Women in the Middle East: Common Threads and Diversity of Experience

Common Threads Fewer women than men in public life Fewer women than men in the public workforce Higher rates of female illiteracy Lower rates of female education Patriarchal system in the home and in public life

Fewer women than men in public life

Fewer women than men in the public workforce

Higher rates of female illiteracy

Lower rates of female education

Patriarchal system in the home and in public life

Female Illiteracy Female literacy in the MENA region has tripled since the 1970s, but half the women in the region still cannot read or write.

Women’s Participation in the Formal Work Force & Politics About 80 percent of men participate in the formal workforce; only about 33 percent of women (in the MENA region) About 3.5 % of parliamentary seats are occupied by women (lowest % in the world)

About 80 percent of men participate in the formal workforce; only about 33 percent of women (in the MENA region)

About 3.5 % of parliamentary seats are occupied by women (lowest % in the world)

Patriarchy : a system that privileges males and elders, giving males legal and economic power over his family members. In broader terms, the extension of male dominance over women in society in general.

Patriarchal system Public: Public office Court testimony Dress codes Segregated work spaces Limitations on movement Private: Last names Child custody Divorce/marriage laws Freedom of movement & employment

Public:

Public office

Court testimony

Dress codes

Segregated work spaces

Limitations on movement

Private:

Last names

Child custody

Divorce/marriage laws

Freedom of movement & employment

Variations in Experience A Bedouin girl Moroccan women demonstrating. Some Iranian women.

Differences National Legal Employment In Turkey, one in three doctors & lawyers is a woman; about 40% of Istanbul Stock Exchange traders are women Literacy Regional Class and status Cultural Table 1: Percentage of women in the labor force Saudi Arabia 4% Egypt 30% Turkey 35%

National

Legal

Employment

In Turkey, one in three doctors & lawyers is a woman; about 40% of Istanbul Stock Exchange traders are women

Literacy

Regional

Class and status

Cultural

Source: Freedom House

A Turkish mayoral candidate greets locals at a Diyarbakir market. Photo: NF Watts, 03/04

Regional Diversity – a Turkish case Map of Turkey; inset map of Turkey’s southeastern provinces

Regional diversity Literacy: 78 % literacy for women in Turkey overall (92 % men); Southeast Turkey, only 55 % women literate. Education: 92% girls in elementary school in Turkey overall; only 75% in the Southeast Marriage: in the Southeast, 20% girls marry before age 15 (highly uncommon in the rest of Turkey)

Literacy:

78 % literacy for women in Turkey overall (92 % men);

Southeast Turkey, only 55 % women literate.

Education:

92% girls in elementary school in Turkey overall;

only 75% in the Southeast

Marriage:

in the Southeast, 20% girls marry before age 15 (highly uncommon in the rest of Turkey)

Class differences: Jobs and status Former Prime Minister Tansu Ç iller Female employee at a carpet restoration center in Turkey. Market woman in central Turkey. My friend Selin making pottery.

Diversity in Dress: “Veiling” and the headscarf Veiling and exclusion from work NOT synonymous Full-body covering not specifically required in the Quran Historically, veiling primarily an upper-class luxury Village women in southeast Turkey.

Veiling and exclusion from work NOT synonymous

Full-body covering not specifically required in the Quran

Historically, veiling primarily an upper-class luxury

What do we mean by “veiling”?

Types of head and body cover Hijab: Head scarf Chador: Full body cover Drawings from the Seattle Times

Types of body covering cont. A burqa Hindu woman covering face with sari or other covering. Niqab, the face veil.

Head and body fashion, images Palestinian woman in Gaza American Muslim woman showing difference between the Niqab (left) and the Hijab (right)

Hijab Fashion Abbayas from Al-Iman Fashion Hijabs from Al-Iman Fashion Hijab & Abaya from alKaram fashion

Why do women veil? What does it mean for them?

Other perspectives? Covering as empowerment Assertion of women’s rights “ Post-modern” reaction Local custom Peer or family pressure

Covering as empowerment

Assertion of women’s rights

“ Post-modern” reaction

Local custom

Peer or family pressure

Clothing and the Quran "Say to the believing man that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater purity for them; and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands..." (Qur'an 24:30-31)

"Say to the believing man that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that will make for greater purity for them; and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; and that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands..."

(Qur'an 24:30-31)