It’s Not Just About “Rights” — UAE Gender Balance
“Oh, but we’ve given them their rights already.” Sure, okay…
The Arab world is one riddled with the stereotype of mistreating women and allowing for men to dominate the social sphere. Many neglect to realize though that the West was even once guilty of such injustice, and currently still partakes in this inequality. That does not indicate, however, that there is no progress or that Arabs are far behind. It indicates that there is more potential for change, and with globalization, easier access to tools that enable such change. One must ask though, how can this true equality be met?
True equality can be achieved when the topic of gender is a natural conversation to have rather than a polarizing conversation. True equality is when a patriarchal system ceases to exist. True equality is when dismantling discrimination on the basis of gender is constantly in pursuit. When that is capable and complete, only then can we live in a balanced society. Many may perceive the hyper-awareness of feminism online as a translation of the changes of times. However, this is more-so a pursuit of change rather than actual change. Many are still incapable of facing such a topic or merely suggest “Oh, but we’ve given them their rights already.”
One organization that focuses on changing society here is the NAMA Women Advancement Establishment, initiated in 2015. NAMA exists to support women and aims to see women become influential key, successful members of society. NAMA approaches this goal through hosting forums, discussions, workshops, and educational programs to help enrich artists, entrepreneurs, professionals, and all women within the nation, and regionally, and to ensure personal growth and development. The work they have done has exceptionally helped women succeed and grow. However, these initiatives are typically geared towards the working woman, and may unintentionally neglect the youth. Initiatives/workshops with students in primary/secondary school, and university students, as well as conferences and open forums reflect such a goal. Additionally, NAMA solely focuses on women; however, plans to also discuss the issues men face under a patriarchal system, and to also include boys/men in conversations and workshops, allow for diversification and a universal union between the genders.
The mere fact that in the last five years since the establishment of NAMA, and the UAE Gender Balance Council, the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) global position in the World Economic Forum’s annual Global Gender Gap Report moved from 119th in 2015 to 120th in 2020 indicates that there is a need for more organizations to support in strengthening the UAE’s position for gender equality and justice. This lack of progress indicates that there is a national demand for more organizations that focus on gender equality and to introduce fresh initiatives that can bring such progress.
According to sources such as Gulf News and The National, some of the responsibilities of the UAE Gender Balance Council are:
- Reviewing current legislation, policies and programs, and proposing or updating new legislation or programs in order to achieve gender balance in the workplace.
- Recommending the implementation of laws, regulations, resolutions and international agreements related to gender balance.
- Reviewing and monitoring international competitiveness reports.
These activities have all tremendously improved the way of life within the Emirates, and region, and the efforts of the council cannot be ignored for its impactful work. What is missing, however, is an organization that focuses on cultural reform, one that produces research papers and conducts surveys. This ultimately will create a database and introduce literature that has not previously been created to represent our society, show the UAE’s progress, unravel what specific issues still burden society, and help make change to improve.
Another significant aspect of discourse that is missing within the nation is public discussions and exploration of topics and issues within the nation, potentially through blogs. This is important as it would further the goal of cultural and educational reform.
Changing the laws can accomplish but surface-level impact. However, changing people’s culture, including their perspectives on life and gender, is exceedingly more effective at change. Ultimately, policies and laws put in place that ensure such a goal can be accomplished, to allow for patriarchal and structural dismantling, will further strengthen the cultural reform. To truly evolve society and improve the quality of life, we have to change how people think and act and improve the structures that facilitate these ideologies, and the only way to do that is through improving culture and increasing knowledge and analytical discussion on the topic.
An interesting philosophy to consider when trying to understand change is that of Antonio Gramsci, an Italian Marxist and Politician, and his theories on Cultural Hegemony. Hegemony pertains to anything that encompasses power, and is typically used to assess the power of the people, of a state, and of institutions. Gramsci believes that the authoritative figures of a society ultimately have the most hegemonic power; therefore, in order to regain and reposition that power, approaching struggle through cultural changes and mechanisms will allow for the group seeking change to gain power and administer their reform. This is what households, societies, institutions, governments, and the individual all neglect. The battle for balance and equality is a constant pursuit and the spread of knowledge is an activity that must be monitored, adjusted, and enriched. You cannot just simply make a decision and anticipate complete satisfaction or development. You must change how people think.
One cannot neglect the progress that has been accomplished on a governmental level, from the decision to have women represent 50% of the UAE Federal National Council in 2018, to the laws implementing equal pay for men and women in the public sector, and recently the private sector. Executive decisions and structural changes are significant and will ensure and encourage women to feel as though they are welcomed and respected in the workforce while also enforcing equality.
However, these changes merely benefit the working woman, the woman that has been already fighting for ages for her position. These don’t necessarily change circumstances for the women that are currently fighting for success. They forget the women disadvantaged by either existing, irrational, unjust policies/laws, OR/AND familial norms and expectations, that continue to way her down. Everything from the guardianship regulations, to the freedom for women to access public spaces or to even feel safe in public spaces, to their mistreatment in numerous industries and within households, to the sexist and uncomfortable interactions they experience on a daily basis, and the unfair regulations in higher education. These changes even neglect to acknowledge the lack of support given to the mental health and physical wellbeing of men, as well as the importance of sharing financial burdens between the two genders, and the repercussions of divorce or the unfair patriarchal expectations put upon them. These issues limit progress, cause instability mentally, emotionally, and physically, and allow for an environment that abuses power.
