Women Work In The United Arab Emirates, But Under Men
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Worldwide distribution via the APC networks.
Title: GULF: WOMEN WORK IN THE UAE, BUT UNDER MEN
abu dhabi, dec 14 (ips) - women are stepping out of the four
walls of their homes into the work place, but not into positions
of power, a recent study in the united arab emirates (uae) says.
an astonishing 82 percent of uae nationals employed in the
ministries of health and education are women, the survey by the
administrative development institute reveals.
thousands of others are juggling ten-to-five jobs and babies
with little help from pampered husbands, who firmly believe
housework is below their dignity.
lifestyles frozen for generations are now changing in the
emirates, where a women's federation was first set up in 1976.
credit for the slow transformation goes to the federation,
which has even succeeded in influencing government policy and
initiated efforts to involve women in social welfare progrymmes.
the federation, for instance, is playing a leading role in the
campaign to eliminate female illiteracy. together with the
ministries of education, labour and social affairs, it is trying
to encourage women in the remotest areas to read and write.
as a result of social mobility, the number of women students
in the emirates university has dramatically risen.
in fact, since 1986, the student ratio has been two to one in
favour of females. the emirates university has produced some
6,000 women graduates in the last six years.
but none of them can hope to occupy positions of power or head
companies, posts still dominated by arab men. only one woman has
risen to the position of assistant undersecretary in uae's
education ministry.
a recent study by a university student concluded that while
women have been allowed into the areas of health, education and
social development, they are excluded from ''responsible
positions''.
''women in the uae are considered inferior to men and are
given relatively low positions...the society has doubts about
their ability to hold responsible positions, particularly
political ones,'' the young researcher writes in a paper.
the uae constitution guarantees equal rights for women. but
despite the tremendous prosperity, for most it is an uphill task
to break free of the stranglehold of tradition, which deems that
women are homemakers. (end/ips/cw/am/an/93)
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