Women in the Middle East

Women in the Middle East - 2004-03-19. What you read here is the official view of the U.S. government. This month, Qaboos bin Said, the Sultan of Oman, appointed Rawya bint Saud al-Busaidi as the new Minister of Higher Education of the country. She is the first woman to join Oman's cabinet. President Bush says: 'We are witnessing extraordinary days: We have seen the fall of ruthless tyrants. We see democracy rising in the Middle East. We see women gaining their rightful place in societies that were once incredibly oppressive and closed. We observe the power and allure of freedom in every culture.' Mr. Bush also mentions that changes are occurring in Morocco, where Sultan Mohammed VI has proposed laws to protect women's rights. He added: 'A society, while women, who make up half the nation, see their rights violated despite the nobility and justice that our glorious religion has bestowed upon them, suffering from injustice, violence, and marginalization, how can it progress? This statement is a powerful declaration of freedom. He is right. America stands alongside His Majesty and others who share this fundamental belief. The future of Muslim nations will be much better with the full participation of women. Progress towards respecting women's rights is underway in the Middle East and elsewhere. However, a very large number of women still face oppressive practices, violence, discrimination, and prejudice. As Farahnaz Zaher, the founder of the Afghan Women's Association, says, society is like a bird. It has two wings. And a bird cannot fly if one of its wings is broken.