Women should stop guarding their patriarchal society

by Hussain Abdul-Hussain

December 2003

BEIRUT - Women’s rights are violated in the orient thanks to the prevailing tribal patriarchal society, which is ironically, guarded by most of the women in the Arab world.

The absence of women from decision-making, save for some political positions where women inherit seats of their assassinated fathers or husbands, is disgraceful. The Arab world and underdeveloped nations should realize that there would never be progress without improving women’s rights.

Restoring women’s rights is the first step toward rebuilding these impoverished nations living in despair. This crucial and fundamental issue should win precedence, in Arab minds, over all other issues including resisting globalization. Some might argue that a society can do both. The fact of the matter is: A sick and ailing society can never resist, let alone embark on development projects.

Women in the Arab world are perceived as an inferior race. Their role is restricted to serving men and protecting their own precious honor. Women in gulf countries barely carry identity cards. Women are forced to settle for men’s hegemony, to accept arranged marriages as they were packaged for them and to follow whatever their men (husbands, fathers or brothers) order them to do.

The non-ambitious women’s role in the Arab world make these creatures focus on non-content issues such as taking care of their beauty, excessively shopping and for those from lower classes, raise the kids and clean the house.

Some conservative Muslims might argue that Islam “liberated” woman and gave her rights. Without hesitation, they say that veil was imposed in the best interest of women. To put it in their words, veil is supposed “to protect women from male fantasies” so that these male chauvinist would not have to worry about committing a sin by looking at non-veiled women. So if male chauvinist pigs cannot behave, women should be veiled for a better society.

What is worse than the above explanation is when such justifications come from women themselves. Most of these women are convinced that they are weak and lesser creatures that need the protection of men.

With all due respect to Islam and all other religions and social codes that try to put regulations on female behavior, justice should go as follows: We (men) should either impose veil on men or remove social barriers on woman.

Violating women’s rights became especially troublesome with a rising Islamic tide, funded by Iranian and Saudi petrodollars at least since 1979, which took women to their pre 1918 status.

In an article published in the International Herald Tribune in November, Jonathan Cook drew an accurate comparison between Arab women between 1950s and 1970s and women since 1980. Cook interviewed a Palestinian veiled girl, who showed him pictures of her veiled mother unveiled when she was her age some 30 years ago.

Cook afterward came to the right conclusion: Arabs embraced Westernization hoping that it would improve their lives, but they were disappointed that their modernization dream never became a reality. Consequently, Arabs readopted their traditions, which include their going back to religion.

Whenever it comes to religion, women are in general more devout and pious. In case of the Arab Muslim world, this means that women should settle for polygamy, accept men’s hegemony and wear veil. If they don’t, as the Palestinian girl told Cook, neighbors (female neighbors specifically) would call such disobedient lady a sharmouta (prostitute).

If women decide to go against the current, their honor might be jeopardized and they might expose themselves to their male relatives’ wrath. In the case of single ladies, they would risk their chances of getting married and moving from the custody of their fathers and brothers to that of their husbands.

In the Arab world, men are free to do whatever they please. Their honor is to preserve the honor of their mothers, sisters and wives. In order to save them from committing sin by looking at women, females should be veiled. Men have the final say on almost all issues.

The road to developing the Arab world starts with restoring women’s rights, which in turn depends on women’s will. As the old saying puts it: If there’s a will, there’s a way. But if there isn’t a women’s will to change, there will never be a healthy society.

Hussain Abdul-Hussain is a reporter at the Beirut-based The Daily Star. He wrote this analysis for Alternative