While researching Jordan’s woman
rights for this week’s team briefing I was struck by the importance of the
unsaid in Arab society. While women equality is codified in the legal sense and
constitutional sense, a lot of it is left unapplied due to the belief in not
only the superiority of one gender but also traditional separation of gender
roles. Men should work, women should stay home is the predominant attitude
which reflects the West some 100 years ago at the beginning of WW1.
It is remarkable to me how in an increasingly globalized
world certain cultural traits remain unchanged and resistant to what occurs in
the outside world. What is more surprising is that Jordan is one of the more
progressive MENA countries and also of the more secular ones making their form
of gender discrimination more cultural than religious and thus more apt to
evolve.
What I am getting at however is that even among the more
progressive MENA countries, even one like Jordan that is one of the very few that has legalized
homosexuality, gender discrimination is still present in some form. What is a
very good sign however is that Jordan has made many changes in recent years to
try to bring to an end the predominant patriarchal norms that have so far regimented
Jordan’s society, such as the introduction of a quota in the lower house of
parliament ensuring the presence of at least 6 women every election cycle.
Freedom House themselves, which issues country reports on Civil Liberties and
freedom has recognized that Jordan is currently undergoing a historic transition
concerning gender roles and that in a few years we may well notice gender
equality laws on par with what the West offers although it may take some time
still to change the cultural attitudes and ensure that women are equal in
practice as well as in theory.
I do agree with you about how little it seems that women's rights have advanced in the MENA region, even in progressive countries such as Jordan. As a woman myself, I find that terrible. However, i do believe it is not a characteristic of ONLY the MENA region. I mean, to some extent, even in the US there is that "unsaid" gender discrimination. You can still find many people that believe that women are mothers and not workers, and that therefore should take care of the house as opposed to find a job and earn a salary. As i mentioned in my last week reflection, i actually have spoken with a couple of girls from Saudia Arabia regarding the way women are treated in the region. They explained to me that they do not see it as oppression, but rather "protection" against the evil of the world/men. To me, as a girl from the West, this concept is ridiculous, but i have to say, it gave a whole new perspective on the issue of women's rights. But, like you said, i can't help but hope that one day women will be considered equal to men, under all aspects, not only in the MENA region, but everywhere in the world.
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