The Muslim Woman

Violence in Iraq has escalated refugee crises, which is also creating instability in the province. The dislodged women, children and youth are becoming more susceptible to exploitation and abuse. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, tens of thousands of Iraqis are fleeing the country every month and majority of the displaced are women and children. Carolyn Makinson, executive director of the Women’s Commission for Refugee Women and Children asserted, ‘the rampant insecurity within Iraq and the lack of humanitarian assistance in neighboring countries, puts women and children at great risk of abuse. There are already reports of Iraqi women and young girls forced into prostitution or sex to survive and children forced into labor and other forms of exploitation’. Syria and Jordan are apparently, becoming inundated with the influx of refugees and so have placed certain restrictions on the services provided to them. Education for children is becoming a major cause, firstly, because of the lack of accommodation and secondly, the high affordable prices of private schools. Syria allows Iraqi refugee children to attend public school but families often cannot afford the supplies and school uniforms their children need. Scores of refugee families are experiencing financial crunch. Generally, they cannot legally work and have no way to support themselves and their families. Women who cannot provide for their families are particularly vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. To guarantee protection of Iraqi refugees and internally displaced Iraqis and to help ease the great strain on countries receiving refugees, the United States and international community must significantly increase its funding for humanitarian assistance programs and regular monitoring of the allocated funds is too required. Image Read

Qatar, an Emirate on the western shores of Persian Gulf has made headlines for the wrong reasons. A study on violence against women, ‘surprisingly and eventually’ the first of their kind in the Emirate ‘has made a new statement’. ‘Women in Qatar readily overlook, when they are exploited’ Abuse generally includes physical torture, divorce threats, name-calling, rape and deliberate pregnancy. A significance percentage of women do not even have access to basic rights. Violence and discrimination against women and depriving them of their rights are not something new in this world. What is new, though is, some women justify these abuses and accept them happily! Sadly, this has emerged from the Islamic world, where women are only considered ‘objects’ governed by ‘wrongly interpreted’ holy rules of women behavior. A study conducted by the Supreme Council for Family Affairs in Qatar has thrown some shocking results. The results are indicative of over 40% of young women overlooking domestic violence against them, the ‘leading abusers’ beings husbands followed by relatives. The study also goes on to show a forceful percentage suffering abuse since childhood and some since adolescence. Young Qatari girls also suffer abuses Opinions on the results are divided with some targeting husbands directly, while others, striking at the dreadful husband-mother-in-law combination. It is also true that, ‘Domestic violence goes unpunished in majority of the cases”. There is an urgent need to empower women socially, politically and economically. There can no longer be a gender-divide in this world. While this message resonates across the borders of artificial nations of our world, one can only hope that positive action on this message will follow. It is also important to note that Qatar has not ratified the U.N. Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979). Many ‘Islamic Nations’ try to put religious principles far above issues that have to be ‘addressed in common’ across religions. News Source: Scorpical Image Credit: [1] [2]

Sudan, the largest African nation, is reputed for violence and discrimination against women. Human rights violations against women have taken the driver’s seat here. Ethnic conflicts flowing from an ill-respected cultural diversity, insurgency, illiteracy, poverty, legislative discrimination and other basic issues have joined hands to exploit women economically, socially, politically and sexually. Life Amidst Evils Educational opportunities for women are limited. In fact, access to education remains only on paper. Enrolment percentages hover just around 25% in all states of Sudan except the capital. Drop out rates are badly high promoting illiteracy. The ever-raging civil strife has made ghostly contributions. It has led to a large widow population shouldering the family burden. Men remain at war, hardly finding time for a peaceful and responsible family life. Women participation in public offices is very low too. The ministries, judiciary, civil services, public enterprises and other state-owned entities do have women employees, but they represent an overwhelming minority. Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), an arrogant practice of female circumcision has been widely practiced, even before independence. Sudan is one of those African nations to have accepted this evil practice gracefully. Only in the last two decades have civil society groups and women activists raised strong voices against it. Governmental attitude too has lacked consistency, with false promises being made consistently. A conference in 2002 struck the wrong note when it attempted to confer legitimacy on FGM. It even urged civil society groups to model attitudes to promote FGM. Sadly legislations like Public Orders Law (1991) and Nationality Act are also ‘grossly discriminating’ limiting women mobility, dress code, marriage rights, public appearance, behavior and inheritance among others. Male dominance and female subjugation has been the governing spirit of Sudanese legislations. Atmosphere of Promise The protocol to the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights on Women in Africa is an important tool of protection for women. With the peace settlement (CPA) now under existence from the African Union and United Nations (after Darfur), a golden chance awaits Sudanese women to push a movement to ratify the protocol. With general elections due in 2008, a politically supportive atmosphere makes their fight for rights, little easier. News Source: allAfrica Images: [1], [2]