Amal
What Stifles with
Qatari Women–2
In the second of a three part series, Dr Amal Al-Malki ponders the question that seems to have
no straight answers.
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September 2010
T
he national vision of Qatar 2030 lists “Modernisation and preservation of traditions” as the first challenge that the nation faces and needs to achieve to fulfil its aim of becoming “an advanced society capable of sustaining its development and providing a high standard of living for its entire people.” The challenge of balancing between traditions and modernity is certainly not an easy one and has been the subject of many debates and the topic of numerous books since the 1960s following the independence of most Arab countries. In the new cultural order in Qatar, the blending between modernity and traditions isn’t, as it is usually is, straightforward. Modernity has new rules; however some
aspects in the traditional culture are so immune to change. Some of these traditional aspects can be the very ones that still stifle women and obstruct them from achieving leadership positions. While the government is opening up leading positions for both genders, women from the outset looks like they are shying away from assuming such positions. Why? There exists a gendered perception of leadership that is so entrenched in the traditional culture and still lingers until today. This perception stems from a belief that women are not fit to lead men and consequently the community because of their inherited inferiority to men. Women’s inferiority starts with the creation of all mankind. Eve is believed to be a secondary creation, thus ‘inferior and subordinate to Adam; and Eve was created simply and solely to be the helpmate to Adam’.
(Hassan, Riffat, Made from Adam’s Rib – The Issue of Woman’s Creation). While the whole myth that Eve was created from Adam’s rib is so entrenched in the Islamic tradition, it was never mentioned in the Quran but instead in the Bible. This belief, although without religious foundation, has been the base upon which some Quranic verses and prophet’s sayings were interpreted. Following the prophet’s life, which was one of the most enlightening and liberating eras for women, women status had started deteriorating. Women have been forbidden to assume leadership positions and were especially forbidden to become religious leaders or judges – alienating them from the powerful arenas of politics, religion, and the legal system. This recently has changed. Locally, this year has witnessed the appointment of the first woman judge in Qatar. Internationally, Amina Wadud, an American-born convert and Muslim feminist, has led a mixed prayer in 2008. In a culture that has inherited the belief that leadership positions are off-limit to women, the issue becomes much more complicated especially today when both genders are requested to work side by side to help in modernising the country. Women have been obtaining high degrees in all areas and are now as qualified or even more than men. Still, women in Qatar are distant from decision making positions and are limited to specific areas like education and family affairs, while women in politics have almost no weight to talk about. In 1998, women were given the right to vote and run in the municipal election. Although women got excited which was reflected in their strong participation in the elections of March 1999, only six women ran and none
Main obstacles to women reaching leading positions: customs and traditions – 23.7% husband’s disapproval – 22.9% mixing with males – 15. 8% long hours spent outside the house – 15.7% institutions’ lack of interest and trust in hiring women for leading positions – 13.5%. AND 68.3% of the sample preferred their direct boss to be a man rather than a woman. 54.1% affirms that the main challenge that faces a woman when she reaches a leading position is acceptance. (Al-Ghanim, Kaltham, Obstacles against Qatari Women Achieving Leading Positions, survey, 2007)
were able to get enough votes to be elected. The failure of first time runners seems to be a common theme across the Gulf area. Women failed in the elections of 2006 and 2008 in Kuwait and in 2007 in Oman. What has failed women was not only their inexperience in running their own campaigns, but the culture that stifled them from reaching out to the public, both men and women. The cultural restrictions that affect women’s mobility and interaction with other members of the community
The writer is an Assistant Teaching Professor of English in Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar. Her research interests include the negotiation of identity between the Muslim world and the west, media representations of Arab women and postcolonial literature. She has published articles in numerous
have undermined their credibility and thus people’s trust in them. The traditional culture that is prejudiced against women has won back then, but things took a positive turn in 2003 when one female candidate won the second election of the municipal council. She remains the only women in the council until this day. A survey commissioned by the Supreme Council for Family Affairs and based on a sample of 1015 people, of which 459 were men and 556 women, states reasons such as customs and traditions, husband’s dissapproval, mixing with men, etc. to be the main obstacles to women reaching leading positions. Other challenges are women being uncomfortable working with men, worrying about rumours affecting their reputation because of their mixing with men and being visible in the media, and the fear of being stalked. No one can deny that despite such gendered perception and prejudice, strong female role models have emerged assuming leading positions, still in limited realms. Women leadership creates a point of reference in the modern history of Qatari women and present excellent examples for the younger generation. However, their efforts can be undermined by being marked as elitists – which can widen the gap between the ordinary Qatari woman and such successful examples making the development and empowerment of women look cosmetic and limited to a certain class or sector. No one yet denies that Qatari women in leadership positions, although limited in number, are helping in breaking stereotypes about Qataris in general. Such women are the perfect images exemplifying the balance between tradition and modernity
journals in the US and UK. Her upcoming book will be published in 2010 and is on women representations in translated Arab news. She is also a member of the Qatar National Competiveness Council. You can also read her views at www.amalalmalki.com
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