Gender Inequality in the Middle East:
Women’s Oppression
and the Universal Education Movement
Women have long been inferior members of society due to a
wide-spread universal male-dominant culture that dictates how they should live
their lives. For hundreds of years, women in different cultures around the
world have struggled to gain power status and change how men view them based on
stereotypical gender roles. For instance, in biblical times, women were housewives
who were expected to, “submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the
Lord” (Ephesians 5:22 NIV). Women from this era were expected to obey male
figures, as this was a social teaching of the Bible. Likewise to this time
period, Afghan women are still battling these extreme gender prejudices in
their country. Throughout time, women
in the Middle East have been denied their right to education. This form of
oppression has prevented gender equality, thus forcing women to speak up for
their right to be educated and knowledgeable citizens.
Education help children and youth to become more
knowledgeable and experienced individuals. It is argued that sharing the truth through
education eradicates ignorance and blind naivety in terms of how children see themselves,
others, and society. As former South African president and philanthropist Nelson
Mandela once stated, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use
to change the world” (Brainy Quote). Mandela’s quote demonstrates that all
children, both male and female, benefit from learning in the classroom. In
Afghanistan, however, a woman’s right to education is restricted due to the
rigid social practices of their culture.
Historically, Afghan women were housewives who cared for
their children, and followed their religion by obeying their husbands without
question. Within the past decade, there has been an increased liberal movement
in their country, however the majority still abide by these strict social
teachings. Most Afghans believe in Islam, which dictates that, “. . . Wives
have the same rights as the husbands have on them in accordance with the
generally known principles. Of course, men are a degree above them in status .
. .” (Sayyid Abul A'La Maududi, The Meaning of the Qur'an, vol. 1, p. 165).
Although this quote claims that women have the same rights as men, the belief
that men are superior in status leads them to feel that they can control women.
The Qur’an’s portrayal of women as the inferior sex has resulted in a culture
that emotionally, physically and sexually abuses women in order to make them
submissive to their male counterparts.
In addition to the direct portrayal of women as the weaker
sex, radical interpretation of the Qur’an has led to the formation of The
Taliban, an Islamic group in the Middle East that believes in the literal
meaning of the Qur’an, rather than its contextual meaning. Created in 1994, the
Taliban implemented law that stated that all paintings, literature, film and
music be banished from society. Strict social expectations were also outlined,
including the expectation that all women were to obey their husbands (or they
would be punished). These extremist fighters have additionally dictated that
girls ten years of age and older cannot receive an education, nor can they hold
the status as a working woman (this excludes prostitution and sex work). The
only acceptable form of education for girls over the age of ten is the teaching
of the Qur’an, or any other holy scripture. Should a woman choose to go against the
Taliban’s ruling on education, she would be publicly executed for disobeying
their holy text. Males, in comparison, are not restricted from being
academically educated. The Taliban’s law on education excludes young boys and
men who are training to enter certain career fields such as engineering and medicine.
Men are, therefore, encouraged to learn because they are thought to possess
higher social status than women, and they are thought to be more intelligent.
This additionally underscores in the Afghan culture, the belief that women are
not intelligent enough to learn in school, and to secure employment.
The oppression that women face in Afghanistan has stifled
their right to learn basic skills, such as arithmetic and written and oral Farsi
(Afghanistan’s official language). According to a 2013 survey conducted by
UNdata.org, only twenty four percent of women have third-level education status
(post-secondary education) in the Afghanistan region. As a result, women cannot
hold jobs and be independent citizens. Instead of fostering a sense of women’s
strength, the law the Taliban has suppressed women and caused them to develop a
lower level of self-confidence. With the belief that men are “a degree above
them,” and the social practice that demands they do not seek to be more
powerful than men, women struggle to believe in their ability to be successful
teachers, business women or doctors. They are challenged to imagine their
potential because they are targeted by the Taliban’s radical view of how women
should live their lives. By allowing men to receive an education and find
employment, women do not have an equal opportunity to showcase their qualities
and skills in the work world.
Afghanistan’s current economic status is poor, as a
consequence of the on-going war within its borders. According to WorldBank.com, “Economic growth
increased only marginally from 1.3 percent in 2014 to an estimated 1.5 percent
in 2015.” Afghanistan’s government is in the midst of a financial crisis that
has caused poverty, famine and countless deaths. Educating women so that they can
enter the workforce, and contribute to Afghanistan’s economy, would offer greater
economic stability, and hope for many who have suffered from the economic
downturn. Through varying its economic landscape by allowing women to work,
Afghanistan would be able to create more momentum in terms of its financial
progression.
The gender inequality that exists in the Middle East has
resulted in the establishment of several organizations that help women to
advocate for their rights and freedoms. The United Nations, for example, has recently
launched a campaign directed at helping empower women through education. Their
new initiative to “end violence against women” includes the goal to ensure that
all girls and women have the opportunity to receive an education. The United
Nations outlines the consequences of allowing societal constraints to oppress a
woman’s right to education:
For girls, lack of education has
lifelong consequences, such as increasing the likelihood they will enter into
situations of economic dependence in which their vulnerability to violence may
be increased. For society at large, the transformative potential of girls’
education is immense for the achievement of almost all development goals.
(UN.org)
This new campaign aims to raise awareness for women’s education
in countries like Afghanistan, where women are discouraged from learning.
Through initiatives such as these, the goal is to engage governments and world
leaders in the quest to make universal education a reality.
Another forerunner in the women’-right-to-education movement
is Malala Yousafzai, the young teen who was nearly killed by the Taliban
because she chose to go to school. Malala has become an international symbol of
women’s rights through her courageous act of standing up to the radical Islamic
group. Malala’s belief in education is supported by her love of learning and
helping others. To further her reasoning to advocate for women’s rights, one statistic
on her website reads: “In (the world) more than 60 million girls are out of
school today” (Source: OHCHR). This piece of data proves that women’s right to
education is being denied, both in the Middle East, and in other countries
throughout the world. Through encouraging women to be bold in the face of
adversity, Malala also spreads awareness of this human rights issue.
Although the Taliban were overthrown after the terror attacks
on September 11th, 2001, their existence is still real and poses
threat to women’s rights in the Middle East. The new extremist, ISIS, has
presented setbacks to promoting women’s education in the Middle East. Followers
of this terrorist group are radical believers in the oppression of women, as
they encourage men to be leaders in their quest to do what they claim is
defending Islam.
Kafoumba Doumbia, a blogger for Columbia University, argues, “information cannot be converted into knowledge without education.
Education makes us capable of interpreting things, among other things. It is
not just about lessons in textbooks. It is about the lessons of life” (Ed Lab).
Doumbia proves that education benefits all people, young and old, male and
female. Through opening the discussion about women’s rights, in particular
their right to education, there will be a greater push for world leaders to
intervene and implement laws to protect a woman’s right to be educated.
Bringing gender equality to the forefront in society can be
interpreted in different ways. For some, this means providing the necessities
of life for at-risk women who are struggling to care for their children. For
others, it may translate to their belief in fighting for reproductive health
and their right to choose. But, for Afghan women empowerment means having a
pencil in their hand, a teacher in the classroom, and a right to education.
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