Although recently much attention has been paid to signs of reform and liberalization in the Arab world, there is also considerable evidence of trends in regressive social transformation. One such manifestation is the prevailing attitudes and social policies that continue to deny women their fundamental human rights and freedoms. Arab women continue to suffer major deficiencies in both oil-rich and poorer Arab countries.

Women in the Arab world have been suffering from many restrictions and discriminations in terms of freedoms and rights throughout the history. Some of these practices are based on religious beliefs. However there exist many limitations that are cultural and emanate from tradition rather than religion. These main constraints that create an obstacle towards women's rights and liberties are reflected in laws dealing with criminal justice, economy, education and healthcare.

Before Islam, women in the Arabian Peninsula followed the cultural bonds of the tribe. Each tribe had its own laws regarding women. Some were emancipated even in comparison with many of today's standards; others, however, lived in very chauvinistic societies. They were denied their rights to act freely. They were perceived as essentially inferior to men. Correspondingly, they were controlled by male characters within their families. They were under the authority of the father, brother and husband. In some instances, men often buried their newly-born daughters alive. A woman had no share in inheritance because she was regarded as unwise and incapable of effectively managing her inherited property.

Islam was introduced in the Arabian Peninsula in the seventh century. According to the Qur’an decrees, both men and women have the same duties and responsibilities in their worship of God. In addition, the Qur'an rejected the traditional and cultural practice of killing unwanted female children soon after birth.

Nowadays in all Arab countries women have equal voting rights to men (such as Syria, Egypt, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Tunisia)except in Saudi Arabia where there isn't any voting for either men or women because of political issues in the region. In 2005, voting began for local Government in Saudi Arabia.

However, the region of the Arab peninsula is characterized by gender inequality in literacy and education. Because of their relatively low educational level, female workers were challenged by a more professional men labor force. Until recently, progress in women's education was slow and restricted. 

Adherence to traditional dress varies across Arab societies. Saudi Arabia is more traditional, while Egypt is less traditional. Women are required to wear abayas in some Arab countries, such as Saudi Arabia. This restricts their economic participation and other activities. In some countries, like Lebanon, Syria and Egypt, the veil is not mandatory. However, in other places, all women, even non-Muslims, wear Abaya out of fear of mistreatment by fanatics.

The U.S. government has made the promotion of women's rights and the empowerment of women a central element of its new campaign to modernize and democratize the Arab world. This new focus is widely supported, but its popularity has generated confusion about the actual conditions of women in the Middle East and the problems they face; about the relationship between women's rights and democracy; and about what an “outsider” like the United States can accomplish.

• 09/23/2007 18:33
  • 03/10/2007 10:44
  • 03/10/2007 10:43