Among Female Members of the Society in Middle Eastern Regions of the World
Introduction
The modern human society thrives in a more constructive system of legal guidelines that are practically established to become more effective in determining the most important aspects of development in relation to the recognition of human rights. Now more than ever, the capacity of the law to protect humans from being subjected to delineating situations that causes them to thrive under situations that make their lives miserable has been strengthened especially in the recognition of international relations between nations pioneering in identifying the primary care human individuals need (Gosselin, 2009). Relatively though, amidst all these advancements in the field of legal operations in the modern society, there are still those areas where the vulnerable members of the society are subjected to conditions of abuse and neglect when it comes to the recognition of their rights.
Among such regions that specifically raise the attention of the world toward such issues is the Middle East. Countries within the said are note dot follow traditional ways of belief over the lesser position of women in the society. Relatively, such position indicates how women are supposed to be treated and how women cannot speak against such conditions as such attitude has already been rooted upon history. In the discussion that follows, a distinct indication on how the treatment women receive from people surrounding the in the Middle East affect them as individuals shall be given attention to. In relation to the course readings completed, the discussion of this topic shall be directed towards the most promising resolution that could be accounted for to save the women in the said region and subject them to better recognition that would specifically improve their lives as human individuals who deserve to be respected as humans.
Implications of the Problem
The Islamic belief strongly empowers the authoritative position of men and how such position should be viewed by everyone else in the society. Considerably, not completely getting everyone involved, people in the Middle Eastern regions are subjected within one primary culture regardless of their religious beliefs. Relatively, it could be understood that recognizing the manners by which individuals deal with their women counterparts is up to the thinking and decision of an individual. In this case, legal sanctions are limited; they are not established enough to make sure that the welfare of the women are well-protected.
Men basically own their wives when they are married. Considering women as their possessions, they are able to do as they please with their wives and at some point, their wives cannot complain as they have already agreed to such ownership in marriage. This is the reason why domestic violence against women receives a distinct attention in the country. Considerably, women in the area are less able to protect themselves as the sanctions of the law are not strong enough to impose such enforcements that would put the men in contempt in relation to their acts against their wives.
Harassment and cases of rape are specifically noted against the women; in most trials, instead of giving attention to how the men behaved in the situation, it is the behavior of the women being scrutinized. As if saying that they were the ones who seduced their assailants, and that they deserve such treatment as it was what they wanted in the first place. Relatively, this is the reason why women in the said region choose not to speak when they experience harassment from coworkers or rape from their bosses or their very own family members as they fear being put to shame in front of the public.
The situations become even more complicated when the points of social and religious belief are applied in the process of determining the direction of abuse-cases against women. Holding the role of the men high enough to direct and command that of the women’s role in the community, the female members of the society are considered barred from the option of living life to its fullest as they deserve (Hansar, 2007). Some modernists in the Islamic belief specifically argue the fact that women are supposed to be respected especially in accordance to the example of their prophet Muhammad and the principles presented in Koran believed to have come from Allah himself (Hansar, 2007). Nevertheless, amidst these arguments and debates, the situation does not change, the women remain as the lesser members of the society deserving lesser recognition. True, although idealists in the Islamic religion believe otherwise, the facts surrounding the situation are more than enough to prove that both culture and religion have a lot to do with what is happening with the women in the Middle Eastern regions of the world.
Women and Culture (Middle East)
The psychology behind cultural direction has a lot to do with why women in the Middle East settle for their situation and accept matters as they come (Leary, 1999). Although they are being empowered by international groups and agencies designated to assist them in their quest towards freedom from domestic abuse and social stereotyping, they remain intertwined within the culture that identifies them as ‘social loss’, or somewhat something that has no value at all and should be regarded as such. Stopping the capacity of women to embrace individual advancement is rampant in the Middle East. Women are kept in the homes and are expected to remained confined within their homes until they get married and as they embrace the life of being a mother and a wife as if suggesting that they were born and would always be noted as slaves of the society and of the men who become their ‘owners’ later on (Hajjar, 2004). Those who were given a relative chance to go to schools and learn are challenged to get a good job that will allow them to become good professionals; once they enter the work environment, they face a new approach to abuse and harassment from their male counterparts. It is as if the situation of women in the area cannot be resolved anymore and that the women have no choice but to accept matters as they come.
This is why those who have ample finances to get out of the country do so, just to protect themselves from undergoing the deadening situation of the culture that puts them in a dangerous situation in the hands of men who view them as nothing but possessions. The psychological setting of the Middle Eastern community and how they recognize their position according to the laws and principles of their religion imply to distinctively affect how these individuals see their own worth as people and not just as women. Being belittled and being set at a lower sense of self-recognition specifically puts the women from these regions in a condition of disbelief that there is still something out there that awaits them that could bring them a better future, a better life. Their children [mostly the girls] undergo the same approach of treatment; it’s a deadening cycle that cannot be avoided by the female members of the society in the Middle Eastern communities.
Resolutions Provided for Women
The United Nations have put together several programs that are dedicated to women all over the world. Empowering the women to fight for their rights, to become more productive and to become more recognized with whatever talent they can share to improve the society, these programs call out to all women of the world. However, with the tight treatment of media and communication operations in Middle East, such calls cannot be heard completely by those who deserve to hear them. Men, who are at the center of everything in the region, become accustomed to setting such calls from the international agencies aside, not letting the women seek a possibly better course for themselves and their children. Those who are able to develop a distinct realization of their rights and decide to educate themselves become subjected to social and even familial ridicule. At this point, it could be realized that the need for change cannot simply come from the women who deserve to be helped in the Middle Eastern regions; instead, it should come from the realization of the government with regards the real value of the female members of the society (Van Wormer, et al, 2010).
Conclusion
Barred, kept out from any possibilities of being freed from the bonds of culture and traditional religion, the women in the Middle East are in dire need of help and attention from the international scene. People who become concerned about the matter ought to act; however, without the realization of the community’s administrators and leaders, the possibility of saving women from the abuse and stereotyping they receive from the society [from the men] may be considered vague in nature. It is essential that the consideration over their case be given particular attention to. The change of the society’s outlook towards feminine role towards national development is essential and coming up with the most progressive way to help the Middle Eastern regions realize this fact is the real challenge relating to this problem. Empowering the women to become more evidently concerned about their welfare should be handled in a more distinct manner that would specifically reach them and become the source of their strength in going against the constraints of their cultural bars.
References:
Gosselin, Denise Kindschi (2009). Heavy Hands: An Introduction to the Crime of Intimate and Family Violence (4th ed.). Prentice Hall. p. 13.
Hansar, Robert D. (2007). "Cross-Cultural Examination of Domestic Violence in China and Pakistan". In Nicky Ali Jackson. Encyclopedia of Domestic Violence (1st ed.). Routledge. p. 211.
Hajjar, Lisa (2004). "Domestic Violence and Sharía: A Comparative Study of Muslim Societies in the Middle East, Africa and Asia". In Lynn Welchman. Women's Rights and Islamic Family Law: Perspectives on Reform. Zed Books. p. 265.
Shaikh, Masood Ali (2003). "Is domestic violence endemic in Pakistan: perspective from Pakistani Wives". Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences 19 (1): 23–28. Cited in: Hanser, Robert D. (2007). "Cross-cultural examination of domestic violence in China and Pakistan". In Nicky Ali Jackson. Encyclopedia of Domestic Violence (1st ed.). Routledge. p. 21.
Van Wormer, Katherine; Fred H. Besthorn (2010). Human Behavior and the Social Environment, Macro Level: Groups, Communities (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 149.
Pickup, Francine; Suzanne Williams, Caroline Sweetman (2000). Ending Violence Against Women: A Challenge for Development and Humanitarian Work. Oxfam. p. 91.
Leary, Daniel. (1999). Psychological Abuse: A Variable Deserving Critical Attention in Domestic Violence. Violence and Victims. Springer Publishing.
