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Evidently, the process of social change does not bear a universal
character. The winds of change are felt around the world, and yet women in
developing countries are still treated as second class citizens and confined
to their traditional roles as child bearers and nurturers. By generating
global awareness on atrocities committed against women, social advocates
lead their tireless campaign to stop gender based segregation and
discrimination that are often justified on religious and cultural grounds.
Today, the debate on women’s
empowerment includes social change through understanding local customs and
traditions and developing appropriate public education strategies. As
women’s issues vary from one community to the next, it is critical to find
solutions with respect for traditional local cultural values and beliefs.
This does not mean that one must shy away from change in case of cultural
resistance. On the contrary, it is possible to bring forth social change by
emphasis on socio-economic advantages that would result from women’s rights
reforms.
In the information age, the
global aspect of women’s movement takes a new dimension. The digital
technology is revolutionizing the way people around the world communicate
and learn about each other’s traditions and cultures. Using latest advanced
technology tools, it is now possible to accelerate the pace of social change
and reflect the truth about human rights violations against women. As a
result, the Western world is better than ever before informed about gender
based discrimination in countries, such as Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Kuwait,
Jordan, and Iran, where patriarchy (or a social structure organized around
male dominance) exists.
In Saudi Arabia,
the ruling royal
family shares power with the
Wahabis (a strictly conservative Muslim sect) who are given a free rein to implement their rigid Islamic
code in the kingdom. This power sharing arrangement has led to the lack of
democratic and human rights progress and strict Islamic laws deny Saudi
women even the basic right to apply for a driver’s license.
In comparison, the sufferings of Sudanese women are multifaceted. They are
the most vulnerable victims of Islamic fundamentalism, decades’ long civil
war and starvation crisis. Many countries of the Middle East reflect a
superficial level of recognition for women’s right. However, social change
is difficult to realize where the religious establishments oppose universal
suffrage for Kuwaiti women and fail to condemn the practice of ‘honor
killing’ in Jordan.
Iranian women, who in years prior to 1979 had gained substantial freedoms
and benefited from widespread socio-economic reforms of the time, are now
reduced to second class citizens. Under the laws of the Islamic regime,
women are denied gender equality, deprived of their emancipated status,
denied equal social, education and employment opportunities. Despite their
immeasurable pain and sufferings, Iranian women are determined to regain
their lost social status. They have demonstrated courage and led the
non-violent civil disobedience movement for gender equality without fears of
imprisonment, torture and death. This ever growing movement is a grassroots
based campaign that has emerged out of the sole defiance for the ruling
theocratic regime.
These examples serve as reminders of the task ahead to address women’s
rights issues in non-Western societies. As social activists share the
vision to eliminate the worldwide practice of gender based stereotyping,
segregation and discrimination, they seek to first understand the symptoms
of intolerance and find remedies in the public education process. The
example of women’s movement in Iran indicates that it is possible to seek
social change in areas of the world with most patriarchic traditions.
Iranian women look at their own past and present achievements in the West
for direction. In the pursuit of their aspirations, they set a great
example of resistance to gain equal rights and recognition. Admittedly, the
women’s rights movement in Iran faces the daunting challenge of opposition
from the ruling theocratic regime. Nevertheless, public education remains
the keystone to generating societal and international awareness on
eliminating gender inequalities. |
