Progressive Women in the United Arab Emirates (by Hannah Renglich)

The concept of an Islamic woman conjures mental images of a person swathed in yards of material that hide every trace of skin, veiling all but the eyes. Indeed, in countries such as Saudi Arabia, where women cannot leave their homes unescorted by a male, the traditional burqua and hijab hide their wearers from the public eye almost to the degree where they are invisible. Although women of the Arab world have often been viewed as an oppressed and marginalized sector of the population, there is a notable difference in attitudes toward females in the United Arab Emirates. Since the discovery of oil in the UAE, the rights of women have improved drastically so that they now have opportunities outside of the roles of wife and mother. Through the efforts of the United Arab Emirates' Women's Federation led by Sheikha Fatima, women today are now enjoying the empowerment of higher education, which offers them a bigger presence in the workforce and an overall improvement of status within their communities.

Over the course of the last thirty years, the United Arab Emirates have experienced major advancements in all aspects of life due in large part to the discovery of oil, which provided the country with a huge economic boost. While women have always been considered important and valued, prior to the late twentieth century, few visible steps had been taken to assure their inclusion in society to the extent to which Western feminists had achieved. Between scholars of Islamic law and followers of its tradition, there is a great divide on the issue of the Qu'ran and its impact on women's status. Sheikh Zayed, the late President of the United Arab Emirates, recognized the greatness of Islam as being due to the participation of women, saying, "I call upon my sisters and daughters all over the country to recognize that their responsibilities are great and not less than those of men in this society". It is true that the Prophet Muhammad's word gave rise to inheritance rights, property rights for the married woman, as well as limitations on polygamy; however, certain inequalities are embedded in the Islamic legal code. For instance, in issues of divorce, custody, and even inheritance, women are afforded a smaller share than their husbands are. It would be extremely difficult to reference Islamic law as the sole source of female oppression in the Middle East, particularly when modern women of the United Arab Emirates maintain their religious beliefs and simultaneously hold a greater degree of equality than ever before. Yet, in a society where so much is wrapped up in religion, it can hardly be ignored as a contributing factor to all matters.

The United Arab Emirates' government has consistently played a critical role in the promotion of the women's movement. Since the foundation of the country, the rights of women have been enshrined in the Constitution in an attempt at creating equal opportunity between the sexes. In this way, both men and women are viewed equally before the law, which is vital in assuring the promotion of women's rights. Under the Labour Law, it is forbidden to discriminate in terms of salary on the basis of gender, while legislation regarding maternity leave entitles new mothers to three months off, with an additional nine months off on a reduced salary. In addition, the husband and wife team that led the United Arab Emirates for just over thirty years as President and First Lady has been a formidable catalyzing agent in the development of social equality. As President at the federation of the United Arab Emirates in 1971, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahayan shouldered the weight of women's plight, saying that nothing should hinder women's progress because "like men, women deserve the right to occupy high positions according to their capabilities and qualifications". This valuable endorsement for women proved to be extremely beneficial, as every country's citizens are directly impacted by the beliefs held by their political leaders. Together under the common belief that women are half of society, Sheikh Zayed and his wife Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak established the first women's organization in 1973, called the Abu Dhabi Society for the Awakening of Women. Indeed, Sheikh Zayed provided the society with a budget, a meeting place, transportation for its members, as well as professional assistance for its initial organization.

Three years later, Sheikha Fatima played a large role in the foundation of the United Arab Emirates' Women's Federation, under which several individual societies for women were able to unite. The Federation was a tangible means by which to foster the education and culture of women within the Islamic framework and Arab traditions, thereby allowing women to modernize while retaining their spiritual affiliations. The primary goals of the United Arab Emirates' Women's Federation originally were to address such issues as self-esteem, education and literacy, and social services for women in the Gulf region. In addition, it continues to be the Federation's responsibility to plan and provide activities to raise cultural standards as well as to strengthen ties to international women's organizations. Today, the main concerns of the Federation include the issue of foreign housemaids, who are considered a detriment to societal cohesion, as well as discontent for the great number of unmarried local women, for whom prospective husbands are now offered Marriage Funds in order to reduce the impediment of expense. Heralded as a national heroine among women of the United Arab Emirates and a champion of women's rights at the international level, Sheikha Fatima has played a pivotal role in consolidating and promoting the women's rights movement in the Arab world. Her dedication to her cause is perpetuated daily as Sheikha Fatima makes herself personally available to women, both local and foreign, who have grievances or requests. It is recognized that any issue brought to her attention will assuredly be addressed in an efficient manner. Under her leadership, which has been commended by several United Nations organizations as well as the International Athena Foundation, Sheikha Fatima has led the women of the United Arab Emirates to new heights of development.

In accordance with her dedication to women's rights, Sheikha Fatima participated in the recent Women as Global Leaders conference in Abu Dhabi in the capacity of the conference patron. This conference, which welcomed one thousand women from over eighty-seven countries, was an open forum for discussion about communities in transition and women's roles therein. With an emphasis on cross-cultural understandings and female leadership, the conference offered many students, professors, and professionals the opportunity to interact and learn from one another in a setting that promoted inquiry and dialogue. Lacking traditional generational and hierarchical barriers, women and men alike were able to connect on a personal level in order to grasp a fundamental sense of commonality. Linda Ellerbee, an award-winning American journalist, put it eloquently, saying, "we are all more alike than different; our differences are just more susceptible to definition."

Zayed University, a government-funded educational institution for women in Abu Dhabi, was the generous host of the conference. The President of the university, His Excellency Sheikh Nahayan Mabarak Al Nahayan, had the honour of welcoming the participants, which he did with a sense of respect and admiration. Believing that women must seize opportunities if they are not freely given, Sheikh Nahayan presented the audience with a quiet call to arms. "Our global, national, and local communities are in conflict," he said, "but our shared values and ideas can bind us together when forcefully articulated." The strong sense of community espoused by the hosts of the conference played an integral part in the week's events, as one by one, many women in powerful positions took the podium to reinforce their unity of cause.

Although purporting to concentrate on topics of leadership among women, the conference's underlying theme was human rights, which is perhaps the focal point of concern for women in leadership positions, and indeed, women as feminists in all walks of life. In Linda Ellerbee's opening speech, she devoted much time to discussing the aversion many women feel toward the term 'feminism'. Using humour to emphasize her message, Ellerbee joked that "you are only a feminist when expressing sentiments that differentiate you from a doormat." This idea seemed to strike a chord with conference participants, many of whom had struggled hard within their cultures to achieve their positions of leadership.

Both Linda Ellerbee and Mary Robinson, the past President of Ireland and former UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, promoted human rights as being inextricably linked to women's rights, reminding women not to apologize for wanting equality. Robinson's words resonated powerfully as she discussed issues of human rights abuses world wide, saying, "the cause of woman is inseparable from the cause of humanity itself." Hopefully this drop of wisdom did not fall upon deaf ears of the conference organizers, as male students were not permitted invitation to attend the three-day forum. As woman after woman emphasized the importance of men's support, it became apparent that for all the bluster and noise stirred up by this unique community of female conference participants, a vital component for change was conspicuous by its absence.

While the term 'feminism' scares off many women, it is equally inhospitable to men, who do not want to be associated with the social constructions of femininity that are at odds with the masculinity they are expected to purvey. As feminism can be construed to mean a basic respect between the genders from which all else is derived, perhaps one would do better to win the favour of both reticent men and women by renaming the principle 'humanism'. After all, recognition as fellow human beings is the fundamental desire of all people. This shift in thinking may be beneficial when applied to power struggles. Instead of seeing men as happy to keep women down, it is possible to understand them as liking to be up, which is a very natural response to power. If women cease to use power only in the way they have seen men use it, perhaps in leadership positions, they will be able to lay the groundwork for a world that doesn't sacrifice human decency for corporate or personal development.

Despite possessing legal rights according to Islamic law, women in the Arabic Gulf were little capable of exercising them for a great part of history due to their illiteracy. With the exception of the Qu'ran, upon which it was incumbent for every Muslim to learn to read, women were understood to be destined for marriage and therefore many fathers believed an education would be wasted on girls. To the credit of men such as Qasim Amin, the Muslim community finally began to realize the value of an education to a woman as well as to her family. The publication of his book in 1899, Emancipation of Women, provoked great controversy, yet made a significant contribution to the development of Arab feminism. Prior to the formation of the United Arab Emirates, most girls were forced into seclusion and therefore out of educational facilities at the age of puberty. Today, the principle that when you educate a female, you educate her children, has taken root and therefore under Sheikh Zayed, it became part of the country's mandate to provide every child with the best education possible, as is now feasible through the increased governmental revenue generated by petroleum trade. Today, ninety-nine percent of all girls in the United Arab Emirates go to school, with women comprising just over fifty-seven percent of university students. In order to assist girls, who see school as an obstacle in the face of a marriage, the Ministry of Education assigns one social worker to every five hundred students in order to help female students make the decision to stay in school. As a result of these improvements, women are able to enjoy a greater independence, placing the United Arab Emirates at the top of the United Nations' charts for the education of females.

As a direct result of their better access to education, women in the United Arab Emirates are finally able to benefit from access to a thriving job market in which their equal participation is increasingly commonplace. It is important to note that both education and employment outside of the home are promoted by the Qu'ran; however, it has been societal interpretation and reinforcement of women's veiling and seclusion that has made their exclusion from such sectors of society traditional. Indeed, the desire to become part of a modern state has caused many restrictive tribal traditions to be put aside. Today, women are represented in all areas of the workforce, making up thirty percent of all medical professionals, forty percent of government officials, and twenty percent of the total workforce. In fact, the United Arab Emirates' first female minister in the government is Sheikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of Economy and Planning, whose promotion of women in employment has been inspirational to many. She promotes the idea that employment is not a means to wealth, but to self-fulfilment. This has been an important distinction in a wealthy society where it is possible for families to exist comfortably on one salary.

Whereas Emirati women of the past participated in the pearling and fishing business, life without the economic support of a man was difficult. Emirati women have begun to take on positions in sports and the military, in direct contrast to the stereotypical idea of them as being meek and servile, while artists, actresses, and singers are beginning to gain recognition as well. As previously mentioned, Arab women have a long-standing tradition of equal pay for equal work, rights which women in the West still have not gained. According to Arab traditions, it is understandable that women are predominant in private industries and government ministries such as education and healthcare, which are typically considered to be honourable callings. By the same logic, it is socially unacceptable to work in trade or commerce where a woman would be exposed to and forced to converse with strangers, including strange men, which could increase their chances of being dishonoured.

The ideology that is championed by the women of the United Arab Emirates is strikingly liberal in its leaning. For a group of women who have only recently emerged from a stasis in terms of advancement of rights, it is logical that their feminist theory begins at the beginning, with the essential principles of meritocracy, freedom of choice, and equality and opportunity for all. With the support of the government, Emirati women have progressed from equality in the eyes of God, as the Qu'ran states, to equality under the law. This vital step necessitates equality of opportunity, where equal wages are guaranteed by law. Furthermore, the original goals of liberal feminists, to achieve access to education and political participation, are met today in the United Arab Emirates. In the midst of countries in which women continue to be unjustly oppressed and excluded from society, the accomplishments of the United Arab Emirates are an amazing testament to the power of feminism.

Due to the media hype over the afflicted females of the Middle East, it is a fascinating revelation to discover that not all women in the area are identically mistreated. In fact, misperceptions are rampant in the Western world, presuming that the horrors about which one hears on the news are the only characterizing force in the East. Adjacent to countries that are notorious for the oppression of half of the population, it is refreshing to find that the United Arab Emirates has united under a common goal of creating a state of equality. Certainly, an understanding of regional differences is key to comprehension of the field of women's studies at large, as misconception and stereotypes are a harmful foundation of any knowledge base. One of the most interesting concepts behind Emirati women's feminism is the unique blend of tradition and progress, as they have found a respected place within society without having to give up traditional religious practise or dress. Farida Kamber, a businesswoman of the United Arab Emirates, puts it best, saying, "Behind some veils lie the brightest of minds." It is truly to the credit of the country that change has not implied sacrifice.

From a history of segregation and oppression, Muslim women have made great strides under the banner of the United Arab Emirates. With rights to both education and employment, Emirati women have the opportunity to explore their potential capacities, in a position that is legally equivalent to men. Today, women in the United Arab Emirates enjoy a unique and dignified position in the Middle East, one which would not have been possible without the support and activism of its devoted leaders.

Sources

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Mandell, Nancy, ed. Feminist Issues: Race, Class, and Sexuality. Toronto: Pearson Education Canada Inc., 2005.

Salloum, Habeeb. “Women in the United Arab Emirates.” Find Articles. Aug. 2003. Contemporary Review Company, Ltd. 6 Feb. 2006. http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2242/is_1651_283/ai_107897410.

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