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Political Status of Women in Arab and Muslim Middle East Nations

Political Status of Women in Arab and Muslim Middle East Nations. Dr. Maggio - GLS-220. Literacy and Employment. Egypt Saudi Arabia Iran. Literacy Rates & GDP. Egypt Iran Saudi Germany Arabia. 80,335,036 71.4% 59.4% 83% $5,400. 65,397,521 77%

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Political Status of Women in Arab and Muslim Middle East Nations

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  1. Political Status of Women in Arab and Muslim Middle East Nations Dr. Maggio - GLS-220

  2. Literacy and Employment • Egypt • Saudi Arabia • Iran

  3. Literacy Rates & GDP EgyptIran Saudi Germany Arabia 80,335,036 71.4% 59.4% 83% $5,400 65,397,521 77% 70.4% 83.5% $12,300 27,601,038 78.8% 70.8% 84.7% $20,700 82,400,996 99% 99% 99% $34,400 Population Overall Literacy Female Literacy Male Literacy GDP

  4. Scenarios • Scenario 1 • Improved Standard of Living • Liberal Interpretation of Islam • Democratic System of Government • Scenario 2 • Standard of Living Declines • Conservative Interpretation of Islam • Political Stagnation • Scenario 3 • Improved Standard of Living • Conservative Interpretation of Islam • Democratic System of Government

  5. Muslim Women in Family • Family • Marriage • Divorce • Child custody • Family violence • Wife abuse

  6. In the future? • Positive • -Reform movement in Iran • (1994-2004) • - “No for discrimination. • No for violence or exclusion. • Yes for equal and justice.” • Negative • keep stoning? • No freedom?

  7. Reproductive Rights

  8. Context -Desire to form stronger regional and international agreements. -Trade relationships sometimes mean cultural relationships. -Turkey and the European Union: http://www.lifenews.com/int650.html -Syria and the United Nations: Commission at the Status of Women (term: “reproductive health” ambiguous)

  9. Where the Middle East Stands Today

  10. WomenonWaves.org • RED countries in the Middle East: Afghanistan, Egypt, Iran, Lebanon, Libya, Oman, Sudan, Syria, United Arab Emirates, Yemen • PINK countries in the Middle East: Kuwait, Morocco, Saudi Arabia • Trends • Birth rates vary • “Pink” countries as outliers?

  11. Factors • Cultural Norms • Patient Rights • Religious- www.islamtoday.com • Women should be equal, legally: property, business, divorce • Reproductive rights: contraception, but no sterility; abortion permissible in some situations (rape, woman’s life endangered)

  12. Women in the Middle EastConquering Obstacles for Women’s Participation • A Time for Change and Action • Patriarchy: literally means: • Patri – “fathers” • Arch – “Rule of” • The idea that a country is like a family, ruled by a father (a man, a king) • How do we break from this patriarchal model, not only in the Middle East, but the world? • Symbolic picture: women taking care of family as well as protecting it.

  13. Women in PoliticsIncreasing involvement in politics Key: Involvement in Society • An Israeli Arab woman votes on election day March 28, 2006 in her village of Abu Ghosh near Jerusalem. Women are more likely than men to engage in political practices Women are more likely to vote than men are. Act through formal organizations like: political parties, women’s associations, religious institutions, social agencies. Idea of Quotas for government positions.(Egypt 1980’s)

  14. Women in action: the Middle East: • They want the right to education, both secular and religious, which is often denied to girls. • They also want reform in Muslim family laws that often leave them at the mercy of men • To bring these debates about women to the forefront. • Women slowly realizing politcal potential and concerns are addressed in politcal arena Dr. Jaleh Lackner-Gohari She believes in the enormous potential of women in all societies which will be transformed in constructive societal changes in future.

  15. Women without Borders and CEDAW • Mai Yamani – daughter of former Saudi Petroleum Minister, Ahmed Yamani. • CEDAW: currently 185 members. Egypt, Iraq, Israel include some. • Currently 12 woman heads of state, none in the Middle East. • Although Bangladesh mainly Muslim. • Saudi Arabia is also the only country in the world where women are banned from driving on public roads. • Mai Yamani – women need to be active and contributing group to society. • New generation of young Saudis: Educated and Technological.

  16. Conclusion • Female literacy rates are increasing • More and more women are entering the workforce, thus changing the traditional structure of Arab families • Reproductive rights can be expected to change as international trade/social agreements between countries increase • Female empowerment could lead to better governance and increased stability in the Middle East

  17. References http://www.lifenews.com/int650.html www.women-without-borders.org/aboutus/ http://www.un.org/womenwatch/daw/cedaw http://fletcher.tufts.edu/research/2007/Akande.pdf "The Status and Progress of Women in the Middle East and North Africa." World Bank 36463006 (2005) 52-118. 3/28/2008 https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/ Al-Oadah, Salman. “Women’s Issues”. IslamToday.com Viewed 31 March 2008.http://www.islamtoday.com/show_sub_section.cfm?main_cat_id=35&sub_cat_id=0 Women on Waves. http://www.womenonwaves.org/set-158-en.html http://www.jannah.org/sisters/wifeabuse.html http://biblionline.nisc.com/scripts/login.dll?13032008152658_4 http://www.wluml.org/english/actionsfulltxt.shtml?cmd

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