Arab Human Development Report (2005)

[Basy Lys]

De UNDP heeft onlangs het Arab Human Development Report 2005 gepubliceerd. Het draagt als ondertitel: 'Towards the Rise of Women in the Arab World'.

De elektronische versie kan voor EUR 9,62 gekocht worden via de site van het Gulf Report Center
http://www.grc.ae/?sec=Arab+Human+Development+Report

Address by Ms. Amat Al Alim Alsoswa
Assistant Secretary-General and Regional Director
Launch of the AHDR 2005: Towards the Rise of Women in the Arab World
Sana’a, Yemen, 7 December 2006

…

According to the Report, the rise of women essentially entails:
- Complete equality of opportunity between women and men in the acquisition and employment of human capabilities;
- Guaranteed rights of citizenship for all women on an equal footing with men; and
- Acknowledging of, and respect for differences between the sexes. It is not acceptable to use gender differences to support theories of inequality, or any form of discrimination.

The Report cites pervasive obstacles, or core challenges, that impede women’s progress towards reaching the heights of their capacity. In public life, cultural, legal, social, economic and political factors obstruct women’s equal access to education, health services, job opportunities, and citizen’s rights and representation.

In private life, the Report contends that traditional patterns of upbringing and discriminatory family and personal-status laws perpetuate inequality and subordination.
…
http://www.rbas.undp.org/PDF2005/AAS...CH_English.pdf

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De inhoudstafel geeft een voorzichtig verwoord overzicht van de eindeloze lijst van beproevingen waar de verdrukte helft van de bevolking in de Arabische onder gebukt gaat.

Contents

Foreword by the Administrator, UNDP
Foreword by the Regional Director, UNDP Regional Bureau for Arab States
Foreword by the Director General and Chairman, The Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development
Foreword by HRH the President of the Arab Gulf Programme for United Nations Development Organizations (AGFUND)
Report Team
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1
Introduction 1
I. Changes in Human Development since the Launch of AHDR 2004 1
The Reform Process and Islamic Movements: Reconciling Freedom and Faith 1
The Growth of Activism in Civil Society 2
Giving the Lie to Reform 2
A Wave of Mostly Flawed Elections 2
Worsening Human Rights Violations in the Arab Countries 3
Violations Resulting from Occupation and Armed Domestic Conflicts 3
Violations of Public Liberties and Freedoms of Opinion and Expression 3
Targeting Reformers and Human Rights Activists 3
Unfriendly International and Regional Environments 4
The Issue of Terrorism and its Consequences for Freedom in the Arab World 4
The war on terror 4
The Occupation continues to frustrate human development 4
Progress towards Overcoming Deficits in Human Development 5
II. Towards the Rise of Women in the Arab World: Concepts and Problematic Issues 5
Concepts 5
The Question of the “Internal” and the “External” 6
Despotic authority and the rise of women 6
The undervaluation of women’s participation in economic activity 6
The State of Women in the Arab World 7
Acquiring Capabilities: the Denial of Opportunities to Women 7
Health 7
Education 7
The Use of Human Capabilities 8
Economic Activities 8
Arab Women in the Political Sphere 9
Outstanding Achievements of Arab Women 9
Levels of Well Being 9
The Spread of Poverty and the Disempowerment of Women 10
The Impairment of Personal Liberty 10
The Arab Women’s Movement: Struggles and Experiences 10
Evaluating Achievements for Women 12
The Societal Context of the State of Women 13
Culture 13
Religious heritage: gender bias in juristic interpretations 13
The Arab Woman in Popular Proverbs 13
Women in Contemporary Arab Thought 14
Towards the Emergence of New Sources of Authority 14
First attempts to restrict gender-biased jurisprudence 14
Women and the media 14
Women in the Arab novel 14
The image of women in the cinema 15
Other forms of cultural production 15
Social Structures 15
Tribalism and Patriarchy 15
The Family and the Status of Women 16
Socialisation and Education 17
Legal Structures 17
Attitudes towards the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women 17
Constitutional Conditions 18
Equality in the law 18
Women’s political and public rights 18
Parliamentary quota systems for women 18
Incrimination and punishment 18
Personal status laws 18
The lack of codification in some States 19
Nationality 19
Away from Official Law 19
Awareness of Gender Equality among Arab Legal Practitioners 19
Political Economy 20
Government Institutions and the Liberation or Marginalisation of Arab Women 20
Arab Civil Society and the Issue of Women 21
Different Political Positions on Women 21
Islamist Positions on Women 21
External Pressures for the Empowerment of Women in Arab Countries 21
A Strategic Vision: Two Wings for the Rise of Women 22
Key Features 22
The First Wing: Societal Reform for the Rise of Women 23
The Second Wing: A Societal Movement Fit to Bring about the Rise of Women 23
1. Eliminating women’s legacy of deprivation in health and in knowledge through education 23
Health 23
Ending the denial of education to girls and women 23
2. Eliminating stubborn obstacles to women’s use of their capabilities as they see fit 24
Conclusion 24
Part I 27
CHANGES IN HUMAN DEVELOPMENT IN THE ARAB COUNTRIES SINCE THE LAUNCH OF AHDR 2004 27
Introduction 27
The Reform Process and Islamic Movements: Reconciling Freedom and Faith 27
Open Season on Reform, but the “Arab Spring” Has yet to Bloom 29
The Accelerating Struggles of Civil Society 30
Giving the Lie to Reform 32
A Wave of Mostly Flawed Elections 32
Summary 34
Worsening Human Rights Violations in the Arab Countries 34
Violations Resulting from Occupation and Armed Domestic Conflicts 34
Violations of Public Liberties and Freedoms of Opinion and Expression 35
Targeting Reformers and Human Rights Activists 36
Restricting the Rights to Peaceful Assembly and to Organise 38
Unfriendly International and Regional Environments 38
A United States Law to Deter Anti-semitism 39
The Issue of Terrorism and its Consequences for Freedom in the Arab World 39
The war on terror 40
Anti-terrorism laws in the Arab countries 40
Extraordinary courts 41
Illegal procedures 41
Deteriorating conditions for women 41
The absurd war on thought and belief 41
Combating terrorism and respecting human rights 42
The Palestinian Cause 42
Gaza: disengagement does not end occupation 42
The occupation continues to frustrate human development 43
Abuse of personal freedoms and the freedom of movement 43
Escalation of settler violence against Palestinian civilians 44
The Wall appropriates land and impedes development 45
The deterioration of living standards 45
The beginnings of Palestinian reform 46
Exposing the Effects of the Occupation of Iraq 46
The human cost of the occupation: use of prohibited weapons and torture 47
Festering corruption 47
The total cost of the invasion and occupation of Iraq 48
Iraqis want to see the end of the occupation 48
Summary 49
Progress towards Overcoming Deficits in Human Development 49
Broadening the Scope of Freedom 49
Reinforcing and protecting a culture of human rights 49
Purging a long legacy of oppression in Morocco 49
Searching for national reconciliation in Algeria 50
Limited move towards democracy in the UAE 50
Jordan expands popular participation 50
Knowledge Acquisition in Perspective 50
Empowerment of Women 50
Conclusion 51
The Contents of Part Two of the Report 52
Part II 53
Towards The Rise Of Women In The Arab World 53
FRAME OF REFERENCE
Chapter One 55
CONCEPTS AND PROBLEMATIC ISSUES 55
Concepts, the Historical Course of Discrimination against Women, and Countermeasures 55
Concepts 55
The Rise of Women 55
Enjoyment of human rights 55
Guarantee of equality of opportunity 55
Guarantee of full citizenship rights for women 56
Equality with Respect for Difference 56
The Rise of Arab Women and Human Development in the Arab World Are Inseparably and Causally Linked! 57
Means of Combating Discrimination against Women: The Evolution of Concepts of “Women and Development” 59
The Global Level 59
Critical evaluation of the application of “women-and-development” concepts in the Arab region 59
Problematic Issues in the Rise of Women 61
The Question of the “Internal” and the “External” 61
The violation of national sovereignty by external forces casts a shadow on the rise of women 62
Despotic authority and the rise of women 64
The undervaluation of women’s participation in economic activity 65
Summary 66
THE STATE OF WOMEN IN THE ARAB WORLD 67
Chapter Two 69
THE ACQUISITION OF HUMAN CAPABILITIES 69
Introduction 69
Obstacles to the Acquisition of Basic Human Capabilities 70
Challenges to Health 70
How women fare on indicators of reproductive health 70
Years of life lost to disease 71
Special health problems 72
Obesity and diabetes 72
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) virus 72
Acquiring Knowledge through Education 73
The quantitative spread 73
Enrolment at various educational levels, by gender 74
Pre-school education 74
Primary education 76
Secondary education: academic and vocational 77
Higher education 78
Illiteracy still high among women 80
Girls are the better learners 80
Chapter Thre 85
THE USE OF HUMAN CAPABILITIES 85
Introduction 85
Economic Activities 85
Characteristics of Women’s Participation in Economic Activities: Selected Issues 88
The Evolution of Women’s Participation in the Economy and the Labour Market in Arab Countries 88
Distribution of the Female Labour Force in Primary Economic Sectors 88
Women’s Occupational Status 88
Causes of Arab Women’s Weak Economic Participation 91
The prevailing male culture 91
Scarcity of jobs 91
Employment and wage discrimination between the sexes 91
High reproductive rates 91
Laws hindering women, including those designed for their “protection” 92
Weak support services 92
Impact of structural adjustment programmes 92
Arab Women’s Weak Economic Participation Leads to Low Levels of Income 92
Arab Women in the Political Sphere 93
Participation without Diversity 97
Women and the Arab State: Cooperation or Conflict 98
Women in Arab Political Parties 98
Women in the Islamic Movements 99
Women, Restrictions and Party Politics 100
Women’s Performance and Creativity in Human Endeavours 101
Outstanding Achievements of Arab Women 101
The first generation 101
Literary creativity 103
Creativity in the arts, with a focus on the cinema 104
Arab women’s achievements in the production of knowledge 106
The social sciences 106
The natural and exact sciences 107
The astronomical sciences 108
Athletics 109
Arab women entrepreneurs: a growing economic force in Arab countries 110
Summary 111
Chapter Four 113
LEVELS OF HUMAN WELL-BEING 113
Introduction 113
Topography of Poverty and Gender 113
Poverty and the Gender of Heads of Household 113
The Spread of Poverty and the Disempowerment of Women 113
The Impairment of Personal Liberty 114
Forms of Violence against Women in the Arab World 116
Honour crimes 116
Domestic violence 116
Female circumcision 117
Violence against women under occupation 118
Women in Marginalised Groups 118
Nomadic and Remote Rural Women 118
Women in Squatter Settlements 120
Female Migrant Workers 120
Conditions of women workers in the domestic service sector 121
Endnote 122
Chapter Five 123
THE ARAB WOMEN’S MOVEMENT: STRUGGLES AND EXPERIENCES 123
Introduction 123
The Women’s Movement and its Role in the Process of Liberation 124
Women’s Consciousness of Gender Issues Takes Root after Independence 126
The Political Front 126
The Social Front 127
The Goal-driven Front 129
Evaluating Achievements for Women 132
The Tunisian Experience 134
The Moroccan Experience 137
Other Arab Experiences 138
Summary 139
THE SOCIETAL CONTEXT OF THE STATE OF WOMEN 141
Chapter Six 143
CULTURE 143
Introduction 143
The Traditional Religious Heritage Promotes and Reinforces the Existing Gender Hierarchy 143
Text and Interpretation 143
Universality and Derivatives: Problems of Interpretation 144
Jurisprudence Legislates in Favour of the Higher Status of Men 145
The Arab Woman in Popular Proverbs 147
In Support of Discrimination 147
Attitudes in Proverbs Promoting Discrimination against Women 148
Positive Perceptions of Women 148
Women in Contemporary Arab Thought 149
Towards the Emergence of New Sources of Authority 149
The realisation of difference: the other woman in the mirror of the self 149
The awareness of transformation: first attempts to restrict gender-biased jurisprudence 150
Institutionalisation: towards a new mindset on Arab women’s issues 151
Aspects of the New Awareness: Indicators and Paradoxes 152
Women in the Arab Novel 153
In Search of a New Image of Arab Women 153
Images of Women Refracted in the Arab Novel 154
Novels Written by Women: The Beginnings of Individual Consciousness and First Confrontations with the Culture of Inferiority 155
The Image of Arab Women in Films 157
Patterns of Stereotyping 157
Love, Freedom and Violence 158
Women in the Culture of Information 159
The Battle for the Image of Women in Arab Society’s Transitional Phase 159
“Fatwas” and the Limitations of Traditional Jurisprudence 159
Other Media Messages Unhelpful to the Rise of Women 160
Summary 161
Chapter Seven 163
SOCIAL STRUCTURES 163
Introduction 163
Traditional Structures: The Enshrining of Male Dominance and Women’s First Steps to Escape 163
In the Beginning Was the Agnate 163
The Arab Tribe and Islam 165
Authoritarianism and Tribal Solidarity 166
The Agnate and Women in Contemporary Societies 167
From the Home to Society 168
Rebellion Produces Intermediate Forms of Freedom 171
The Family and the Status of Women 173
The Equivocal Relationship between Men and Women in Arab Societies: Synergy and Conflict 174
Alternative images of fatherhood 174
Socialisation and Education (Curricula and Methods of Pedagogy and Evaluation) 176
Summary 178
Chapter eight 179
LEGAL STRUCTURES 179
Introduction 179
Attitudes towards the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women 179
Constitutional Conditions 182
Women’s Political and Public Rights 182
Parliamentary Quota Systems for Women 184
Labour Relations 185
Incrimination and Punishment 188
Personal Status Laws 189
The Lack of Codification in Some Arab States 189
Unified Codification of Personal Status Affairs in Arab States 190
The General Characteristics of Arab Family Law 191
A Comparative View 193
Away from Official Law 195
Nationality 196
Awareness of Gender Equality among Arab Legal Practitioners 197
Summary 200
Chapter NINE 201
POLITICAL ECONOMY 201
Introduction 201
The Prevailing Mode of Production, the Level of Economic Performance and their Impact 201
Political Structures 202
Government Institutions and the Liberation or Marginalisation of Arab Women 202
Political Parties and the Issue of Women 204
Quotas for Women in Political Institutions 205
Arab Civil Society and the Issue of Women 206
The role of the media 207
Different Political Positions on Arab Women 207
Islamist Positions on Women 208
The International Context of the Situations of Arab Women 212
External Pressure for the Empowerment of Women in Arab Countries 212
The Role of the International and Regional Organisations 213
Key Accomplishments 215
1- Establishment of Mechanisms to Empower Women 215
2- Appearance of Arab Institutions and Mechanisms for the Advancement of Women 216
3- Intervention, Networking and Coordination 216
4- Cooperation with Governments and Non-governmental Organisations 216
TOWARDS THE RISE OF WOMEN IN THE ARAB WORLD 217
Chapter TEN 219
A STRATEGIC VISION: TWO WINGS FOR THE RISE OF WOMEN 219
Introduction 219
First: Key Features of the Strategic Vision 220
Second: The First Wing: Societal Reform for the Rise of Arab Women 222
Eliminating the Roots of Discrimination against Women in Cultural Constructs 222
1. The encouragement of independent scholarship (ijtihad) in religious matters to overcome cultural obstacles to the rise of women 222
2. Upbringing, education and the media; resisting stereotypes of women in order to spread a culture of equality 223
Political Reform 224
Legislative reform 224
Combating Poverty in Support of the Rise of Women 225
Confronting Reductions in Women’s Personal Freedoms 226
Third: The Second Wing: A Societal Movement Fit to Bring about the Rise of Women in the Arab World 226
Fourth: Priorities in the Programme for the Rise of Arab Women 228
First: Eliminating Women’s Legacy of Deprivation in Health and in Knowledge Acquisition through Education 228
Health care 228
Ending the denial of education to girls and women 228
Strategic measures for ending the denial of basic education to girls 229
Improvement of the social context of girls’ education 230
Second: Breaking Down Stubborn Obstacles to Women’s Use of their Capabilities as they See Fit 230
Conclusion 231
References 233
ANNEX I. LIST OF BACKGROUND PAPERS (AUTHOR NAME; PAPER TITLE; NUMBER OF PAGES) 245
ANNEX II. OPINION POLL ON THE RISE OF WOMEN IN THE ARAB WORLD 249
ANNEX III. DOCUMENTS 273
Annex IV. Statistical Tables on Human Development in the Arab States 287
ANNEX V. PARTICIPANTS IN THE YOUTH CONSULTATION 313
List of Boxes
Part One
I-1 Judges’ Club Commission Concludes: “The Will of the Electorate Misrepresented” 33
I-2 The Gaza Withdrawal Is the Formaldehyde to Freeze the Peace Process 42
I-3 The Special Rapporteur of the Commission on Human Rights: Gaza is still occupied land 43
I-4 Life at a Checkpoint, Israeli Eyewitnesses 44
I-5 Disfigurement of the “Kingdom of Heaven” 45
Part Two
1-1 Inequality between the Sexes through History 57
1-2 Qasim Amin: The Advancement of Women Is a Step towards Civilisation 57
1-3 Excerpts from the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women 58
1-4 Excerpts from United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (2000) 61
1-5 Haifa Zangana: Iraqi Women and the Discourse of the American Occupation 62
1-6 Arab Public Opinion in Four Arab Countries Bespeaks Strong Support for the Rise of Arab Women 63
2-1 Fowziyah Abu-Khalid: Images of Arab Women in the Mirror of Reality 69
2-2 The Millennium Development Goals 71
2-3 The Cairo Declaration of Religious Leaders in the Arab States in Response to the HIV/AIDS Epidemic, 13 December 2004 73
2-4 Public Opinion on Aspects of the Rise of Arab Women, Four Arab Countries, 2005 – Gender Equality and Education 81
2-5 Girls Perform Better in Basic Education in Bahrain 82
2-6 The Superior Performance of Girls in Primary Education in Kuwait 82
3-1 Public Opinion on Aspects of the Rise of Arab Women, Four Arab Countries, 2005 – Gender Equality and Employment 87
3-2 Public Opinion on Aspects of the Rise of Arab Women, Four Arab Countries, 2005 – Women’s Ownership
of Assets and Management of Projects
90
3-3 Young People’s Opinions on Women’s Issues in the Arab Region 93
3-4 Public Opinion on Aspects of the Rise of Arab Women, Four Arab Countries, 2005 – Women in Politics 94
3-5 Public Opinion on Aspects of the Rise of Arab Women, Four Arab Countries, 2005 – Women’s Performance as Leaders 97
3-6 An Arab woman joins France’s “Club of Immortals” 106
4-1 Kemal Dervis: On the Occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women (25 November 2005) 114
4-2 Public Opinion on Aspects of the Rise of Arab Women, Four Arab Countries, 2005 - Physical and Mental Abuse of Women 115
4-3 WHO: Women Find No Shelter from Violence at Home 116
4-4 Discrimination against Women under Occupation in the Occupied Palestinian Territory 118
4-5 Asian Female Domestic “Servants” Subjected to Physical Abuse 122
5-1 Women’s Rights: Political Struggle versus the Constitution 129
5-2 Public Opinion on Aspects of the Rise of Arab Women, Four Arab Countries, 2005 – Attitudes towards Polygamy 136
6-1 Fahmi Howeidy: Equality Is at the Heart of Islam 144
6-2 Muhammad ‘Abdu: On Polygamy 146
6-3 Abd al-Hadi Bu Talib: The Jurisprudence of Facilitation 147
6-4 Sheikh Muhammad Al-Ghazali: Departing from Religious Teachings on Women 149
6-5 Freedom Is a Woman 150
6-6 Nazira Zayn al-Din: Time, Freedom and Liberation 151
7-1 Public Opinion on Aspects of the Rise of Arab Women, Four Arab Countries, 2005 - Marriage of First-degree Relatives 164
7-2 Su‘ad Joseph: Patriarchy and Development in the Arab world 167
7-3 Public Opinion on Aspects of the Rise of Arab Women, Four Arab Countries, 2005 - Wearing the Hijab 169
7-4 Public Opinion on Aspects of the Rise of Arab Women, Four Arab Countries, 2005 – Co-education and Mixing of the Sexes 170
7-5 The Self-reliance of Bedouin Women 171
7-6 A Father Supportive of His Daughter 175
7-7 Mohamad Mahdi Al-Jawahiri: Teach Her! 176
8-1 Public Opinion on Aspects of the Rise of Arab Women, Four Arab Countries, 2005 - Attitudes towards CEDAW 183
8-2 Public Opinion on Aspects of the Rise of Arab Women, Four Arab Countries, 2005 - Women’s Right to Travel on their Own 186
8-3 Al-Tahir al-Haddad: Women in the Judiciary 187
8-4 Public Opinion on Aspects of the Rise of Arab Women, Four Arab Countries, 2005 - Women’s Right to Choose their Spouses 190
8-5 Public Opinion on Aspects of the Rise of Arab Women, Four Arab Countries, 2005 - Women’s Right to Initiate Divorce
and Take Custody of Children
192
8-6 Public Opinion on Aspects of the Rise of Arab Women, Four Arab Countries, 2005 - Children’s Right to
Acquire their Mother’s Nationality
196
8-7 Social Propriety Prevents the Appointment of Women Judges 199
8-8 Lest Women Take All the Seats in Parliament 200
9-1 Shaykh Muhammad Mahdi Shams al-Din: No Objection to Women’s Holding High Office 209
9-2 ‘Abd al-Halim Abu Shaqqa: Women’s Right to Vote and to Stand for Election 209
9-3 Heba Raouf Ezzat: The Development of Islamist Discourse on the Subject of Women 211
9-4 The Role of United Nations Agencies and Regional Organisations in Supporting the Empowerment of Women 214
10-1 Public Opinion on Aspects of the Rise of Arab Women, Four Arab Countries, 2005 - Arab Women in an Arab Renaissance 220