Feminism In Middle East And North Africa
Feminism in Middle East and North Africa
Name
Institution
Date
Feminism in Middle East and North Africa
Gender statistics in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region indicates that women are more socially, politically and economically disadvantaged than women from other regions. Islamic feminism is a reform movement that challenges the patriarchal interpretation of the theological knowledge of the Koran. Women’s wellbeing as well as increased agency are some of the significant gains that have been achieved in post-independence era. In the last few years, Middle East and North Africa which are poor and Muslim majority countries have seen substantial progress in women empowerment. In these regions, male-dominates every aspect of life while women are oppressed and comes to play as victims of sexual violence, abandonment and collateral damage. However, women have been active in rights movements through the influence of international women’s rights movements. As noted by Abu-Lughod (1998), women were not created to remain in their household and not engage in other activities. Many movements have been trying to engage and promote feminist in the Middle East and North Africa, however, the status and role of women in these regions remains a hotly debated topic.
Issues pertaining to women in these regions have been politicized due to the Islamic culture. This can be seen in expansion of hijab in countries which had led in advocating for feminists in 1980s and 1990s. Additionally, the states have strictly led in the application of Muslim family laws (Halliday & Alavi, 1988).
The role of women in every society is important for region’s progress. However, women in MENA still face gender discrimination that hinders them from reaching their full potential despite the regions gains in education and health. The discrimination subjected to women can be seen in culture, government policies as well as legal structures that govern these regions. The law
Name
Institution
Date
Feminism in Middle East and North Africa
Gender statistics in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region indicates that women are more socially, politically and economically disadvantaged than women from other regions. Islamic feminism is a reform movement that challenges the patriarchal interpretation of the theological knowledge of the Koran. Women’s wellbeing as well as increased agency are some of the significant gains that have been achieved in post-independence era. In the last few years, Middle East and North Africa which are poor and Muslim majority countries have seen substantial progress in women empowerment. In these regions, male-dominates every aspect of life while women are oppressed and comes to play as victims of sexual violence, abandonment and collateral damage. However, women have been active in rights movements through the influence of international women’s rights movements. As noted by Abu-Lughod (1998), women were not created to remain in their household and not engage in other activities. Many movements have been trying to engage and promote feminist in the Middle East and North Africa, however, the status and role of women in these regions remains a hotly debated topic.
Issues pertaining to women in these regions have been politicized due to the Islamic culture. This can be seen in expansion of hijab in countries which had led in advocating for feminists in 1980s and 1990s. Additionally, the states have strictly led in the application of Muslim family laws (Halliday & Alavi, 1988).
The role of women in every society is important for region’s progress. However, women in MENA still face gender discrimination that hinders them from reaching their full potential despite the regions gains in education and health. The discrimination subjected to women can be seen in culture, government policies as well as legal structures that govern these regions. The law
References: Abu-Lughod, L. (1998). Remaking women: Feminism and modernity in the Middle East. Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press. Badran, M. (1995). Feminists, Islam, and nation: Gender and the making of modern Egypt. Princeton, N.J: Princeton University Press. Halliday, F., & Alavi, H. (1988). State and ideology in the Middle East and Pakistan. New York: Monthly Review Press.