Women and the Arab awakening - Now is the time

tabatha

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Sun Oct-23-11 06:40 PM
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Women and the Arab awakening - Now is the time

In Egypt and Tunisia women are both hopeful and fearful about what the Arab revolutions might mean for them.

“ALL of us were there, throwing stones, moving dead bodies. We did everything. There was no difference between men and women.” So says Asmaa Mahfouz, an Egyptian activist, remembering the protests that felled Hosni Mubarak at the beginning of the year. Though some men told her to get out of the way, others held up umbrellas to protect her.

http://www.economist.com/node/21532256

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Arctic Dave

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Sun Oct-23-11 06:53 PM
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1. 99.8 literacy in Libya?

Equal rights for divorce?

Seems like MG had an educated, liberal country compared to the others. Plus they all had healthcare?

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Fire Walk With Me

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Sun Oct-23-11 07:01 PM
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3. Don't hear about that on CNN, do we? People here would want it too.

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anamandujano

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Sun Oct-23-11 08:47 PM
Response to Reply #1

6. Let's bring him back. He was a great guy. Why didn't his subjects

ever get it?

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Arctic Dave

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Mon Oct-24-11 01:26 AM
Response to Reply #6

7. Kind of like the soviets.

"Freedom" was kind of a letdown except for a select few who benefited greatly from it.

Not sticking up for MG but I think they are going to be in for a rude awakening about their new found liberty.

Reminds me of what some say about Obama on here. It's not that he changed, he was always in the neo liberal camp, we just wanted to believe differently and put our hopes on him when he was never going to be the person "we wanted him to be".

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leftstreet

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Sun Oct-23-11 06:57 PM
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2. They must have a lot of $$ and assets. 'Half brother's share' of what?

Most working class women don't inherit much

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Sarah Ibarruri

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Sun Oct-23-11 07:11 PM
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4. Women born to Islamic cultures and families are an unlucky bunch. nt

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riderinthestorm

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Sun Oct-23-11 07:18 PM
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5. I'd be a hypocrite if I didn't chime in here and say I hope they get everything they deserve

But the depressing fact is women are still considered as less than men. The financial stats outlined in the graph in the OP alone are just a single indicator of the cultural meme that women aren't as "worthy" as men. For example, the inheritance laws revolve around the deep rooted patriarchy of these cultures which still deeply believe that women are dependents of men and thus the men must inherit more to "take care" of them.

Until or unless these cultures have a monumental shift in their patriarchal religious foundation, I don't have much hope.

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clyrc

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Mon Oct-24-11 01:51 AM
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8. There is hope for women in the Arab and Islmamic world

This spring I read a book called "Paradise Beneath Her Feet" by Isobel Coleman, and it was about women all over the Islamic world fighting for their rights. It's a very interesting read, if you can find the book.

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