Arab women: struggle of the majority and rights of the minority
It was by a happy coincidence that I watched, while preparing this issue of "Hiwar", a movie in many parts on women's struggle in the United States of America against discrimination and demanding equality.
One of the most prominent demands highlighted by the movie was the right to vote and stand candidate as well as the right to work in some male-branded professions and the tendency of the American society, even its aristocratic class, to up bring women to be only good wives.
Events of the movie titled "A WILL OF OWN THIER" took place at the beginning of the last century. It was as if it reported on the similar case of Arab women which is continuing till the present century. If compared to the events, the reality of Arab women shows that they are at the beginning of the struggle for rights and equality and the elimination of discrimination.
Fatma Muthar
Dr. Adila Abu Sharaf to “Hiwar”
The project of Arab Women and Local Governance has achieved successes that can be built upon
In order to shed light on the issue of local governance in the Arab region, “Hiwar” met with Dr. Adila Abu Sharaf, the former coordinator of the project of Arab Women and Local Governance which was carried out by the Center of Arab Women Training and Research "CAWTAR," in partnership with a number of institutions involved in the field in Tunisia Algeria, Lebanon, Egypt and Yemen, and with the support of the Middle East Partnership Initiative. Here follows the interview:
Women’s groans with different colors
Just like oriental societies, the Yemeni society is discreet and conservative. It lives in groups and does not recognize individuality. Revealing what is considered a secret is a sort of weakness and even a blemish, so what if women reveal it in a public gathering?
Al Basha: the positive reaction of the Minister of Local Governance is the major breakthrough of the project
The President of the Al Shaqaeq Arab Forum for Human Rights Amal al Basha believed that the most important result of the project of Arab women and local governance as far as Yemen is concerned is the positive reaction of the Minister of Local Governance Abdul-Qader Ali Hilal, to the activities carried out within the framework of the project and which urged him to invite officials in Al Shaqaeq to request the studies which were conducted and the outcome of the activities they carried out in the workshop to be held to discuss the national strategy for the transition to local government.
Will the «Quota» for Yemeni women be achieved?
The parliamentary elections set for April 2009 and the «quota» is the focus of attention of governmental and non-governmental women’s figures. They are also at the center of interest of international organizations operating in Yemen these days. And though the issue of the “Quota” is not new, the discussions and seminars are stepped up as the elections are approaching.
The game goes on
Two years ago, member of the Bahraini House of Representatives Latifa el Qaud did not win enough votes to enter the arena of parliamentary life, not even her voice. Yet, she broke the barrier by acclamation and won the seat of the sixth southern province and she was the only woman who won a seat out of 18 who stood candidate for these parliamentary elections.
Yemeni women make history through a book
Women’s candidates in Yemen had experiences and stories that are told after or before any local or parliamentary elections held in the country. Organizations in charge of women, whether they are governmental or non-governmental, hold meetings to listen to what was told and reported in order to assess the “experience” and come out with what would be beneficial for “better” next elections.