Bridging or widening gender gap [Archives:2006/928/Opinion]
By: Mohammed Hatem Al-Qadhi
Women throughout history have been subjected to various forms of discrimination, injustice, inequality and abuse of their rights. They have been looked down upon and considered inferior to their fellow men. In fact, they have been imaged as a mass of sentiments whose minds and intellects can not function and produce any fruitful ideas and thoughts.
However, these inferior views of patriarchal and masculine-driven societies could not sustain and stand before the growing vocal voices demanding equal rights and treatment for women. Despite the achievements women movement has made worldwide, the strife to put an end to patriarchal and masculine cultures being hostile to women is still going on.
Last week the Yemeni women observed the international day of women, March 8. Women in our country are still facing a lot of problems in challenging a patriarchal conservative Islamist tradition that still honors the man, considering him more superior in everything. As in some other Arab countries, women in Yemen are still fighting hard for their rights in a society plagued by poverty and illiteracy.
The women conference last week urged that 30 percent of the contested seats in upcoming local elections be reserved for women. This is fine. There is no problem in giving support to women to boost their participation in politics. The quota system might push to erase the traditional social stigma, doubting the competence of women in the political sphere. However, this does not mean women should given a special treatment and care everywhere.
The Prime Minister Abdulqader Bajamal said that women do not need a special ministry as this will hamper the integration of women and widen the gender divide. He is right that this is a sentimental call that will not serve the cause of women integration and the aspired androgynous relationship. And I think that some of these centers operating on women issues in various spheres including media and education do help in women integration into society, dismantling gender gaps. Rather, they help widening the gap and keep the traditional stereotype that women roles are very much associated with the domestic work. Outside this sphere, they continue to need the support of men.
Women are not a commodity to be marketed by some people including women in the international market. They are rather human beings who should fight for their rights as women did before in Europe and the US. I have been reading about the feminist movement in England and the US and I have found that the suffrage and liberation that women have gained did not come very easily; there has been a strong feminist fight for these rights.
The most important obstacle facing women in the Islamic countries including Yemen is a traditional and conservative culture. Women all over the world learn for enlightenment. Unfortunately, women here receive that kind of education that drives them to be more conservative and close-minded. They are taught to be more dependent and less confident.
Women in the West during the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries were facing similar problems. But, devoted women have resisted the social pressure and sacrificed even their family and society relationship. The outcome is that they won by the end of the day.
The question of women liberation in Yemen needs a lot of hard work and fight in different religious, cultural and social aspects. It requires commitment and seriousness from women movement leaders as well as the support of the government and civil society organizations. In short, they need equal but not special treatment. Don't you think so?!
——
[archive-e:928-v:14-y:2006-d:2006-03-13-p:opinion]
