Dirty Dinar

Kuwait Times published an article yesterday by Muna Al-Fuzai, a staff columnist, titled “Kuwaiti Women Accept Discrimination“. My first opinion was that the piece was poorly edited, poorly written and contained sweeping generalizations. However, I have seen some examples of what she’s mentioned so I broke down her article in block quotes and shared my thoughts below each one.

Kuwait women accept discrimination. This is not a public rule, but as long as only a few people are fighting discrimination against Kuwaiti women, then this is what I believe to be the case in Kuwait today. It is a sad and cruel reality, but this is still accepted by many ladies even by most of those who call themselves activists! Why can’t they say no and why can’t they fight back?

Unfortunately, only a few women fight discrimination because a large number believe that they should be confined to a certain role in society.

We have to stop thinking that allowing women to drive cars and go to work and maybe put on what she likes is all what women need and is enough to reflect women’s development in Kuwait. These are tiny details that don’t mean anything in regards to making decisions or planning the future of her country. She is expected to follow the male code where the man assumingly knows better and maybe thinks with a better brain!

Women in all Gulf countries are allowed to work. Yes, in some of these countries women are limited to where they can work but Kuwait has always been the leader of the region in having motivated and driven women with high positions in leading companies and organizations. Kuwaiti women have always been a well respected member of the work force.

In public life, women’s existence is still insufficient to make her word heard or noticed or even obeyed! She receives hits from different groups because she is a woman and no matter what degrees or experiences she has does not equal them. Men do not want to show successful examples of women in public because her success will only harm them and limit and threaten their power over other women in the society!

We have a successful number of Kuwaiti women in nearly all career fields. We have influential women in the media. The author of this piece, Muna Al-Fuzai, certainly has had her word heard and noticed by writing in a prominent Kuwaiti newspaper.

Maha Al-Ghunaim has recieved international and local recognition because of her work at Global Investment House. Her success is an inspiration to other women and example that Kuwaiti women do hold high-ranking positions and provide value to the work force.

An example of this are the laws that area against women, such as laws that hinder her from advancing in her career. A lady with a PhD can teach students law in the university, but she can’t obtain the post of a judge because conservative parties use pathetic excuses why she cannot have this job such as women cannot make right decisions since she is too emotional. These excuses are all unfair speculations and false allegations against professional and experienced women. Female judges run the court on a set law and not based on their minds and feelings!

Yes, there is discrimination but we have to work together to overcome them.

A woman is welcomed to work only if a man consents to her type of work or benefits from it! I know many girls in college who were very talented and yet ended up as teachers in primary schools because their husbands or fathers don’t want to see them in a place with men!

I vehemently disagree with the first statement. As a working female, I did not have a male consent to my type of work or benefit from it. That is partly due to the fact that I come from a supportive family that wants to see me excel in life.

I do know women who were constrained to being teachers because of the wishes of their families. These women can break free from these shackles but will face consequences to defying the family. In a country where you’re expected to live in the family home if you’re single and move out only when you’re married, many do not go against their family because it will bring a great deal of misery and grief to their home. It is a personal choice whether they choose to comply with the rules of the family at the expense of their future.

There are many women who come from very religious backgrounds who hold PhDs and work in their fields in the company of men with the blessing of their families. Each family has a different outlook and mindset regarding these issues so a broad generalization is unfair to Kuwaiti women.

A religious Islamic ruling was made recently to approve the husband’s right to take his wife’s salary because the time she spent outside was his own and thus he is entitled to take her salary which she worked hard to earn! Now, men in this society prefer working women because he will be able to use her salary for himself! A law was even issued in Kuwait to prevent women from working after 8 pm. Laws give all rights for men to choose their partner, but if a woman does this, she will be humiliated and punished.

In Islam, the Quran states clearly that each spouse is entitled to what they earn. Islam also states that a husband has to provide for his wife. I don’t know where Muna got her Islamic ruling from but there have been many who claimed all sorts of things in the name of Islam. It doesn’t make them right. It’s unfair of her to accuse and blame Kuwaiti men of taking advantage of this. I did some research and found Forza Kuwait has direct quotes to support this.

That said, I do know there are many families in Kuwait, particularly those with a Bedouin background, who claim the salaries of their children. Those earners are alloted an allowance although it is rightfully their money. So who do you blame? Society for allowing this to happen or the family for continuing these practices?

The law that passed to prevent women from working beyond 8PM is one of the laws that was made in the name of protecting women and preventing vice. I do not agree with it, but what Muna should have mentioned is that the Ministry of Social Labour has exceptions for these rules for various work fields. Kuwaiti women still work 24 hour shifts at hospitals. Women still serve restaurants, work in retail stores, banks, and work in various other jobs beyond 8PM.

I will not even dignify her statement that, “Laws give all rights for men to choose their partner, but if a woman does this, she will be humiliated and punished,” with a response.

Sadly, many people think that if a woman receives a promotion or a raise, this is due to her wasta or contacts and not due to her abilities or how hard a worker she is! Even when a new government is formed here in Kuwait, it avoids appointing more than one woman at a time. I believe that one article is not enough to recite all the examples of discrimination against women and not only Kuwaiti women, but every woman who happens to be part of this society. Can women fight back? Yes, but this is not an easy step and the process is hard and it requires unity, sacrifice and lot’s of sincere effort.

Many Kuwaiti women, be they colleagues, friends or relatives, have been promoted and gotten raises. With each one there has been nothing but support and goodwill. We all know how hard each one of us works. Kuwaiti women may hold prominent positions but we still have to suffer the glass ceiling here and there.

As for her second comment about the government it is laughable. Women have only recently gained the right to vote. It is a wonder at all that we have any women at all in the government! We still do not have a female MP but give it time and it will happen.

Women have traditionally had a struggle balancing family life and a career but I do sincerely believe that as a Kuwaiti woman I do have it easier than others. Our government aids us in balancing life and work and our religion has always protected the rights of women.

Our current trend in Kuwaiti society is that Islamist MPs are trying to pass as many laws they can to segregate the society and curb some rights from women in the name of promoting morality. They have begun by segregating Kuwait University and private universities. I do not believe they will ultimately win this struggle because Kuwaiti women has always enjoyed their rights to work and manage their finances.

As a Kuwaiti woman, I do not believe I am being discriminated against and if I were I would not accept it.