Islamic Women Essay Example for Free

Islamic Women Essay At the beginning of the 21st century, many Islamic women are deprived equal rights with men suffered from oppression and family violence. The example of Saudi Arabia, India and Indonesia show that violence and abuse are still the major problems faced by Islamic women. The main problem is that law in Islamic communities does not come into force being violated. In many communities women are not legally protected and have no possibility to protect themselves: sexual, physical and emotional violence are the major weapon of intimidation of women. In some communities, family violence is a result of traditions and values as an integral part of cultural development. In contrast to India and Indonesia, in Saudi Arabia women have no rights and freedom of choice. The main problem is that in Saudi Arabia rights of women are constitutionally granted by most of them do not come into force and violated. â€Å"Like millions of other Saudi women, Munif hoped she would be allowed to vote since nothing in the law excludes it. But after a year of debate, the government told women to wait† (Women Speak Out In Saudi Arabia, 2005). Today, the main rights of women in India and Indonesia concern birth control, civil rights, education and work. Today, individual freedom of American women means much more than the absence of physical coercion but an equal social status. Still, similar to Saudi Arabia women, many women in India and Indonesia suffer from domestic violence and sexual abuse. Indonesian women are the most unprotected category which experiences violence within the institution of marriage. Among this group of women sexual abuse and physical violence are the main forms of humiliation and oppression. Similar to Saudi Arabia, in Indonesia women have constitutional rights, but face discriminated. Similar to India, Indonesians have job opportunities and high social status than women in Saudi Arabia. â€Å"Compared to the lives of their mothers, sisters and even brothers who stayed in the village these factory women have gained a strong advantage in terms of wages and conditions† (Indonesia, n. d). In Saudi Arabia women are not legally protected and have no possibility to protect themselves. Women have no equal opportunities with men in pay and work conditions. Most of them take low administrative positions or considered as common labor. In Saudi Arabia, religion dogmas and values play the dominant role determining the destiny of a woman and her social position. In contrast to Indonesia and India, in Islamic countries women deprived the right to use contraception and safe abortions. The main problem caused absence of freedom and rights is that abuse is the part of the culture. In India, â€Å"among Hindus, polygamy too was rampant† (Bhandare 2004). In contrast to Islamic countries, India accepts liberal laws and regulations which give women more rights and freedoms. The main preventive measures against family violence include social programs organized by women’s organizations, legislative initiatives accepted in the national level, petitions, publicity. In Saudi Arabia, women are still lived under double oppression, cultural and legal. Similar to Indonesian women, Indian women have a right to divorce, but in reality it takes a long time and a long legal battle while men can divorce at will in a short period of time. Also, there is a great threat for a woman not to receive children because she does not have a possibility to earn for living. Women in India and Indonesia are deprived of many rights and freedom, but they are free to choose their work, receive education and divorce. In contrast to these groups, Saudi Arabia women are deprived these rights living under state and family oppression. â€Å"For instance, events like a soccer match are strictly for men. In public, there are separate sections where they eat, where they work, and where they pray† (Women Speak Out, 2005). In sum, Women in India and Indonesia are free to choose profession and work conditions, broad employment opportunities and equitable wages; they have equal rights with men to be promoted and appraised. The examples of women in Saudi Arabia show that specific gender roles determine the way of living and cultural norms of several generations of people and strong enough to be changed in a short period of time. Works Cited Page 1. Bhandare, M. C. Women’s rights and wrongs. 2004. Available at: http://www. expressindia. com/fullstory. php? newsid=34277 2. Indonesia. N. d. Available at: http://www. onlinewomeninpolitics. org/indon/indodoc. htm 3. Women Speak Out In Saudi Arabia. Available at: http://www. cbsnews. com/stories/2005/03/23/60minutes/main682565. shtml.