Penn Law and Wharton Executive Education Deliver Third Annual Legal and Business Fellowship Program in Partnership With AMIDEAST and the U.S. Department of State
PHILADELPHIA, June 22, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The University of Pennsylvania Law School and the Wharton School have attracted a group of 22 young women leaders in business and law from over 10 countries in the Middle East for a Legal and Business Fellowship Program. Now in its third year, the Penn Law and Wharton Executive Education program is offered in partnership with the America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST) and funded by the U.S. Department of State Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI).
The young executives and lawyers came to Penn from countries that included Algeria, Bahrain, Israel, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Tunisia, UAE, Yemen, and the West Bank. Admission to the program is highly competitive and based upon each woman's leadership potential, commitment to professional growth in the business and legal sectors of her local economy, and knowledge of English.Since completion of the program, the women have dispersed across the U.S. for a four-month internship at a Fortune 500 company or top-tier law firm.
"It was a pleasure to welcome the third cohort from the Legal and Business Fellowship Program this year," says Wharton Executive Education Senior Director Sandhya Karpe. "The program participants are eagerly awaited each year by staff and faculty at Penn because of the richness they bring to the community. Over the years, we have learned as much from these fine young women as they have learned from us - about their countries and cultures, but more importantly about resilience. We wish them happiness and success as they return to their countries to follow their dreams and as passionate ambassadors of peace and change."
The program is co-directed by Peter Cappelli, George W. Taylor Professor of Management and director of Wharton's Center for Human Resources; Janet Greco, co-president, Transition One Associates; and Michael Knoll, Theodore K. Warner Professor of Law & Professor of Real Estate, and co-director of the Center for Tax Law and Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. Knoll notes that the faculty makes changes to the program each year to keep it fresh. One such important change was the addition of societal wealth creation projects, designed and facilitated by Jim Thompson, associate director of Wharton Entrepreneurial Programs and director of Wharton's Societal Wealth Program.
"This year we asked the women to produce business plans for a business that would be profitable for investors and cater to an important societal need in their home countries," Knoll says. "Working in groups of four or five, the women came up with a range of interesting proposals, including a glass-blowing factory, an English language school, and a recycling business. They drew heavily on what they had learned in their four weeks here. After their presentations, the women left Penn with a sense of accomplishment, confidence in their abilities, and a real can-do attitude."
Impressed by the women she has taught in the program, Lisa Warshaw, director of the Wharton Communication Program, says that the group is one of her favorites to teach. "These young women bring a wide diversity of experience and backgrounds that enhance the learning experience," Warshaw says. "We've always found them to be engaged and intellectually curious; we learn a great deal from our discussions with these remarkable women."
Raghda Shaheen, a program participant from the UAE, feels that the program represents an opportunity to break the stereotypes between Arabs and Americans. "The program allowed us to bridge the cultural gaps between the different environments," Shaheen says. What she will remember most about the program, in addition to the knowledge gained, was its transformative effect.
"On my last day at Wharton, after saying farewell to the amazing faculty and staff at the graduation ceremony, I walked back to the hotel with a heavy heart," Shaheen says. "I was carrying my Wharton certificate, four heavy binders for each week of class, a couple of amazing books, a treasure of friendships, and a life-time experience. I looked back at the statue of Benjamin Franklin smiling at me, and at that moment, I knew my life would never be the same."
Showing posts with label legal studies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label legal studies. Show all posts
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Raghda Shaheen: Bridging Two Worlds -- America and The Middle East
Published: June 23, 2009 in Knowledge@Wharton
Raghda Shaheen, who works for the Dubai International Finance Centre, recently completed a four-week business and legal fellowship program at Wharton and the University of Pennsylvania law school. The program, funded by the U.S. Department of State Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) and supported by America-Mideast Educational and Training Services (AMIDEAST), teaches management, business and legal skills to women from the Middle East and North Africa. This year, 22 women from 11 countries attended the program. Shaheen will spend the next three months working at the Chicago Chamber of Commerce before returning to the UAE. She spoke with Knowledge@Wharton about her experiences in Gaza City, Canada, the U.S. and the Middle East.
An edited transcript of the conversation follows.
Knowledge@Wharton: Raghda, thanks for joining us.
Shaheen: Thank you for having me.
Knowledge@Wharton: Can you start off by telling us a little bit about yourself? Where you were born, educated and where you have worked so far?
Shaheen: Sure. I am an Arabic girl, born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents. So I am Palestinian. I lived in Kuwait for seven years and then moved to Palestine. I grew up in Gaza City, and moved to Toronto, Canada, in 2001. I received a bachelor's degree in engineering. I worked there for a couple of years and then moved to Dubai in 2008 and that's where I live right now.
Knowledge@Wharton: What are you doing there?
Shaheen: I'm a business and process consultant at Dubai International Financial Centre.
Knowledge@Wharton: Why did you decide to come to the program at Wharton and Penn Law?
Shaheen: I always find exchange programs are fascinating because it's my opportunity to break some stereotypes. I've been in similar programs before and I really enjoyed the experience. So I thought that I would use the opportunity to come again to the States and do more work on breaking stereotypes.
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Knowledge@Wharton: What kinds of stereotypes are you talking about?
Shaheen: On both sides. I'm talking about the stereotypes of both Americans and Arabs [regarding] business behaviors, the people, the culture ...
Knowledge@Wharton: So what's an example on your side?
Shaheen: I find a lot of stereotypes about Arab women that I would like to break and about Arabs in general here in the States, because [most people] receive their [impressions] from the media. We all know that the media can be biased at certain times and does not reflect the correct image of the culture. So I came here to experience the American culture by myself through my [own] eyes, not through someone else's eyes. And I try to transfer that to the Americans myself.
Knowledge@Wharton: So what would you think is a typical American image of an Arab woman and how is that image right or wrong?
Shaheen: They still have the image that Arab women may not be educated, that they're suppressed, that they can't work, they don't speak, they are not cosmopolitan. So I try with my fellows here to break that stereotype. We tell them that Arabs in general, not just women, usually speak two languages at a minimum. We speak English as a second language in my country. There are other places in the Middle East, such as Lebanon and Syria, that speak French as a second language. The exposure to the West is very high in the Middle East, probably because of the political situation and the geographical location of that area. So we already know about other countries and civilizations out there in the world.
Knowledge@Wharton: Is it unusual for Arab women who are educated and have work experience like you to come to the States and take courses here and bring that [knowledge] back to their home countries?
Shaheen: I would say it depends. It depends on the family and it depends on the occasion. My aunt 30 years ago left to receive her education in medicine in Germany. But that doesn't mean that it's okay for most of the families. It depends on the family level of education and the country, the culture and the tradition. The Arab world is 14 countries and it's diverse. I think this is the beauty of it, that it's diverse. You would find all the cultures there.
Knowledge@Wharton: In Gaza City, would you consider yourself one of the more educated, more experienced women in terms of business background and career?
Shaheen: I wouldn't say the most educated because ... the education level in Gaza is very high. But I would say I'm one of the luckiest to have this exposure to opportunities out there in the world, because of the unfortunate political situation. Some of the people in Gaza are lucky to be alive.... So yes, I am blessed with opportunities. But the education [level] is very high in Gaza. I can talk about my personal experience. I was a senior in high school when the [uprising] started and the war. The political situation deteriorated in Gaza in 2001. That did not stop me from reaching my school, which was 45 minutes away. So I believe people living there definitely have a strong soul and are intent on [providing] education for their kids.
Knowledge@Wharton: Is this your first trip to the United States?
Shaheen: No.
Knowledge@Wharton: When were you here before?
Shaheen: I've been here a couple of times before. I have a sister here who lives in Boston and is chief of radiology at Harvard Medical School. And I've visited Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey during my previous job through Siemens Canada. So I received some training courses here.
Knowledge@Wharton: You are now taking both business and law courses? Is that correct?
Shaheen: Yes. We have taken a couple of law classes.
Knowledge@Wharton: What is the one thing that you've learned in your business courses that you feel has been especially valuable?
Shaheen: That's an excellent question. I am an engineer by education. I haven't had a strong exposure to finance and accounting. My job is consulting. I always face balance sheets and "no, we can't" answers from the finance department. But now I understand what they're going through because I've attended an excellent accounting class. It was a fantastic experience. It was taught in an unusual way. I think it's a new [approach] even at Wharton and they were testing it on us. I'm telling you it's fantastic. So my favorite class so far has been the accounting class.
Knowledge@Wharton: Are there certain key subject areas or topic areas that professional business women in the Middle East feel they might need more exposure to on an international basis than they now have?
Shaheen: I don't think it is Arab women only.... We [took] a course [aimed at] women [in general] in the workplace -- the issues we face as women in our workplace and how we behave when we face challenges. I found this course very interesting. It would be excellent if we could promote it for women in general, not just for women in the Middle East.
Knowledge@Wharton: How can you relate that course to your personal experience in the workplace as a woman?
Shaheen: It was [about] being proud to be a woman and not surrendering or giving up because you're a woman. You don't need to work harder than your colleagues just to prove a point ... to prove that you're capable and qualified. I think that's a fantastic observation.
Knowledge@Wharton: But I've heard from some Arab women that, in fact, they do need to work harder. They need to work two or three times harder.
Shaheen: Again, I don't think it's just an Arab woman's challenge. It's women around the globe.... I worked in Canada, as I said, and I worked in the Middle East. In both cases regarding the executive managers I've seen who are females, yes, that observation was true about them. They were trying to prove that they were qualified, capable and stronger than their peers so they had to work harder.
Knowledge@Wharton: In your business experience in the Middle East, have you ever personally felt discriminated against because you're a woman?
Shaheen: Not at all, actually. I did face that fear, to be honest with you, because of the stereotype. I lived in Toronto for seven years so I wasn't sure how the work environment would be in the Middle East. But I can quote for you the hospitality COO in my company, who is German. She said to me: "Raghda, as a German woman I face less racism and sexism in the Middle East than I ever faced anywhere else." So it's a very supportive environment. We have many executive women. I'm living, as I mentioned, in Dubai right now. There is a foundation for leadership for women supported by the ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid. To be honest, I'm very happy to be there to receive some of the support. I myself have been on an exchange program that supports me as a woman.
Knowledge@Wharton: You mentioned that you've had a lot of contact with other women in the program here. Do you feel that part of the value of this program is to help you set up a network of women you will keep in touch with when you leave? And do you have that kind of opportunity in Dubai to set up these networks? Is that something that can happen there easily?
Shaheen: I've been always interested in such networks with women. Since getting my undergraduate degree in Canada, I have been part of a Women in Engineering program because I've always been a minority. Here, yes, I think that's the main purpose of the program. But the network should not only be for women.... We should expand it because the world is not only women out there. We should extend our hand to help men also.... We should focus on the development of relationships between females and males in the workplace so that both can work together and prosper together.
Knowledge@Wharton: I have never been to Dubai. But I get the sense that you're one of a rare breed of women in that area. You are very educated, very articulate. You've had work experiences in Canada, in the U.S. You're going to be working in Chicago when you leave. But in Dubai you are definitely a minority in terms of the women there, correct?
Shaheen: It's not true, but thank you for the compliment. There are a lot of cosmopolitan girls there and ladies. Actually, I'm the fourth one in this program from my company and the number is increasing. As I mentioned earlier, I was in an exchange program similar to this but it was both males and females with American businessmen and women. The observation was the same. Again, you would be surprised that we have females who are like those you mentioned -- cosmopolitan, speaking good English, having exposure to the world. I think the world is getting smaller. Dubai is where everything is happening nowadays.
Knowledge@Wharton: Right, it is very cosmopolitan itself.
Shaheen: It is a very cosmopolitan city. Again, as I mentioned, exposure to [different] cultures is very high in the Middle East. It's close to Europe. It's close to China, India, the Far East. I think the geographical location really helps.
Knowledge@Wharton: But is it generational? How old are you?
Shaheen: I'm 25.
Knowledge@Wharton: Do you feel that women in your generation are having a very different experience than women who are 45 or 50?
Shaheen: I [believe that's true] everywhere in the world. Even here, the current generation is different than their parents. Yes, we're developing with the media, and with the technology. We watch "American Idol." We watch your TV shows. We watch "Oprah," "Dr. Phil"...
Knowledge@Wharton: Is that a good thing?
Shaheen: I don't know about that. [We watch] "Sex in the City." So I guess it's just that the exposure is getting higher and higher.... [Also], it's because the media to a certain degree exposes you to the American streets, environments and buildings. So when we went to New York, most of us felt that we had there before. We saw the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. You feel that you've been on the streets of New York even if you've never been there because you always see it on TV. So that's what increasing the exposure; it's the technology. Believe it or not, the political problems are playing a good part here because we have to learn about what's happening out there in the world. Most of the political situation in the Middle East is highly related to the U.S. So that's why we're highly exposed and are learning a lot about you.
Knowledge@Wharton: What about Gaza City, where you went to high school? Is that as sophisticated and developed as Dubai in terms of opportunities for women?
Shaheen: Opportunities for women in Gaza I would say are as bad as the opportunities for men. It's not because of [gender].... Unfortunately, the political situation is really bad down there. As I mentioned earlier, they don't have the opportunity to [be] exposed [to other places] or to travel as much. But before the political situation deteriorated in 2001 was when I first started my exchange program. When I was 16, I was in a Norwegian exchange program, so we had the Norwegian students come into Gaza and we traveled to Oslo. So when the political situation was stable, yes, Gaza was doing well. I don't think it's fair to compare it to Dubai because Dubai is, relatively speaking, stable. It's safe. There is no war there. The political situation is stable. Whereas for Gaza it is not, but hopefully it will be one day.
Knowledge@Wharton: You've probably come from a very supportive family as well. Is that correct? Your parents have been supportive so you don't face any disapproval about what you're doing or where you're going or anything like that?
Shaheen: Of course. All the way.
Knowledge@Wharton: Do you live alone in Dubai?
Shaheen: No, I live with them. Actually, they moved to come and live with me. They were supporting me all the way. When I was in Canada, my mom and my dad would take turns to come and visit me. They were living in Gaza so sometimes they would be back and forth between Gaza and Toronto. And then when I made the decision to move to Dubai, we thought that it was time for us to be together. So that's why we moved all of us to Dubai.
Knowledge@Wharton: Is it fairly common for young professionals to live with their parents?
Shaheen: Yes. I guess the Arabic culture is like most of the Eastern cultures. They are very much family oriented. It's not very common for girls to move out of their family houses, even guys, until they get married. That's just how the culture is.
Knowledge@Wharton: So what are your plans now for the next few years? You're going to Chicago?
Shaheen: For three months.
Knowledge@Wharton: What will you be doing there?
Shaheen: I heard that I'll be working in green initiatives, which I'm very excited about because that's what my graduation project here at Wharton is about. And I'll be working on the submission for the Olympics 2016.
Knowledge@Wharton: That's terrific.
Shaheen: How exciting is that? I'm very excited because I think I'll be having higher exposure to this green technology, which is booming as well in the Middle East, especially in Dubai. And afterwards, I always had the plan that I wanted to go for my MBA. That's why I was very excited about this opportunity [at] Wharton, which was always my dream school.... Now it's time for me to start working on my GMAT.
Knowledge@Wharton: So you plan to apply to graduate school?
Shaheen: Correct.
Knowledge@Wharton: Will that be after you complete your work in Chicago?
Shaheen: Yes. I'm planning to enjoy the experience to the maximum and not study while I'm there.
Knowledge@Wharton: What would you like to do after business school?
Shaheen: In the long term, I would like to work in the government and get some experience in the public administration sector.
Knowledge@Wharton: Where?
Shaheen: In Dubai.... Then afterwards I would like to teach and become a professor.
Knowledge@Wharton: An engineering professor? A business professor?
Shaheen: I haven't worked much with [engineering]. I would like to teach in a business school. I would like to teach an MBA class.
Knowledge@Wharton: So, who knows? We could see you back here sometime.... I have one final question. There's a story in The Wall Street Journal today talking about the steep declines in countries around the world, specifically Mexico, Germany and Japan, and how they are getting the brunt of this financial collapse. Are you feeling the impact of the financial crisis at all in Dubai?
Shaheen: I cannot deny that this financial crisis has hit the whole world hard. Dubai is a very global city, a cosmopolitan city. And it's very highly related to the [rest of] the world economy. So, yes, it does affect investments in Dubai. However, the government is being very [supportive]. About a month ago, the government of Abu Dhabi issued bonds for 30 billion Dirham, which is almost $10 billion, to support the economy in the UAE. And since then, the situation – I've been here a month so far and I'm always in touch with my colleagues to understand the situation and I read the news -- is starting to recover. So some companies are starting to hire again. Some [employees] are receiving their bonuses and their [annual] appraisals. So, yes, I think we've been affected. But also I think we're having a stronger recovery there because the government has the funds to support it.
Knowledge@Wharton: Thank you for joining us and good luck in Chicago.
Shaheen: Thank you. It was my pleasure.
Raghda Shaheen, who works for the Dubai International Finance Centre, recently completed a four-week business and legal fellowship program at Wharton and the University of Pennsylvania law school. The program, funded by the U.S. Department of State Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) and supported by America-Mideast Educational and Training Services (AMIDEAST), teaches management, business and legal skills to women from the Middle East and North Africa. This year, 22 women from 11 countries attended the program. Shaheen will spend the next three months working at the Chicago Chamber of Commerce before returning to the UAE. She spoke with Knowledge@Wharton about her experiences in Gaza City, Canada, the U.S. and the Middle East.
An edited transcript of the conversation follows.
Knowledge@Wharton: Raghda, thanks for joining us.
Shaheen: Thank you for having me.
Knowledge@Wharton: Can you start off by telling us a little bit about yourself? Where you were born, educated and where you have worked so far?
Shaheen: Sure. I am an Arabic girl, born in Kuwait to Palestinian parents. So I am Palestinian. I lived in Kuwait for seven years and then moved to Palestine. I grew up in Gaza City, and moved to Toronto, Canada, in 2001. I received a bachelor's degree in engineering. I worked there for a couple of years and then moved to Dubai in 2008 and that's where I live right now.
Knowledge@Wharton: What are you doing there?
Shaheen: I'm a business and process consultant at Dubai International Financial Centre.
Knowledge@Wharton: Why did you decide to come to the program at Wharton and Penn Law?
Shaheen: I always find exchange programs are fascinating because it's my opportunity to break some stereotypes. I've been in similar programs before and I really enjoyed the experience. So I thought that I would use the opportunity to come again to the States and do more work on breaking stereotypes.
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Knowledge@Wharton: What kinds of stereotypes are you talking about?
Shaheen: On both sides. I'm talking about the stereotypes of both Americans and Arabs [regarding] business behaviors, the people, the culture ...
Knowledge@Wharton: So what's an example on your side?
Shaheen: I find a lot of stereotypes about Arab women that I would like to break and about Arabs in general here in the States, because [most people] receive their [impressions] from the media. We all know that the media can be biased at certain times and does not reflect the correct image of the culture. So I came here to experience the American culture by myself through my [own] eyes, not through someone else's eyes. And I try to transfer that to the Americans myself.
Knowledge@Wharton: So what would you think is a typical American image of an Arab woman and how is that image right or wrong?
Shaheen: They still have the image that Arab women may not be educated, that they're suppressed, that they can't work, they don't speak, they are not cosmopolitan. So I try with my fellows here to break that stereotype. We tell them that Arabs in general, not just women, usually speak two languages at a minimum. We speak English as a second language in my country. There are other places in the Middle East, such as Lebanon and Syria, that speak French as a second language. The exposure to the West is very high in the Middle East, probably because of the political situation and the geographical location of that area. So we already know about other countries and civilizations out there in the world.
Knowledge@Wharton: Is it unusual for Arab women who are educated and have work experience like you to come to the States and take courses here and bring that [knowledge] back to their home countries?
Shaheen: I would say it depends. It depends on the family and it depends on the occasion. My aunt 30 years ago left to receive her education in medicine in Germany. But that doesn't mean that it's okay for most of the families. It depends on the family level of education and the country, the culture and the tradition. The Arab world is 14 countries and it's diverse. I think this is the beauty of it, that it's diverse. You would find all the cultures there.
Knowledge@Wharton: In Gaza City, would you consider yourself one of the more educated, more experienced women in terms of business background and career?
Shaheen: I wouldn't say the most educated because ... the education level in Gaza is very high. But I would say I'm one of the luckiest to have this exposure to opportunities out there in the world, because of the unfortunate political situation. Some of the people in Gaza are lucky to be alive.... So yes, I am blessed with opportunities. But the education [level] is very high in Gaza. I can talk about my personal experience. I was a senior in high school when the [uprising] started and the war. The political situation deteriorated in Gaza in 2001. That did not stop me from reaching my school, which was 45 minutes away. So I believe people living there definitely have a strong soul and are intent on [providing] education for their kids.
Knowledge@Wharton: Is this your first trip to the United States?
Shaheen: No.
Knowledge@Wharton: When were you here before?
Shaheen: I've been here a couple of times before. I have a sister here who lives in Boston and is chief of radiology at Harvard Medical School. And I've visited Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey during my previous job through Siemens Canada. So I received some training courses here.
Knowledge@Wharton: You are now taking both business and law courses? Is that correct?
Shaheen: Yes. We have taken a couple of law classes.
Knowledge@Wharton: What is the one thing that you've learned in your business courses that you feel has been especially valuable?
Shaheen: That's an excellent question. I am an engineer by education. I haven't had a strong exposure to finance and accounting. My job is consulting. I always face balance sheets and "no, we can't" answers from the finance department. But now I understand what they're going through because I've attended an excellent accounting class. It was a fantastic experience. It was taught in an unusual way. I think it's a new [approach] even at Wharton and they were testing it on us. I'm telling you it's fantastic. So my favorite class so far has been the accounting class.
Knowledge@Wharton: Are there certain key subject areas or topic areas that professional business women in the Middle East feel they might need more exposure to on an international basis than they now have?
Shaheen: I don't think it is Arab women only.... We [took] a course [aimed at] women [in general] in the workplace -- the issues we face as women in our workplace and how we behave when we face challenges. I found this course very interesting. It would be excellent if we could promote it for women in general, not just for women in the Middle East.
Knowledge@Wharton: How can you relate that course to your personal experience in the workplace as a woman?
Shaheen: It was [about] being proud to be a woman and not surrendering or giving up because you're a woman. You don't need to work harder than your colleagues just to prove a point ... to prove that you're capable and qualified. I think that's a fantastic observation.
Knowledge@Wharton: But I've heard from some Arab women that, in fact, they do need to work harder. They need to work two or three times harder.
Shaheen: Again, I don't think it's just an Arab woman's challenge. It's women around the globe.... I worked in Canada, as I said, and I worked in the Middle East. In both cases regarding the executive managers I've seen who are females, yes, that observation was true about them. They were trying to prove that they were qualified, capable and stronger than their peers so they had to work harder.
Knowledge@Wharton: In your business experience in the Middle East, have you ever personally felt discriminated against because you're a woman?
Shaheen: Not at all, actually. I did face that fear, to be honest with you, because of the stereotype. I lived in Toronto for seven years so I wasn't sure how the work environment would be in the Middle East. But I can quote for you the hospitality COO in my company, who is German. She said to me: "Raghda, as a German woman I face less racism and sexism in the Middle East than I ever faced anywhere else." So it's a very supportive environment. We have many executive women. I'm living, as I mentioned, in Dubai right now. There is a foundation for leadership for women supported by the ruler Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid. To be honest, I'm very happy to be there to receive some of the support. I myself have been on an exchange program that supports me as a woman.
Knowledge@Wharton: You mentioned that you've had a lot of contact with other women in the program here. Do you feel that part of the value of this program is to help you set up a network of women you will keep in touch with when you leave? And do you have that kind of opportunity in Dubai to set up these networks? Is that something that can happen there easily?
Shaheen: I've been always interested in such networks with women. Since getting my undergraduate degree in Canada, I have been part of a Women in Engineering program because I've always been a minority. Here, yes, I think that's the main purpose of the program. But the network should not only be for women.... We should expand it because the world is not only women out there. We should extend our hand to help men also.... We should focus on the development of relationships between females and males in the workplace so that both can work together and prosper together.
Knowledge@Wharton: I have never been to Dubai. But I get the sense that you're one of a rare breed of women in that area. You are very educated, very articulate. You've had work experiences in Canada, in the U.S. You're going to be working in Chicago when you leave. But in Dubai you are definitely a minority in terms of the women there, correct?
Shaheen: It's not true, but thank you for the compliment. There are a lot of cosmopolitan girls there and ladies. Actually, I'm the fourth one in this program from my company and the number is increasing. As I mentioned earlier, I was in an exchange program similar to this but it was both males and females with American businessmen and women. The observation was the same. Again, you would be surprised that we have females who are like those you mentioned -- cosmopolitan, speaking good English, having exposure to the world. I think the world is getting smaller. Dubai is where everything is happening nowadays.
Knowledge@Wharton: Right, it is very cosmopolitan itself.
Shaheen: It is a very cosmopolitan city. Again, as I mentioned, exposure to [different] cultures is very high in the Middle East. It's close to Europe. It's close to China, India, the Far East. I think the geographical location really helps.
Knowledge@Wharton: But is it generational? How old are you?
Shaheen: I'm 25.
Knowledge@Wharton: Do you feel that women in your generation are having a very different experience than women who are 45 or 50?
Shaheen: I [believe that's true] everywhere in the world. Even here, the current generation is different than their parents. Yes, we're developing with the media, and with the technology. We watch "American Idol." We watch your TV shows. We watch "Oprah," "Dr. Phil"...
Knowledge@Wharton: Is that a good thing?
Shaheen: I don't know about that. [We watch] "Sex in the City." So I guess it's just that the exposure is getting higher and higher.... [Also], it's because the media to a certain degree exposes you to the American streets, environments and buildings. So when we went to New York, most of us felt that we had there before. We saw the Brooklyn Bridge and the Statue of Liberty. You feel that you've been on the streets of New York even if you've never been there because you always see it on TV. So that's what increasing the exposure; it's the technology. Believe it or not, the political problems are playing a good part here because we have to learn about what's happening out there in the world. Most of the political situation in the Middle East is highly related to the U.S. So that's why we're highly exposed and are learning a lot about you.
Knowledge@Wharton: What about Gaza City, where you went to high school? Is that as sophisticated and developed as Dubai in terms of opportunities for women?
Shaheen: Opportunities for women in Gaza I would say are as bad as the opportunities for men. It's not because of [gender].... Unfortunately, the political situation is really bad down there. As I mentioned earlier, they don't have the opportunity to [be] exposed [to other places] or to travel as much. But before the political situation deteriorated in 2001 was when I first started my exchange program. When I was 16, I was in a Norwegian exchange program, so we had the Norwegian students come into Gaza and we traveled to Oslo. So when the political situation was stable, yes, Gaza was doing well. I don't think it's fair to compare it to Dubai because Dubai is, relatively speaking, stable. It's safe. There is no war there. The political situation is stable. Whereas for Gaza it is not, but hopefully it will be one day.
Knowledge@Wharton: You've probably come from a very supportive family as well. Is that correct? Your parents have been supportive so you don't face any disapproval about what you're doing or where you're going or anything like that?
Shaheen: Of course. All the way.
Knowledge@Wharton: Do you live alone in Dubai?
Shaheen: No, I live with them. Actually, they moved to come and live with me. They were supporting me all the way. When I was in Canada, my mom and my dad would take turns to come and visit me. They were living in Gaza so sometimes they would be back and forth between Gaza and Toronto. And then when I made the decision to move to Dubai, we thought that it was time for us to be together. So that's why we moved all of us to Dubai.
Knowledge@Wharton: Is it fairly common for young professionals to live with their parents?
Shaheen: Yes. I guess the Arabic culture is like most of the Eastern cultures. They are very much family oriented. It's not very common for girls to move out of their family houses, even guys, until they get married. That's just how the culture is.
Knowledge@Wharton: So what are your plans now for the next few years? You're going to Chicago?
Shaheen: For three months.
Knowledge@Wharton: What will you be doing there?
Shaheen: I heard that I'll be working in green initiatives, which I'm very excited about because that's what my graduation project here at Wharton is about. And I'll be working on the submission for the Olympics 2016.
Knowledge@Wharton: That's terrific.
Shaheen: How exciting is that? I'm very excited because I think I'll be having higher exposure to this green technology, which is booming as well in the Middle East, especially in Dubai. And afterwards, I always had the plan that I wanted to go for my MBA. That's why I was very excited about this opportunity [at] Wharton, which was always my dream school.... Now it's time for me to start working on my GMAT.
Knowledge@Wharton: So you plan to apply to graduate school?
Shaheen: Correct.
Knowledge@Wharton: Will that be after you complete your work in Chicago?
Shaheen: Yes. I'm planning to enjoy the experience to the maximum and not study while I'm there.
Knowledge@Wharton: What would you like to do after business school?
Shaheen: In the long term, I would like to work in the government and get some experience in the public administration sector.
Knowledge@Wharton: Where?
Shaheen: In Dubai.... Then afterwards I would like to teach and become a professor.
Knowledge@Wharton: An engineering professor? A business professor?
Shaheen: I haven't worked much with [engineering]. I would like to teach in a business school. I would like to teach an MBA class.
Knowledge@Wharton: So, who knows? We could see you back here sometime.... I have one final question. There's a story in The Wall Street Journal today talking about the steep declines in countries around the world, specifically Mexico, Germany and Japan, and how they are getting the brunt of this financial collapse. Are you feeling the impact of the financial crisis at all in Dubai?
Shaheen: I cannot deny that this financial crisis has hit the whole world hard. Dubai is a very global city, a cosmopolitan city. And it's very highly related to the [rest of] the world economy. So, yes, it does affect investments in Dubai. However, the government is being very [supportive]. About a month ago, the government of Abu Dhabi issued bonds for 30 billion Dirham, which is almost $10 billion, to support the economy in the UAE. And since then, the situation – I've been here a month so far and I'm always in touch with my colleagues to understand the situation and I read the news -- is starting to recover. So some companies are starting to hire again. Some [employees] are receiving their bonuses and their [annual] appraisals. So, yes, I think we've been affected. But also I think we're having a stronger recovery there because the government has the funds to support it.
Knowledge@Wharton: Thank you for joining us and good luck in Chicago.
Shaheen: Thank you. It was my pleasure.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Maghreb: Maghreb activists propose new marriage contract to protect women
Magharebia
By Jamel Arfaoui for Magharebia in Tunis – 15/04/09
In an ambitious plan to educate women in the Maghreb about married life, activists from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia drafted a new marriage contract that, if certified, will provide better protection for women's rights.
The idea was presented Saturday (April 11th) in Tunis at a meeting organised by the Global Rights Maghreb organisation and attended by human rights activists, members of women's organisations and legal experts.
"Many women in the Maghreb region usually ignore their right to incorporate certain conditions that would protect their rights when they sign the marriage contract," said Stephanie Willman Bordat, the regional director of British NGO Global Rights. Her group operates in African, American, and Asian countries to help non-governmental organisations get the necessary legal tools to address pressing human issues, including gender equality.
The draft contract is the result of a year-long study in which more than 1400 women from different backgrounds participated. More than 70 associations and 177 lawyers contributed to the study.
The findings were alarming.
"Women are suffering from complete ignorance of their rights upon signing the marriage contract," said Moroccan legal expert Saida Kouzzi.
Although the law granted women the right to add certain demands in a marriage contract, "women still consider it is inappropriate, if not disgraceful, to impose conditions on their husbands," she said.
"Cultural and social reasons still control our habits and customs. Women still believe that daring to take such a step would reduce their chances in marriage."
Moreover, the study showed that some women "looked at the marriage contract as a way to have a legal sexual relationship, or, in other words, to protect the right of their children to care and inheritance and to protect their rights upon divorce," said Tunisian Amel Ellafi, who supervised a discussion workshop for women.
The draft marriage contract includes 18 articles, including guarantees against polygamy, the wife's right to work and continue her education, guarantees against domestic violence and insurance of the freedom of movement and travel.
And, to raise women's awareness of their rights and present the new draft contract to Maghreb society, participants in the meeting launched a comprehensive educational campaign. The co-ordinated effort will help exert pressure on legislative and judicial authorities to accept the contract and enable civil society organisations and authorities to defend it.
"This initiative is aimed at making people who are about to get married shoulder the responsibility, allow them to know and preserve the rights and duties, and behave rationally and realistically to avoid the consequences of passionate love in the face of everyday life details," said Tunisian lawyer Saida Guarrach, who participated in drafting the contract.
"It will enable women to get acquainted with the existing legislation in their countries, and how to take advantage of the positive laws thereof by imposing them as conditions included in the marriage contract," added Bordat of British Global Rights.
By Jamel Arfaoui for Magharebia in Tunis – 15/04/09
In an ambitious plan to educate women in the Maghreb about married life, activists from Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia drafted a new marriage contract that, if certified, will provide better protection for women's rights.
The idea was presented Saturday (April 11th) in Tunis at a meeting organised by the Global Rights Maghreb organisation and attended by human rights activists, members of women's organisations and legal experts.
"Many women in the Maghreb region usually ignore their right to incorporate certain conditions that would protect their rights when they sign the marriage contract," said Stephanie Willman Bordat, the regional director of British NGO Global Rights. Her group operates in African, American, and Asian countries to help non-governmental organisations get the necessary legal tools to address pressing human issues, including gender equality.
The draft contract is the result of a year-long study in which more than 1400 women from different backgrounds participated. More than 70 associations and 177 lawyers contributed to the study.
The findings were alarming.
"Women are suffering from complete ignorance of their rights upon signing the marriage contract," said Moroccan legal expert Saida Kouzzi.
Although the law granted women the right to add certain demands in a marriage contract, "women still consider it is inappropriate, if not disgraceful, to impose conditions on their husbands," she said.
"Cultural and social reasons still control our habits and customs. Women still believe that daring to take such a step would reduce their chances in marriage."
Moreover, the study showed that some women "looked at the marriage contract as a way to have a legal sexual relationship, or, in other words, to protect the right of their children to care and inheritance and to protect their rights upon divorce," said Tunisian Amel Ellafi, who supervised a discussion workshop for women.
The draft marriage contract includes 18 articles, including guarantees against polygamy, the wife's right to work and continue her education, guarantees against domestic violence and insurance of the freedom of movement and travel.
And, to raise women's awareness of their rights and present the new draft contract to Maghreb society, participants in the meeting launched a comprehensive educational campaign. The co-ordinated effort will help exert pressure on legislative and judicial authorities to accept the contract and enable civil society organisations and authorities to defend it.
"This initiative is aimed at making people who are about to get married shoulder the responsibility, allow them to know and preserve the rights and duties, and behave rationally and realistically to avoid the consequences of passionate love in the face of everyday life details," said Tunisian lawyer Saida Guarrach, who participated in drafting the contract.
"It will enable women to get acquainted with the existing legislation in their countries, and how to take advantage of the positive laws thereof by imposing them as conditions included in the marriage contract," added Bordat of British Global Rights.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Jordan: WARCATI seeks to educate women on their legal rights
The Jordan Times
By Rana Husseini
AMMAN - The Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) on Monday launched the third phase of a project aimed at legally empowering Jordanian women and their children.
The project, “Women and Children's Rights through Access to Information” (WARCATI), uses computer programmes and technology to educate women on their legal rights.
The software will be distributed to women and installed on computers at courthouses, including Sharia courts, JNCW Secretary General Asma Khader said at the launch yesterday.
Implemented by UNDP's Information and Communication Technology for Development in the Arab Region (ICTDAR), WARCATI is a women’s empowerment initiative that uses technology as a tool to give women greater understanding and knowledge of their rights.
It is specifically designed to benefit women in difficult circumstances, such as those in failed marriages who find themselves without any means to support themselves or their children.
The initiative uses ICT to empower women’s support mechanisms by developing relevant legal information in a digital format and disseminating it through CDs, websites, video and audio tapes, and telephone hotlines.
The content, in Arabic, includes full keyword-searchable legal text, as well as information on civil, legal and religious issues relating to family law, including child support payments, marriage, divorce, labour, adoption and custody.
"I hope that this project will ensure the rights of women in the Arab world and that no woman would fall victim to ignorance, fear or violence,” said Ziad Haddara, senior programme officer at ICTDAR. “Then we are certain that we are advancing in the human development field," he added.
The project materials developed in Jordan include CDs, booklets and a website (www.warcati.jo), which contains in-depth information on hundreds of FAQs, legal forms, requests and pleas in digital and printable format.
In addition, there will be training programmes for community workers that assist women in court to guarantee the proper use of the project materials.
Development of the computer software was the third and last phase of the project, which was developed in partnership with ICTDAR and support from the Spanish embassy and began in 2007.
By Rana Husseini
AMMAN - The Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) on Monday launched the third phase of a project aimed at legally empowering Jordanian women and their children.
The project, “Women and Children's Rights through Access to Information” (WARCATI), uses computer programmes and technology to educate women on their legal rights.
The software will be distributed to women and installed on computers at courthouses, including Sharia courts, JNCW Secretary General Asma Khader said at the launch yesterday.
Implemented by UNDP's Information and Communication Technology for Development in the Arab Region (ICTDAR), WARCATI is a women’s empowerment initiative that uses technology as a tool to give women greater understanding and knowledge of their rights.
It is specifically designed to benefit women in difficult circumstances, such as those in failed marriages who find themselves without any means to support themselves or their children.
The initiative uses ICT to empower women’s support mechanisms by developing relevant legal information in a digital format and disseminating it through CDs, websites, video and audio tapes, and telephone hotlines.
The content, in Arabic, includes full keyword-searchable legal text, as well as information on civil, legal and religious issues relating to family law, including child support payments, marriage, divorce, labour, adoption and custody.
"I hope that this project will ensure the rights of women in the Arab world and that no woman would fall victim to ignorance, fear or violence,” said Ziad Haddara, senior programme officer at ICTDAR. “Then we are certain that we are advancing in the human development field," he added.
The project materials developed in Jordan include CDs, booklets and a website (www.warcati.jo), which contains in-depth information on hundreds of FAQs, legal forms, requests and pleas in digital and printable format.
In addition, there will be training programmes for community workers that assist women in court to guarantee the proper use of the project materials.
Development of the computer software was the third and last phase of the project, which was developed in partnership with ICTDAR and support from the Spanish embassy and began in 2007.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Saudi king acts on legal reform
By Abeer Allam in Riyadh, Financial Times
Is stealing sheep a more serious crime than beating your wife to death?” asked Khaled al-Sulaiman, a Saudi columnist writing in Arab News, citing two recent judgments.
In one case, a judge handed down a sentence of two years and 200 lashes to a man who had beaten his wife to death. In the other, a judge sentenced a pair of sheep rustlers to three years in prison and 1,000 lashes.
That Mr Sulaiman had to ask the question reflects growing frustration among Saudis at the pace of a $2bn legal reform initiative proposed by King Abdullah two years ago.
That frustration has reached the top. At the weekend, King Abdullah sacked Saleh al-Lohaidan, head of the supreme judicial council, who has opposed reforms and efforts to codify Islamic law, or Sharia. Last September, Mr Lohaidan issued a fatwa condoning the killing of television station owners who produce or air “immoral content”.
But the problems afflicting Saudi Arabia’s legal system run deeper than one individual. Although every legal system produces anomalous rulings, in most countries lawyers say they can study the reasoning or facts used in a judgment. In Saudi Arabia, where judges rule according to their understanding of Islamic texts, there is no such recourse.
Fearing that judges may be misled by human wisdom, rather than adjudicating directly from religious sources, Saudi Arabia rejects the system of precedent used in common law systems and the extensive civil codes used in civil law systems.
Instead, trial proceedings are generally closed to the public and judicial decisions are not published. Judges can even bar attorneys representing parties from the courtroom if they decide the their presence is unhelpful.
“Transparency is one concern because there are fewer written laws,” says James Dallas, chairman of Denton Wilde Sapte, a law firm in Riyadh. “We try to manage expectations about how quickly things will happen and offer realistic timetables but the situation also forces us to be less dependent on legal remedies.”
Whereas other reforms launched in the kingdom over the past five years have borne fruit, changes to the legal system have moved more slowly. A “Doing Business in the World” report by the World Bank suggests that disputes in Saudi Arabia still require on average 44 procedures and 635 days to resolve.
Experts and diplomats suggest that the powerful and conservative judiciary accounts for the slow pace of change. About 700 judges serve 25m people in a country a fifth the size the US, almost all of them from Bukairiyah, a conservative redoubt in Qassim province.
Mr Lohaidan, for example, had once asserted that adopting civil codes would violate sacred customs that have the same legal authority as other written laws.
It is no surprise that most foreign companies in Saudi Arabia specify that dispute resolution occur in foreign jurisdictions, with a clear preference for London. However, enforcing foreign decisions in Saudi Arabia involves numerous legal procedures and raises the likelihood a judge will change portions of the judgment he deems incompatible with Islamic law, particularly interest penalties – or will start a trial all over again.
King Abdullah has established a supreme court that in theory can reverse judgments and thus rein in more junior judges. But lawyers say that in practice the tribunal has yet to establish its prerogatives.
Last month, Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al al-Sheikh, former justice minister, announced a 30-year strategic plan that includes measures to enhance commercial and intellectual property registration and enforcement.
Mr Al al-Sheikh was moved sideways in the weekend reshuffle. His successor is Mohammed Al-Eissa, previously deputy director of a tribunal to settle commercial disputes, who is described as pro-reform.
Other changes are being tested in pilot phases, and practitioners report new stenographers or computers in use in courts. But lawyers say the time between hearings can still vary from one to three months and, since each matter may involve dozens of hearings, trials can drag on indefinitely. “The situation is much better now than a year ago, but the whole process needs to be streamlined,’’ says Amgad Husein, a partner at Denton Wilde Sapte. “The courts are normally fair but there is a huge lag between decisions and it may take two or more years for a final verdict.”
Abdel Aziz al Qassem, a reformist lawyer, had grown disillusioned about prospects for reform, citing opposition in the judiciary. But following the weekend reshuffle, he is a lot more optimistic.
“This is a huge change,” he says. “They have removed the dams of resistance that halted judicial reform. Now I feel they are speeding up the reform finally after long delays.”
If Mr Qassem is right, Mr Sulaiman of Arab News might find an answer to his question sooner than he imagined.
Is stealing sheep a more serious crime than beating your wife to death?” asked Khaled al-Sulaiman, a Saudi columnist writing in Arab News, citing two recent judgments.
In one case, a judge handed down a sentence of two years and 200 lashes to a man who had beaten his wife to death. In the other, a judge sentenced a pair of sheep rustlers to three years in prison and 1,000 lashes.
That Mr Sulaiman had to ask the question reflects growing frustration among Saudis at the pace of a $2bn legal reform initiative proposed by King Abdullah two years ago.
That frustration has reached the top. At the weekend, King Abdullah sacked Saleh al-Lohaidan, head of the supreme judicial council, who has opposed reforms and efforts to codify Islamic law, or Sharia. Last September, Mr Lohaidan issued a fatwa condoning the killing of television station owners who produce or air “immoral content”.
But the problems afflicting Saudi Arabia’s legal system run deeper than one individual. Although every legal system produces anomalous rulings, in most countries lawyers say they can study the reasoning or facts used in a judgment. In Saudi Arabia, where judges rule according to their understanding of Islamic texts, there is no such recourse.
Fearing that judges may be misled by human wisdom, rather than adjudicating directly from religious sources, Saudi Arabia rejects the system of precedent used in common law systems and the extensive civil codes used in civil law systems.
Instead, trial proceedings are generally closed to the public and judicial decisions are not published. Judges can even bar attorneys representing parties from the courtroom if they decide the their presence is unhelpful.
“Transparency is one concern because there are fewer written laws,” says James Dallas, chairman of Denton Wilde Sapte, a law firm in Riyadh. “We try to manage expectations about how quickly things will happen and offer realistic timetables but the situation also forces us to be less dependent on legal remedies.”
Whereas other reforms launched in the kingdom over the past five years have borne fruit, changes to the legal system have moved more slowly. A “Doing Business in the World” report by the World Bank suggests that disputes in Saudi Arabia still require on average 44 procedures and 635 days to resolve.
Experts and diplomats suggest that the powerful and conservative judiciary accounts for the slow pace of change. About 700 judges serve 25m people in a country a fifth the size the US, almost all of them from Bukairiyah, a conservative redoubt in Qassim province.
Mr Lohaidan, for example, had once asserted that adopting civil codes would violate sacred customs that have the same legal authority as other written laws.
It is no surprise that most foreign companies in Saudi Arabia specify that dispute resolution occur in foreign jurisdictions, with a clear preference for London. However, enforcing foreign decisions in Saudi Arabia involves numerous legal procedures and raises the likelihood a judge will change portions of the judgment he deems incompatible with Islamic law, particularly interest penalties – or will start a trial all over again.
King Abdullah has established a supreme court that in theory can reverse judgments and thus rein in more junior judges. But lawyers say that in practice the tribunal has yet to establish its prerogatives.
Last month, Abdullah bin Ibrahim Al al-Sheikh, former justice minister, announced a 30-year strategic plan that includes measures to enhance commercial and intellectual property registration and enforcement.
Mr Al al-Sheikh was moved sideways in the weekend reshuffle. His successor is Mohammed Al-Eissa, previously deputy director of a tribunal to settle commercial disputes, who is described as pro-reform.
Other changes are being tested in pilot phases, and practitioners report new stenographers or computers in use in courts. But lawyers say the time between hearings can still vary from one to three months and, since each matter may involve dozens of hearings, trials can drag on indefinitely. “The situation is much better now than a year ago, but the whole process needs to be streamlined,’’ says Amgad Husein, a partner at Denton Wilde Sapte. “The courts are normally fair but there is a huge lag between decisions and it may take two or more years for a final verdict.”
Abdel Aziz al Qassem, a reformist lawyer, had grown disillusioned about prospects for reform, citing opposition in the judiciary. But following the weekend reshuffle, he is a lot more optimistic.
“This is a huge change,” he says. “They have removed the dams of resistance that halted judicial reform. Now I feel they are speeding up the reform finally after long delays.”
If Mr Qassem is right, Mr Sulaiman of Arab News might find an answer to his question sooner than he imagined.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Jordan: Campaign seeks to increase women’s awareness about their legal rights
Jordan: Campaign seeks to increase women’s awareness about their legal rights
By Rana Husseini
AMMAN - The Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) on Monday launched a campaign to answer around 100 frequently asked questions by women about their legal rights.
The one-year campaign, entitled “Waraqati” (My Paper) seeks to increase women’s awareness about their legal rights, as well as those of their children, in several fields.
It is based on a list of 238 questions prepared by the JNCW on legal issues that was distributed to more than 600 people to gauge which questions the respondents considered the most important.
The Women’s Studies Centre (WSC) at the University of Jordan then analysed the results and distributed its findings in a paper that was distributed to the press on Monday.
“The questions that the men and women surveyed found the most important centred on the labour, retirement, personal status and social security laws,” JNCW Secretary General Asma Khader told reporters yesterday.
She said a special legal team is currently compiling the answers to the 100 questions that were deemed the most important.
The answers will be recorded on CDs and cassettes, then distributed to radio stations, the press and women’s NGOs, as well as posted on the JNCW website.
The question that topped the list, according to the WSC paper, concerned maternity leave and whether it was unpaid or paid.
The second most popular question was how pension is calculated, while the third and fourth focused on who should pay child support and education (in divorce cases).
The questions at the bottom of the list were on who has the right to file a complaint in acts of adultery, whether women can seek divorce if their husbands are mentally disturbed and if there is any insurance coverage for old age, permanent disabilities and death.
During yesterday’s meeting at the JNCW headquarters in Amman, Khader discussed with journalists means of better cooperation with the press and ensuring qualitative press coverage of women’s issues in Jordan.
Headed by HRH Princess Basma, the JNCW is one of the first semi-governmental commissions established in the Arab world to promote women’s issues.
Established by a Cabinet decision in 1992, the JNCW has led a large effort comprising public and private institutions and individuals involved with women’s issues to formulate a national strategy for women in the Kingdom, according to its website.
The commission’s responsibilities broadened in 1996 with a Cabinet decision to entrust it with defining policies and legislation related to women and identifying priorities, plans and programmes in both governmental and nongovernmental sectors in order to carry them out effectively, according to the JNCW.
The organisation, which views itself as the authority on women’s issues and activities for the public sector, represents the Kingdom in all dealings pertaining to women’s affairs at the national, regional and international levels.
Also during yesterday’s meeting with the press, Khader announced that the JNCW has formed a national coalition to follow up on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and will meet regularly to draft a national plan of action.
“We are meeting with different stakeholders to draft a plan and explore Jordan’s achievements in the fields mentioned in the UN resolution,” Khader said.
Adopted in 2000, Resolution 1325 specifically addresses the impact of war on women and women’s contributions to conflict resolution and sustainable peace.
It calls on parties to take action in the areas of decision making, gender perspectives, training in peacekeeping and the protection of women and girls.
“We are talking about ensuring peace and protection for women in general, which means peace and security for the entire society and not peace between countries only,” Khader said.
During a meeting in December 2007 with women leaders from around the globe, Her Majesty Queen Rania noted that they must bring more awareness to Resolution 1325, while highlighting the role women can play as “able negotiators for solutions”.
---The Jordan Times, July 1, 2008
By Rana Husseini
AMMAN - The Jordanian National Commission for Women (JNCW) on Monday launched a campaign to answer around 100 frequently asked questions by women about their legal rights.
The one-year campaign, entitled “Waraqati” (My Paper) seeks to increase women’s awareness about their legal rights, as well as those of their children, in several fields.
It is based on a list of 238 questions prepared by the JNCW on legal issues that was distributed to more than 600 people to gauge which questions the respondents considered the most important.
The Women’s Studies Centre (WSC) at the University of Jordan then analysed the results and distributed its findings in a paper that was distributed to the press on Monday.
“The questions that the men and women surveyed found the most important centred on the labour, retirement, personal status and social security laws,” JNCW Secretary General Asma Khader told reporters yesterday.
She said a special legal team is currently compiling the answers to the 100 questions that were deemed the most important.
The answers will be recorded on CDs and cassettes, then distributed to radio stations, the press and women’s NGOs, as well as posted on the JNCW website.
The question that topped the list, according to the WSC paper, concerned maternity leave and whether it was unpaid or paid.
The second most popular question was how pension is calculated, while the third and fourth focused on who should pay child support and education (in divorce cases).
The questions at the bottom of the list were on who has the right to file a complaint in acts of adultery, whether women can seek divorce if their husbands are mentally disturbed and if there is any insurance coverage for old age, permanent disabilities and death.
During yesterday’s meeting at the JNCW headquarters in Amman, Khader discussed with journalists means of better cooperation with the press and ensuring qualitative press coverage of women’s issues in Jordan.
Headed by HRH Princess Basma, the JNCW is one of the first semi-governmental commissions established in the Arab world to promote women’s issues.
Established by a Cabinet decision in 1992, the JNCW has led a large effort comprising public and private institutions and individuals involved with women’s issues to formulate a national strategy for women in the Kingdom, according to its website.
The commission’s responsibilities broadened in 1996 with a Cabinet decision to entrust it with defining policies and legislation related to women and identifying priorities, plans and programmes in both governmental and nongovernmental sectors in order to carry them out effectively, according to the JNCW.
The organisation, which views itself as the authority on women’s issues and activities for the public sector, represents the Kingdom in all dealings pertaining to women’s affairs at the national, regional and international levels.
Also during yesterday’s meeting with the press, Khader announced that the JNCW has formed a national coalition to follow up on UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and will meet regularly to draft a national plan of action.
“We are meeting with different stakeholders to draft a plan and explore Jordan’s achievements in the fields mentioned in the UN resolution,” Khader said.
Adopted in 2000, Resolution 1325 specifically addresses the impact of war on women and women’s contributions to conflict resolution and sustainable peace.
It calls on parties to take action in the areas of decision making, gender perspectives, training in peacekeeping and the protection of women and girls.
“We are talking about ensuring peace and protection for women in general, which means peace and security for the entire society and not peace between countries only,” Khader said.
During a meeting in December 2007 with women leaders from around the globe, Her Majesty Queen Rania noted that they must bring more awareness to Resolution 1325, while highlighting the role women can play as “able negotiators for solutions”.
---The Jordan Times, July 1, 2008
Friday, March 14, 2008
Egypt: New proposals equating a woman's testimony with that of a man
Women have forever been debating their status in the societies in which they live and, naturally, how to improve it. Discussions have been conducted at the highest echelons of government while others merely serve as the fodder for gatherings among women just following the news. The People's Assembly (PA) was the site of the latest high-level give- and-take, with the PA's deputy speaker suggesting that the testimony of just one woman be acknowledged. At present, two women are needed if they are to act as witnesses in a business transaction, whereas one male witness will do.
Zeinab Radwan was not finished. She also advocated that the testimony of non-Muslims in a Muslim's affairs -- in all personal status issues -- be accepted, plus enabling non- Muslims to inherit Muslims and vice versa. The three issues are inherently deep-rooted in society and any overhaul in the status quo is bound to have repercussions across the country and beyond.
Historically, many people, needless to say most of them men, have harboured doubts about Islam's position regarding a woman's self-worth. According to Radwan, a common but erroneous belief is that as a rule, the worth of a woman's testimony is one half of that of a man's. But a survey of all passages in the Quran relating to testimony does not substantiate such an assertion.
Radwan explains that testimony means giving information about a certain person. This involves two stages: bearing the burden of testimony and giving the testimony. As far as bearing the burden of testimony is concerned, a woman can handle such responsibility in all spheres of life.
In other words, a woman can be a witness to an incident of whatever kind. Most Quranic references to witnesses do not make any reference to gender. Some references fully equate the testimony of males and females. One reference in the Quran distinguishes between the witness of a male and a female, mentioned in Surat Al-Baqarah (verse 282):
(O ye who believe! When ye deal with each other, in transactions involving future obligations in a fixed period of time, reduce them to writing. Let a scribe write down faithfully as between the parties: let not the scribe refuse to write: as Allah Has taught him, so let him write. Let him who incurs the liability dictate, but let him fear His Lord Allah, and not diminish aught of what he owes. If they party liable is mentally deficient, or weak, or unable himself to dictate, let his guardian dictate faithfully, and get two witnesses, out of your own men, and if there are not two men, then a man and two women, such as ye choose, for witnesses, so that if one of them errs, the other can remind her)
According to Radwan, the reason for the variations in the number of male and female witnesses required is given in the same verse. No reference is made to the inferiority or superiority of one gender's witness over the other. The only reason given is to corroborate the female's witness and prevent errors in the perception of business deals. The context of the verse relates to testimony on only financial transactions which are often complex and laden with business jargon. The Arabic term used in this passage, tadillah, literally means "loses the way", "gets confused", "errs". But are females the only gender that may err and need corroboration of their testimony?
Definitely not, but because Islam is keen to protect people's rights, and women at that time were not accustomed to business transactions -- because it was mainly a man's job -- the general rule of testimony in Islamic law is to have two witnesses even if they are both male.
Abdel-Moeti Bayoumi, a member of the Islamic Research Council (IRC), agrees with Radwan, adding that the corroboration of a woman's testimony by another woman who may be present ascertains accuracy and, hence, justice. It would be unreasonable to interpret this requirement as a reflection on the worth of a woman's testimony since it is the only exception discerned from the text of the Quran. This may be one reason why a scholar the likes of El-Tabari could not find any evidence in any primary text (Quran or hadith ) which would exclude women from something more important than testimony, being herself a judge who hears and evaluates the testimony of others.
Bayoumi added that unlike pure acts of worship, which must be observed exactly as taught by the prophet, testimony is a means to an end, ascertaining justice as a major objective of Islamic law. Therefore, it is the duty of a fair judge to be guided by this objective when assessing the worth and credibility of a given testimony regardless of the gender of the witness. "The witness of a female graduate of a business school is certainly far worthier than that of an illiterate person with no education or experience. On issues related to women's affairs, a woman's testimony is accepted even if it is given by only one woman," Bayoumi said.
Concerning a non-Muslim's testimony for or against a Muslim, past jurisprudent Imam Ahmed Ibn-Hanbal allows this when travelling, when a Muslim witness cannot be found. Imam Malik and Imam Shafei, however, do not accept it at all. Radwan argues that Imam Abu-Hanifah adopts the view that a non-Muslim's testimony for or against another non-Muslim is acceptable.
Imam Ibn Taymiyah is of the view that Imam Ahmed's acceptance of the testimony of a non-Muslim applies to all cases of necessity whether one is travelling or not. Therefore, the testimony of a non-Muslim is admissible in case there is no Muslim. If the case at hand is witnessed by two non-Muslim males, then their testimony is accepted. Radwan adds that both the Quran and Sunna do not identify the religion or gender of the witness. They state: "Of whoever you accept as a witness."
Radwan notes that a careful examination of Islamic philosophy on inheritance, as stipulated in the Quran, reveals that Islam takes into account certain considerations that assert the value of equality between people but which has been subjected to an erroneous, biased- focussed reading.
"While women inherit half the share of men in some cases," she explains, "in others they inherit an equal share, and sometimes even double the share of men, or more. Indeed, there are instances in which women are entitled to inherit while men are not."
Both Radwan and Bayoumi agree that Islam has allowed Muslim men to marry a Christian or Jewish woman, thus granting to both man and wife the same rights and duties. Why then should a woman not inherit her husband? Islam would not agree that a wife becomes destitute after her husband's death especially if she is unemployed.
Radwan says those who disagree with her share views based on what they believe to be the inferiority of Christians and Jews to Muslims. "This is totally against what Islam preaches, which is that there is no difference between people on the basis of gender, colour or religion," Radwan said.
Muslim Brotherhood MP Hamdi Zahran Hussein disagrees with Radwan, arguing that Islam does not accord non-Muslim relatives the right to inherit from a Muslim. When a Muslim dies, only his Muslim relatives have the right to inherit according to a predefined process. "If a Muslim would like to give some of his property to his non-Muslim relatives, it would be better if this were done during his lifetime. After death, his estate cannot be distributed to non-Muslims," Hussein said.
Hussein believes that People of the Book (Christians and Jews) are considered non- Muslims. "So, until and unless one believes in one creed of Allah, the Holy Quran is the only book of Islam and that Mohamed is the last messenger of Allah. As such, non- Muslims cannot benefit from an inheritance. But Hussein, seeking the approval of the IRC, left the door open. "If they agree, then I will agree."
Bayoumi said a 32-page paper conducted in this regard states that a woman's testimony is not half to that of a man and that the testimony of non-Muslims for or against a Muslim does not violate Islamic precepts. On the contrary, they coincide fully with Sharia since they preserve the principle of equality between man and woman. Regarding the issue of inheritance, "a Muslim is entitled to inherit a non-Muslim," Bayoumi said. "However, for a non-Muslim to inherit a Muslim will still have to be thoroughly researched before reaching a definite conclusion. Within the next few days a final decision will be reached."
Radwan called the issue of non-Muslims inheriting Muslims debatable.
Zeinab Radwan was not finished. She also advocated that the testimony of non-Muslims in a Muslim's affairs -- in all personal status issues -- be accepted, plus enabling non- Muslims to inherit Muslims and vice versa. The three issues are inherently deep-rooted in society and any overhaul in the status quo is bound to have repercussions across the country and beyond.
Historically, many people, needless to say most of them men, have harboured doubts about Islam's position regarding a woman's self-worth. According to Radwan, a common but erroneous belief is that as a rule, the worth of a woman's testimony is one half of that of a man's. But a survey of all passages in the Quran relating to testimony does not substantiate such an assertion.
Radwan explains that testimony means giving information about a certain person. This involves two stages: bearing the burden of testimony and giving the testimony. As far as bearing the burden of testimony is concerned, a woman can handle such responsibility in all spheres of life.
In other words, a woman can be a witness to an incident of whatever kind. Most Quranic references to witnesses do not make any reference to gender. Some references fully equate the testimony of males and females. One reference in the Quran distinguishes between the witness of a male and a female, mentioned in Surat Al-Baqarah (verse 282):
(O ye who believe! When ye deal with each other, in transactions involving future obligations in a fixed period of time, reduce them to writing. Let a scribe write down faithfully as between the parties: let not the scribe refuse to write: as Allah Has taught him, so let him write. Let him who incurs the liability dictate, but let him fear His Lord Allah, and not diminish aught of what he owes. If they party liable is mentally deficient, or weak, or unable himself to dictate, let his guardian dictate faithfully, and get two witnesses, out of your own men, and if there are not two men, then a man and two women, such as ye choose, for witnesses, so that if one of them errs, the other can remind her)
According to Radwan, the reason for the variations in the number of male and female witnesses required is given in the same verse. No reference is made to the inferiority or superiority of one gender's witness over the other. The only reason given is to corroborate the female's witness and prevent errors in the perception of business deals. The context of the verse relates to testimony on only financial transactions which are often complex and laden with business jargon. The Arabic term used in this passage, tadillah, literally means "loses the way", "gets confused", "errs". But are females the only gender that may err and need corroboration of their testimony?
Definitely not, but because Islam is keen to protect people's rights, and women at that time were not accustomed to business transactions -- because it was mainly a man's job -- the general rule of testimony in Islamic law is to have two witnesses even if they are both male.
Abdel-Moeti Bayoumi, a member of the Islamic Research Council (IRC), agrees with Radwan, adding that the corroboration of a woman's testimony by another woman who may be present ascertains accuracy and, hence, justice. It would be unreasonable to interpret this requirement as a reflection on the worth of a woman's testimony since it is the only exception discerned from the text of the Quran. This may be one reason why a scholar the likes of El-Tabari could not find any evidence in any primary text (Quran or hadith ) which would exclude women from something more important than testimony, being herself a judge who hears and evaluates the testimony of others.
Bayoumi added that unlike pure acts of worship, which must be observed exactly as taught by the prophet, testimony is a means to an end, ascertaining justice as a major objective of Islamic law. Therefore, it is the duty of a fair judge to be guided by this objective when assessing the worth and credibility of a given testimony regardless of the gender of the witness. "The witness of a female graduate of a business school is certainly far worthier than that of an illiterate person with no education or experience. On issues related to women's affairs, a woman's testimony is accepted even if it is given by only one woman," Bayoumi said.
Concerning a non-Muslim's testimony for or against a Muslim, past jurisprudent Imam Ahmed Ibn-Hanbal allows this when travelling, when a Muslim witness cannot be found. Imam Malik and Imam Shafei, however, do not accept it at all. Radwan argues that Imam Abu-Hanifah adopts the view that a non-Muslim's testimony for or against another non-Muslim is acceptable.
Imam Ibn Taymiyah is of the view that Imam Ahmed's acceptance of the testimony of a non-Muslim applies to all cases of necessity whether one is travelling or not. Therefore, the testimony of a non-Muslim is admissible in case there is no Muslim. If the case at hand is witnessed by two non-Muslim males, then their testimony is accepted. Radwan adds that both the Quran and Sunna do not identify the religion or gender of the witness. They state: "Of whoever you accept as a witness."
Radwan notes that a careful examination of Islamic philosophy on inheritance, as stipulated in the Quran, reveals that Islam takes into account certain considerations that assert the value of equality between people but which has been subjected to an erroneous, biased- focussed reading.
"While women inherit half the share of men in some cases," she explains, "in others they inherit an equal share, and sometimes even double the share of men, or more. Indeed, there are instances in which women are entitled to inherit while men are not."
Both Radwan and Bayoumi agree that Islam has allowed Muslim men to marry a Christian or Jewish woman, thus granting to both man and wife the same rights and duties. Why then should a woman not inherit her husband? Islam would not agree that a wife becomes destitute after her husband's death especially if she is unemployed.
Radwan says those who disagree with her share views based on what they believe to be the inferiority of Christians and Jews to Muslims. "This is totally against what Islam preaches, which is that there is no difference between people on the basis of gender, colour or religion," Radwan said.
Muslim Brotherhood MP Hamdi Zahran Hussein disagrees with Radwan, arguing that Islam does not accord non-Muslim relatives the right to inherit from a Muslim. When a Muslim dies, only his Muslim relatives have the right to inherit according to a predefined process. "If a Muslim would like to give some of his property to his non-Muslim relatives, it would be better if this were done during his lifetime. After death, his estate cannot be distributed to non-Muslims," Hussein said.
Hussein believes that People of the Book (Christians and Jews) are considered non- Muslims. "So, until and unless one believes in one creed of Allah, the Holy Quran is the only book of Islam and that Mohamed is the last messenger of Allah. As such, non- Muslims cannot benefit from an inheritance. But Hussein, seeking the approval of the IRC, left the door open. "If they agree, then I will agree."
Bayoumi said a 32-page paper conducted in this regard states that a woman's testimony is not half to that of a man and that the testimony of non-Muslims for or against a Muslim does not violate Islamic precepts. On the contrary, they coincide fully with Sharia since they preserve the principle of equality between man and woman. Regarding the issue of inheritance, "a Muslim is entitled to inherit a non-Muslim," Bayoumi said. "However, for a non-Muslim to inherit a Muslim will still have to be thoroughly researched before reaching a definite conclusion. Within the next few days a final decision will be reached."
Radwan called the issue of non-Muslims inheriting Muslims debatable.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Saudi Arabia: KSU Girls Prep for Dialogue Forum
RIYADH, 26 February 2008 — The King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue organized a meeting at the women’s section of King Saud University’s to pave the ground for the “Seventh National Dialogue Forum” that is scheduled to take place today.
Women from various universities, colleges and institutes exchanged their views regarding the future of job opportunities. The meeting, the fifth of its kind, reflected an outstanding level of awareness among young undergraduates and graduates as they discussed employment and related issues and laid down their expectations.
Many issues of concern were brought to the limelight. The graduates talked about the favoritism and its negative effect in the workplace. The girls talked about waiting for years to be employed although some have graduated with honors.
“The important issue is to forge cooperation between universities and the Labor Ministry to study society’s needs and accordingly start specialties that would actually have a place in the market,” said Mashael, one of the participants.
Among the demands raised by the graduates was training courses for Arabic literature graduates who are interested in entering the media and journalism field in men’s colleges.
Secretary-General of the King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue Faisal bin Abdurahman bin Muammar disclosed this week that the fifth preparatory meeting would discuss a long list of themes, including work culture, labor legislations and the role of the private sector in providing job opportunities for an ever-increasing number of employment-seekers.
Al-Muammar pointed out that the dialogue would discuss ways to enable women to play a bigger role in the nation’s economic life.
Another issue addressed was promoting legal studies. Nursing graduates also raised concerns regarding low pay and long hours in this profession. The meeting brought to question the destiny of decision No. 120 made by the Ministry of Labor enabling women to work in boutiques and lingerie shops. Some of the graduates expressed their support to the decision, which was aimed at reducing unemployment among graduates by 28 percent.
- Walaa Hawari, Arab News
Women from various universities, colleges and institutes exchanged their views regarding the future of job opportunities. The meeting, the fifth of its kind, reflected an outstanding level of awareness among young undergraduates and graduates as they discussed employment and related issues and laid down their expectations.
Many issues of concern were brought to the limelight. The graduates talked about the favoritism and its negative effect in the workplace. The girls talked about waiting for years to be employed although some have graduated with honors.
“The important issue is to forge cooperation between universities and the Labor Ministry to study society’s needs and accordingly start specialties that would actually have a place in the market,” said Mashael, one of the participants.
Among the demands raised by the graduates was training courses for Arabic literature graduates who are interested in entering the media and journalism field in men’s colleges.
Secretary-General of the King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue Faisal bin Abdurahman bin Muammar disclosed this week that the fifth preparatory meeting would discuss a long list of themes, including work culture, labor legislations and the role of the private sector in providing job opportunities for an ever-increasing number of employment-seekers.
Al-Muammar pointed out that the dialogue would discuss ways to enable women to play a bigger role in the nation’s economic life.
Another issue addressed was promoting legal studies. Nursing graduates also raised concerns regarding low pay and long hours in this profession. The meeting brought to question the destiny of decision No. 120 made by the Ministry of Labor enabling women to work in boutiques and lingerie shops. Some of the graduates expressed their support to the decision, which was aimed at reducing unemployment among graduates by 28 percent.
- Walaa Hawari, Arab News
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