Feminism and women empowerment are growing across oceans at different levels. Today, in the 21st century, the issue of violence against women, inequities between men and women, among many other injustices are becoming a popular advocacy not only in the West but also in the developing countries. Women and feminist movements are even gaining its grounds in the grassroots. However, despite this development especially today in the 21st century, there are still countries that are lagging behind. Middle Eastern countries are now one of the hot spots regarding the regression of women empowerment. The dominion of patriarchy is still the reality with the enforcement of religious doctrines, state laws, and the observance of customary laws. Women in this part of the planet suffer injustices and their acceptance to this situation makes the situation worse.
According to Cultural Survival Inc., the political and social conditions of women in the Middle East has still a long way to go towards the realization of empowerment. Since the 20th century, there have been several changes in the way that customary laws and Islamic laws are enforced. With the influence of Western ideas of feminism and women empowerment, the interpretation of the said laws had been altered in some areas to accommodate pro women policies. However, in the course of the transition, the conservative faction of the Islam religion called for the recall of all the alterations of doctrines and laws that are in favor of women and hinders the dominion of men in the family and in public life.
In that situation, women are back in square one which means that women in the Middle East are confined in the home, submissive to their husbands, and suffer the double standard state laws and Islamic doctrines. The Cultural Survival Inc., added that the women in the urban and town centers may be experiencing the trickle down effect of the efforts of feminist movements towards the non-discrimination of women but the marginalized women like in the nomadic communities do not have the knowledge regarding such movements and changes regarding the view of women. These marginalized women are still living in a society where customary laws view women as second class citizens. With the kind of culture that Middle East have, the only women who belong to the upper class or the elite can afford to follow their own path to liberation from male domination. Those who do not have resources will have to live in the old ways to be able to live. For the financially powerless women, breaking out of male dominion can result to living in poverty.
Feminism is a concept that pushes for the liberation of women in the social and political life. This concept started in the West when women workers started to speak out and started a movement calling for just wages and the stoppage of women discrimination and other forms of injustice in the workplace. Feminism is now growing across oceans in different spectrum. The feminist movement achieved the success of allowing the right of women to suffrage. In the Middle East, the feminist and pro women movements did also achieve victories. In fact, according to Cultural Survival Inc., women in the Middle East achieved their rights even during the medieval times which is earlier than in the West. Women are only in a disadvantaged position when it comes to the family law because women are considered subordinates of men.
It was said that women in the Middle East achieved their rights earlier than in the West but if you look at family laws, and Islamic laws, it will reveal another desolate story. In Saudi Arabia, it is true that women have full legal capacity once they reach puberty but the traditional Islamic law allows child marriages. The family especially the male members are allowed to coerce a female child into marriage. Also, in the said law, women are only allowed to marry one at a time while men are allowed to have four wives simultaneously plus number of concubines. Women are not allowed to divorce their husband without the permission of the latter while men can indiscriminately divorce their wives just by saying “Talaq, talaq, talaq” (Mohd, “Marriage and divorce in Islam”). The word “talaq” means “I divorce you.” Although this process of divorce has been banned in several Muslim countries like Iran, Iraq, Indonesia, and Turkey, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is still enforcing it leaving women restless.
In the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, once the husband proclaimed divorced, the wife is only given several moths of ration before they are thrown into poverty. For the financially powerless women, they are willingly accepting the policy to be dependent of the husband’s support. For some women, they will just abide by the rules and be obedient to their husbands at all times to avoid divorce and they are fine. Breaking out of powerlessness for them is a loss case because they will just end up suffering. For a Middle Eastern wife, obedience to her husband is a must. In Saudi Arabia, wives cannot go out of their houses without asking permission from the husband. They cannot show any flesh or hair in public. Disobedience is a major ground for marriage divorce which is enforced by the husband. Because women are dependent on their husband’s support, obedience has become their way of life. It has become normal to most of them that other ideas that contradicts obedience like feminism are considered disrespectful of religion and tradition.
Patriarchy thrived in the Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia because of the fundamentalist factions of Islam. The fundamentalists are conservatives who cannot allow change in the traditional Islam principles. The said Islamic faction rigorously campaigned for scrapping all the new provisions that contradicts with the traditional Islam. These groups are backed by groups or politicians who are not in favor of giving space for women empowerment. They do not allow any change that threatens male domination in the society. They embody the Classic Conservatism philosophy which give emphasis on the traditional systems and only allows gradual change. They are not in favor of having equality, change, and freedom. They uphold the primitive interpretations of the Islam doctrine regardless if it does not conform with reality.
Despite the male domination in all the facets of life in the Middle East, change is gradually observed in several countries like Bahrain, Morocco, and Egypt. According to Rousseau, (2013), since 2002, women in Bahrain are granted the right to vote although there is no woman elected yet for government position; in Egypt, it is a success for them that the first female judge was appointed; and in Morocco, women are now participating in politics and are included in public positions. Despite these victories, it is still saddening that there are Arab countries that are backward in the participation of women in politics. In Kuwait for example, women do not have the right to vote and be elected in public positions. There were attempts before to step up the issue of women empowerment specifically women participation in politics in 1999 but the legislation was not approved. Moreover, in 2004, a bill on the right of women to suffrage was approved by the Cabinet Ministers. It should have been a victory for women and their advocates but the Islamist conservatives in the parliament abstained from voting for the law to be passed. Finally in 2005, the bill was passed but its implementation has loopholes and up to this day, only the privileged women are exercising their right to vote. As to women from minorities, situation is still the same as before.
Rousseau (2013) explained that even though there are groups fighting for the advancement of women’s rights in Kuwait, the social situation still marginalizes the plight. The political situation has been in turmoil causing violence because of several groups pushing for diverse ideologies on how the government should be ran. Women issues in these movements are nil and those who are active in the said movements are male dominated. As a result, women issues are not really taken into account. Rousseau added that even if the peoples’ political participation is advancing if women are not involve in the whole process, the situation of women in this part of the planet will remain as usual.
Meanwhile, in Egypt, women are allowed to occupy 12% of the total number of positions in the parliament. The problem is that, women are allowed to run for parliament but are not allowed to run in winnable slots. According to Michelle Bachelet of the UN Women, in 2008, women only occupied 2% seats out of 508 seats in the parliament. It is a huge disappointment that from the supposed 12% quota, women only occupied 2%.
In Afghanistan, the development of women has been in a fast pace because of the tireless work of women to ensure that there is equal rights and opportunities between men and women. Women are already allowed to run for public office. A quota has been set on how many men and women should seat in the parliament. There is already a law to end violence against women. From a situation where women are not allowed to go to school, women and girls are already seen pursuing education. As described by Michele Bachelet, Afghan women are already living the the privileges of a democratic country. This situation of women was however turned back when the reconciliation process was ongoing. When more parties were welcomed in the negotiation table and the International Security Assistance Force draws down its role, the concern on women issues was suddenly scrapped from the negotiation agenda. As a result, women are now experiencing violence in many forms including domestic abuse. “force marriages remains at almost pandemic levels. Impunity of perpetrators of violence is almost absolute ” (Bachelet, “Women’s Empowerment in the Middle East and Worldwide”).
Afghan and other Middle Eastern women are maximizing the arenas outside their countries like what the United Nations is providing for their voices to be heard. Documents had been published containing the desolate situation of women especially those from the grassroots but the situation remain the same. In the delegation of the UN Women during the Rio+20, there were Middle Eastern women to urge nations to address the issues of women by including their issue in the Sustainable Development Goals. Today, the indicators for the goals are yet to be fulfilled. Women’s movements continue to amplify the voices of the powerless grassroots women in the Middle East hoping for better situation in the future.
Looking back at the situation of Saudi Arabian women where women dependence on men is highly notable, movements should stress on empowering them with knowledge and skills. A better situation for women is only feasible when women are ready to face it. In the case of Saudi Arabia, they cannot break out of their dependence unless they have enough knowledge of their rights and how to assert them. Crisis centers for women should be strengthened in a situation where divorced women are thrown in desolate situation. When the time comes that majority of the women are empowered with the knowledge and practical skills, it is important to foster strong movement which will be the catalyst of change. This is also the same in the situation of Afghanistan and other Middle Eastern countries. The ones who need to be empowered are the women in the grassroots who do not have the voice to assert their rights. It is not enough that there are international and domestic NGOs. It is more important to begin the power in the grassroots level so that changes in laws will be asserted and upheld. Social change for the women in the Middle East cannot be achieved by simplistic legislation rather, change is possible when all the women break out of their powerlessness.
Works Cited
Bachelet, Michelle. “Women’s Empowerment in the Middle East and Worldwide.” UN Women. 20 Apr. 2012. Web. 24 May 2016.
Cultural Survival. “Law and Women in the Middle East.” Culturalsurvival.org. Web. 24 May 2016.
Mohd, Lal. “Marriage and Divorce in Islam.” Religious Tolerance. Web. 25 May 2016.
Rousseau, Richard. “Politics, Elections and the “Reality” of Women’s Rights in Kuwait.” Diplomatic Courier. 8 Apr. 2013. Web. 24 May 2016.
