Over the past 100 years, the world has changed significantly regarding its freedom and human rights. However, some countries still to this day are experiencing the lack to express those “rights”.
On October 24, 2002, the women in the Kingdom of Bahrain gained their right to vote, according to ‘Woman Suffrage and Beyond’ (1). However, women in Bahrain still don 't have the same equal rights that women have here in the United States. In 2002, Bahrain became the first member of the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) to grant universal women’s suffrage. Article 1, Section E of the National Action Charter states that “all citizens, both men and women, are entitled to vote and to stay for election in accordance with this constitution… No citizen
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They are able to travel across the country and around the world and do as they please without having to legally ask permission from their husbands or the head of their households. However, the women of Bahrain have “no direct legal restrictions on women’s freedom of movement” but women’s rights “may be limited by socially imposed restrictions such as requiring a woman to request permission from the head of the house hold in order to travel abroad” (3). In Bahraini culture, it is not acceptable for an unmarried woman to live alone, especially if she still has a living parent. According to the practice of “bayt al-ta’a” (literally, “house of obedience”) a woman could be forced by police to live with her husband against her will. “The Shari’a courts in Bahrain consider a wife who refuses to live with her husband to be nashiz (disobedient) and can deprive her of a nafaqa (an allowance from her husband)” …show more content…
“Over the last few years, the state-owned Bahrain Radio and Television has diversified its programming and has covered a broader spectrum of topics, including women 's issues, violence against women, and women 's political rights” (3). The number of female journalists in Bahrain has steadily risen over the years due to the freedoms granted to them with their women’s suffrage. There are also multiple women’s organizations which lead seminars and lectures discussing women’s rights. Many women even specialize in law careers. While there is no law prohibiting a woman from serving as a judge, there are currently no women who hold a judicial position. “However, six women currently participate in the justice system through their appointments by the king to the office of the attorney general” (3). Women face difficulties to gain influence in the community life of Bahrain. “The complete lack of female representation on the local municipal councils tends to place women 's priorities and needs low on the community agenda. The councils have not shown much initiative in communicating with women 's organizations, nor have they undertaken studies to assess women 's needs”
The Islamic Revolution of 1979 placed an ideological wedge that created an increasingly pervasive rift in gender equality that is now only gradually being successfully challenged and correct upon.
Women’s rights in the Middle East are being restricted, therefore there are many different reactions. Some people were in favor of women having equal rights while there are some who are against women to have the same rights. Since before times, many countries in the Middle East have been taking women for granted and minimized their rights by telling them they can't do something or selling them as if they were prized. When women were treated as prizes it was a practice in Afghanistan called Ba’ad that used women as the compensation, for example a story of a girl named Sakina. She was a consolation prize so that her brother could marry a woman and the Jirga system told her she had to marry a 80 year old guy when she was like 18. This tells me
Saudi Arabia is commonly known for its strict moral values and customs regarding religion and women. Gender discrimination is a global conflict, but it is prevalently seen in Saudi Arabia. Gender discrimination is so poignant in Saudi Arabia because there are strict sets of moral guidelines and ideologies that Saudi Arabian culture implements on its people. Although Saudi Arabian men impose restrictions on women for the sake of upholding their cultural beliefs and family’s honor, there is no doubt that Saudi Arabian culture is male dominated and holds misogynistic views on women, but progress is being made. Firstly, gender discrimination is not an exclusive feature of Saudi Arabia, but it is a more outwardly visible problem there.
Since the Renaissance of the 15th century, societal views have evolved drastically. One of the largest changes has been the realization of individualism, along with the recognition of inalienable human rights.(UDHR, A.1) This means that all humans are equal, free, and capable of thought; as such, the rights of one individual cannot infringe on another’s at risk of de-humanizing the infringed upon. The fact that humans have a set of natural rights is not contested in society today; the idea of human rights is a societal construction based on normative ethical codes. Human rights are defined from the hegemonic standpoint, using normative ethical values and their application to the interactions of individuals with each other and state bodies. Human rights laws are legislature put in place by the governing body to regulate these interactions.
Moghadam, Valentine M. “Chapter 16: Gender, Politics, & Women’s Empowerment.”Handbook of Politics: State and Society in Global Perspective. Ed. Kevin T. Leicht and J. Craig Jenkins. New York: Springer, 2010. 279-303. SpringerLink. Web. 28 Oct. 2011.
People who see women as “second-class” or as an “object”, when they fail to realize that the reason that people continue to be on this world is because of a woman. Document #4 is a picture of the former president of Iran, Ruhollah Moosavi Khomeini, saying that he is looking to take Iran back 1400 years to the time of Rasool’ Allah, who is the Islamic god. During those times women were treated even worse than now. Document #3 is an article titled “Behind the Veil”, which speaks of Muslim women who have a religious commitment and their reasonings to why they wear veils. Many years ago the Shah tried to westernise the Middle East. People who don't really like change, like to be independent, or have specific beliefs felt as if their Islamic identities were being threatened. Some women had stopped wearing burqas, which lead to oppression, while on the other hand, some women had been subject to prejudice for wearing them. Women’s rights have never been favored in the middle east. In the Middle East there is a justice system called, Jirga, which is an assembly of leaders, who are all male, that make decisions by consensus and according to the teachings of Islam. This justice system is never in favor of women, and they see women as objects to trade. The Jirga believes that women can't go out without a male figure, can’t really be educated, don't have a voice, or that women are an equivalent to men. Document #8 speaks of women specifically in Saudi Arabia not being able to drive. It quotes “The vast majority of women do not drive in [Saudi Arabia] and there remains much opposition to female drivers.” A 25 year old Saudi Arabian man said “I think women driving is the key to a lot of things”. Basically saying that women shouldn't be allowed to drive because women in the Middle East will be thinking that they can go or do whatever they want. Then he proceeded to compare women driving, to how women
Middle Eastern women need to stand up for their rights and get educated to reverse the notion that they are servants and properties of their men. Furthermore, they need to rise up to their potentials and prove beyond doubt that they are equal to men. This practice would lead the path for future generations to follow and protect the inalienable rights of women. Finally, these women need to break the cycle of oppression by addressing these deeply rooted beliefs, gaining the tools to fight back, and joining forces to make lifelong changes.
How has the pre-existing gender division of labor and gendered state policies affected Saudi Arabia’s women workers in their demand for equal opportunities and fair treatment? What are some of the factors involved in disempowering migrant workers in host countries and what happens when these workers start asking for their rights?
It is important for the region to increase the political participation and access of women. Increasing political participation in democratic countries will increase and strengthen the legitimacy of the government. (Desposato et al., pg. 160) There are many factors that contribute to the unequal participation in politics seen throughout the region. Studies have shown that more educated people are more likely to participate in politics. With this in mind, increasing access to education for girls in the region should lead to an increase in political participation. However, in the last decade, much has been done to increase girl’s access to education. (Desposato...
The Women of the Middle East have played substantial roles for their corresponding countries since the advent of colonialism in the region. Middle Eastern women have worked in all types of fields including medicine, education, agriculture, government, private sector, and even defense. They have kept roofs over their family’s heads while their husbands were away in wars, or even in foreign countries to work in jobs that they could not find in their own countries. The roles of women in the countries of Yemen and Oman are no exception, but while they still find ways to contribute to their country, they care constantly stereotyped, discriminated, and ridiculed by men who are known and unknown to them. This paper will discuss the individual contributions of the women living in Yemen and Oman, and will discuss in further state laws and cultural norms that are affecting the women living in these countries today.
“Women’s rights in Islam” is great controversial topic going on nowadays. The world is colored with different cultures and religions. Most people come up with different thoughts for other religion’s people by just having one look on them. Veil is obsession for some people, whereas, being bald is freedom in some people’s point of view. There are lots of misconceptions about women’s rights in Islam among non muslims. If women are covering their body or if they like to stay at home, people think that they don’t have any freedom in this religion and women are obsessed. But this is not reality. A person cannot point out anything wrong and blame other’s religion just because of his own confusion. He needs to study thoroughly and then come up with opposing viewpoints. Therefore, the misconception about women’s rights in Islam should be removed because women have equal rights, veil is for their protection, and they have freedom of speech and expression.
113-117 Human Rights: Politics and Practices. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2009.
There have been individuals and even countries that oppose the idea that human rights are for everybody. This argument shall be investigated in this essay, by: exploring definitions and history on human rights, debating on whether it is universal while providing examples and background information while supporting my hypothesis that human rights should be based on particular cultural values and finally drawing a conclusion. A general definition of human rights is that they are rights and freedoms to which all humans are entitled, simply because they are human. It is the idea that ‘all human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.’
Islam is the second largest religion in the world today. Many of us do not understand the religion Islam and women’s rights within the Islamic faith. American society has the idea that Muslim women are weak, disrespected, belittled, mistreated, and oppressed. “And women shall have rights similar to the rights against them according to what is equitable; but men have a degree (of advantage) over them.” (Qur’an 28:229).Contrary to common belief, Islam regards women as equal to men in many aspects and that women have a unique place in Islam. Finally, with this research I hope to end all misconceptions and misunderstandings of Muslim women rights relating to their spiritual, economic, social, political, and legal rights.
“Women’s human security rights in the Arab world: on nobody's agenda.” 50.50 Inclusive Democracy, 2 Dec. 2013. Web. 16 Mar. 2014.