sold to men.

Accustomed to stereotypical depictions, Westerners are told that Middle Eastern women are passive, weak, and always veiled. It is often assumed that the severe conditions in Saudi Arabia—where women are not even allowed to drive cars—represent the norm for women throughout the Middle East and in the larger Muslim world. In reality, Saudi Arabia’s versions of both Islam and sexism are rather unique in their severities, although the rule of the Taliban in Afghanistan is now emulating the sexist Saudi model. Women enjoy political and social rights in many Muslim countries, and Egypt has recently granted women the right to divorce their husbands. In Tunisia, abortion is legal, and polygamy is prohibited. Women have served as ministers in the Syrian, Jordanian, Egyptian, Iraqi, and Tunisian governments, and as Vice President in Iran.

In a society, gender roles are the roles that are restricted to males or females on the basis of their sexism. Conventionally, in numerous societies including the western society, it is supposed that females are more encouraged at any platform than the males. It is believed that for the development of a society, females should be treated in an encouraged way because encouragement of the females help in the betterment of society. Earlier, it was considered that females should remain at home and they should maintain the household things rather than working outside because outside work is only for the males, but it was a traditional way of treating women, which has been changed now.

In Muslim societies such as Kuwait, women face issues with their right to vote and their right to run for political office. Under the reading of Islam it is interpreted by Kuwait’s that women are forbidden to hold a position of authority, but this interpretation makes no senses as under Islam it really states people are all equal (Korman 94). Other Kuwait’s believe that women are voting through their father or husband who cast a vote for the entire family not leaving a women’s voice unheard (95). Two great issues for women as we can see have been the right to vote and the right to run for political office. This was acted on in the year 1999 by Sheik Jaber III, past ruler of Kuwait, who issued a royal decree granting women the right to vote. Unfortunately, on November of 1999, the National Assembly voted down the measure, due to time, claiming it was not right to grant those rights for Kuwaiti women yet (Korman 94).

Have you ever wondered how people around the world live? If so, then at some point in time in your life you thought like a Cultural Anthropologist. But have you ever thought about how the way people in the Middle East live? Probably not right? Islam and Middle Eastern culture, might be the most misunderstood culture from around the world. It is especially difficult to understand by those in western societies. People who live in western societies tend to have this stigma towards people from the Middle East that they’re bad people and they’re all terrorist when in fact they’re not. They are a regular society, deeply rooted in tradition and culture. Westerners sometimes don’t understand that because it’s western ideology to be civilized and conform to what those with social power say what’s right. For many years, the people of the Middle East have been targeted by western imperialism to try and change who they are and what they believe in, but most countries put up a fight. The role of women in the Middle East has been especially difficult to understand by those outside of the culture. Contrary to what many people might believe, women play a major role in their society and are not as oppressed as many people may think. They contribute highly to education, the economy, and other social and cultural factors such as religion, family, and the social status of women in the Middle East.

Women slowly eased their way into the workforce previously to the 1900’s, but nothing drastically changed until the 1940s and 60s. After the civil war the gender role for women started to change (Shah, 2015). World War 2 was one of the first opportunities

In the past, Islamic women were not granted the right to vote or join in politics, but over the years the legal status of women in Islam has relaxed and changed. Muslim women in the Middle East have the right to vote, and may join in politics. Along with this, they are permitted to have vital government jobs. (Braswell, p.155) A woman 's status , however, is not as high as a man 's is in society. They still must follow many traditional customs. An example of one custom is that women are encouraged to do is dress modestly, by wearing veils in public. (Lippman, p.38) Although Muslim men and women are not looked upon as equals in every sense, there has been a lot of improvement and many changes have been made in the women 's favor.

Much of the Bush administration and war discussion focused on women’s rights and an idealized version of a “non-oppressed” Iraq. This turned out to be far from reality, with the occupation actually setting back many laws in favor of women.

In this University article I found how women in the Middle East are starting to gain more rights and respect which is what they deserve. There’s this new law about how family is the biggest priority for everyone there, but we also see the changes that happen with women. Some women in the Middle East are allowed to not cover their face or body, but there’s some that still do because they want to follow the traditions from their ancestors. The gender role I saw on this article is that, men are less dominant now days on the Middle East compared to back in the 1940s, the same way that it was in the US. It look longer for women in the Middle East to receive more freedom, because of all the wars that are going on, and because of the masculinity of

Ottoman Empire is an Islamic empire with a patriarchal social system; nevertheless, history of females with political authority during the era of Ottoman Empire are embedded in the world. Because of this, the extend of the role of women in the politics of the Ottoman

Although this movement has been one of the most important movements for change in Islamic societies, it has not been accurately portrayed in the West (p169). Western imaginations of Iran portray a much more conservative country, an image exemplified by events following 9/11 including Bush’s axis of evil speech, making it easier for Western Governments to criticize Iran. The reality is in Iran women are becoming more and more active in NGOS and in high-powered positions in society. Povey very unsettles binaries of a progressive West and conservative Iran, and points some blame towards the West for female subordination in Iran in their inaccurate portrayal of women in

In the development of the Middle East, there has been a constant constriction of women being political prisoners in their own countries. Within a male hegemonic society, women became the first vast target of political and social suppression. The development of a new age has implemented the animation of feminism within society, where women break their position of being prisoner to the male force. Over time women resisted the views upon them, using art as a medium for expression, therapy, and a way to allocate to the western ideas of the Middle Eastern woman. These women have created a crying outpour of their ordeals through painting, music, film, photography, and installations available to a global eye. Not only are these women’s works

Women have different roles in politics, economics and religion than their counterparts. It is important to know not just the general role of women, but it is also important to know where they

The diversities within North Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia (cultural, religious, political, etc.) play a crucial part in the status of women and the key features of gender roles in these particular geographic regions. The Middle East and North Africa share commonalities through Arabic and Islamic culture. Establishing equalities for women amongst the current social and political changes of Middle Eastern and North African societies stands as a difficult obstacle to overcome, but in spite of this, women’s rights efforts are still being made. While Islamic culture is dominant in Southeast Asia, the culture of Southeast Asian nations is diverse. Islam and gender in Southeast Asia have contributed to the continuing debate over Islam, feminism, and gender rights in the region. The cultures of North Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia are male dominated, but this cultural dominance might not sustain in the future. This essay will compare and contrast the current status of women and the key features of gender roles in North Africa and the Middle East with those of Southwest Asia. Examples will also be provided to justify any arguments that are made.

So women’s contribution is very immense in the social & economic development of various communities in the world. Their political involvement may not be that much in the past but current women’s participation in politics all over the world is witnessing huge increase in leaps and bounds.