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Will women in the Islam world ever achieve the same rights
as men?
By Emira Al-Saadi
06.2006
For his days, the prophet Mohammed could be considered
a feminist. The doctrine he laid out as the revealed world
of God considerably improved the status of women in 7th century
Arabia. In local pagan society, it was the custom to bury
unwanted female newborns alive. Islam prohibited this practice.
Moreover it made the education of girls a sacred duty and
gave women the right to own as well as to inherit property.(Ref)
So back then Islam actually brought an extension
of women‘s rights. But what is the current situation? It is
important to point out that after Mohammed’s death the Koran,
being already contradictory itself, has been interpreted in
a variety of ways in every single Muslim country. So there
is not one country representing the status of women in the
Islam world. In the majority of regions, Islam or rather the
different interpretations of Islam have, over decades of time,
developed a great impact on social life as well as on political
life. Often the Sacred Text is interpreted as giving men a
superior position over women, leading to certain traditional
and cultural rules to the situation women in Muslim countries
nowadays face: Discrimination and oppression as well as constrictions
of rights. Although some steps have been taken to improve
the female’s status in the Islam world, gaining equality seems
impossible.
As a form of discrimination and oppression women in more and
more Muslim countries are actually forced to cover their bodies
either by law or through social pressure. While Saudi women
usually wear a black cloak, called an abaya, along with a
black scarf and veil to hide their faces, women in Sudan and
Iran can expose the face but must cover their hair and neck.
Though some women find that the veil liberates them from unwanted
gazes and hassles from men, there are many who feel culturally
suppressed.
Moreover female education in Islamic states is
often insufficient. In Afghanistan, under the Taliban rule
from 1996 to 2001, female education was totally banned. Women
and girls were excluded from all aspects of Afghan educational
life, from primary school to university. Though females in
Afghanistan today are allowed to take part in educational
life, hostility to women’s education continues.(Ref)
As a constriction of women’s rights, their freedom
of movement is often restricted in the Muslim world. Especially
in Saudi Arabia women’s freedom of movement is severely restricted
within as well as outside the country. Females, who walk unaccompanied,
or are in the company of a man who is neither their husband
nor a close relative, are at risk of arrest on suspicion of
prostitution or other “moral” offences. Further they may not
travel abroad unless they have the written authorization of
a male relative, usually their father or husband, and have
to be accompanied. Inside Saudi Arabia, they are forbidden
to drive.
In political life some small steps have been taken
to improve the women’s situation towards more equality. In
Syria 26 out of 250 members of parliament are females, in
Iraq 19 out of 250. Compared to American or European standards
the number seems small, but in the Middle East the attendance
of a woman in political discussions is a great improvement
of her status. Before, women were only seen in their traditional
family role, as housewives and mothers.
As a way to reach amelioration of the woman’s status in the
future, feminist groups have been established claiming liberation
and more rights in Islam. This establishment proves the strong
will of Muslim females to gain equal rights. Islam feminists
now even meet annually to figure out steps in order to reach
their goals. Just last year, in October 2005, the First International
Congress on Islamic Feminism took place in Barcelona.
Further educational goals have been reached: In Iran unmarried
women will now be able to leave the country in order to study
abroad on state scholarships and moreover there are more women
now than men who attend university.
As demonstrated above there are some political
and educational achievements. But do they prove that equality
between men and women in Islam is on its way to become a reality?
Unfortunately women in almost all Muslim countries are still
considered less valuable than men. A striking example is Iran:
The country is often described as being one of the most liberal
Islamic countries: Women take part in political life, have
the right of education and are even allowed to join the police
and practice “men’s professions”. But still, like in many
Muslim countries, females face discrimination: In Iran the
value of a woman’s life is half that of a man’s in terms of
blood money and her testimony in court is also worth half
that of a man. It becomes clear that successes towards a more
equal life seem too small and insignificant compared to the
level of oppression Islam women are faced with. In order to
achieve equality, there is not only a strong need of a new
and modern interpretation of the Koran towards a more liberal
role of women, but there are certain cultural and traditional
values and role models that have to be reconsidered. As long
as these changes have not occurred, equality of women in Islam
seems improbable, if not impossible.
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http/
www.time.com/time/world/article0,8599,185647-3,00.html
http://news.bbc.co.uk/cbbcnews/hi/newsid_4500000/newsid_4506800/4506890.stm
http://www.amnesty.ca/SaudiArabia/5.php
http//www.feminismeislamic.orc/engl/congress.htm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middl_east/643626.stm
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