Just over 70 years ago, Naziha Al Dulaimi was appointed minister of municipalities in Iraq, becoming the first-ever woman in the Arab world to hold a cabinet post.
Al Dulaimi’s success set a precedent, but her achievement was not the political turning point for Arab women that many hoped it would be. Instead, it marked the beginning of a slow shift that saw some Arab governments begin to make way for women over time, but in 2021, there’s still a long way to go.
The latest figures continue to reflect a sizeable gender imbalance in politics at local and national levels across the region.
According to data presented by the Geneva-based Inter-parliamentary Union (IPU), the Middle East and North Africa region continues to have one of the lowest percentages of female representation in national legislatures worldwide.
Women make up, on average, just 17 per cent parliaments in the region, compared to 40 per cent in Nordic countries and 27 per cent in both Europe and the Americas.
Some improvements have been made, however, to challenge traditional perceptions of what a decision-maker looks like in the region.
The most recent progress is this month’s appointment in Egypt of 14 more women in the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament.
This follows the election of 148 women to the legislature last year.
Women now account for more than a quarter of the chamber's 596 members, totalling 162 compared to just two lawmakers in 1956 when Egypt granted women the right to vote and run for elections.
It’s a significant increase from the country’s previous legislature, which had only 89 women and follows the success of female candidates in the latest elections and a rise in female political appointments made by the president.
Calls for change from women’s rights activists in the country prompted changes to Egypt’s electoral regulations in recent years, including a 2014 amendment to the constitution that tackled quotas for women.
"This is an unbelievable outcome," Neveen El Tahri, one of the newly appointed lawmakers, told The National, discussing the latest elections.
The Harvard-educated businesswoman cites an encouraging trend in her country that’s seeing more entities adopt gender-balanced attitudes.
“The Financial Regulatory Authority introduced last year a mandate for all listed companies to include at least one woman on their boards,” she added.
But Egyptian women are still working against forces that hinder their path politically with cyberbullying, harassment and discrimination among the tactics used to silence and intimidate women in a society where many still subscribe to conservative gender norms.
Data gathered in the country for the International Men and Gender Equality Survey (IMAGES) in 2019 shows that two-thirds of Egyptian men opposed women occupying positions of political authority and half of those surveyed men believed that politics should be a "men-only" area.
Chief among the obstacles to Egyptian women’s representation in politics are their lower rate of involvement in political parties, lack of childcare, lack of professional networks and a disadvantageous financial position, according to the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women, also known as UN Women.
Elsewhere in the region, the UAE saw the largest increase in women’s representation in legislation in terms of percentage, with 20 female and 20 male representatives on the Federal National Council following a 2018 presidential decree.
The UAE climbed eight positions on the UN Development Programme’s Gender Inequality Index, ranking first in the Arab world and 18th globally in 2020 for commitment to advancing women's rights.
By comparison, the UK ranked 13th while the US was 17th.
In Iraq, the post-2003 Iraqi constitution decrees that a quarter of the nation’s 329 parliamentary seats are reserved for women, while in Saudi Arabia, there’s a 20 per cent quota for women in the kingdom’s legislative branch, the Shura Council.
Kuwait, which does not have a quota system, saw a setback last year after the country’s only female MP, Safa Al Hashem, lost her seat in polls. The all-male body elected in December 2020 was seen as a blow for women’s rights in the country after 29 female candidates lost the race.
But activists in the region, where female politicians have often been consigned to less prominent posts with a focus on family ministries, have pointed out that being in parliament doesn’t necessarily mean being heard, particularly when they remain a minority in most Arab political systems.
Lina Abou-Habib, a MENA adviser to the Global Fund for Women, says it isn’t acceptable to see women squeezed into just 25 per cent of the room.
"Despite advances made in closing the gender gap, women's ability to penetrate and influence the political domain remains limited," she told The National.
“These women are still in small numbers, with many being part of patriarchal parties in power and are rarely connected to the feminist movements. As such, they rarely, except in few cases, carry a feminist agenda for change and for gender equality.”
Traditional gender roles in the Arab world continue to constrain women’s mobility in the public sphere, adds Ms Abou-Habib, who is a staunch supporter of the gender quota system in Arab parliaments.
“I know that this is a controversial issue but we need a shock therapy in order to change the landscape of politics in the region,” she said. “Yes, I am aware that a quota system may not bring in the most competent candidates but I think we all realise that men's incompetence is never questioned or challenged.”
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Cases of coronavirus in the GCC as of March 15
Saudi Arabia – 103 infected, 0 dead, 1 recovered
UAE – 86 infected, 0 dead, 23 recovered
Bahrain – 210 infected, 0 dead, 44 recovered
Kuwait – 104 infected, 0 dead, 5 recovered
Qatar – 337 infected, 0 dead, 4 recovered
Oman – 19 infected, 0 dead, 9 recovered
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre, twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 592bhp
Torque: 620Nm
Price: Dh980,000
On sale: now
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Under 19 World Cup
Group A: India, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka
Group B: Australia, England, Nigeria, West Indies
Group C: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe
Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, South Africa, UAE
UAE fixtures
Saturday, January 18, v Canada
Wednesday, January 22, v Afghanistan
Saturday, January 25, v South Africa
The specs: 2018 Ford Mustang GT
Price, base / as tested: Dh204,750 / Dh241,500
Engine: 5.0-litre V8
Gearbox: 10-speed automatic
Power: 460hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque: 569Nm @ 4,600rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.3L / 100km
Huddersfield Town permanent signings:
- Steve Mounie (striker): signed from Montpellier for £11 million
- Tom Ince (winger): signed from Derby County for £7.7m
- Aaron Mooy (midfielder): signed from Manchester City for £7.7m
- Laurent Depoitre (striker): signed from Porto for £3.4m
- Scott Malone (defender): signed from Fulham for £3.3m
- Zanka (defender): signed from Copenhagen for £2.3m
- Elias Kachunga (winger): signed for Ingolstadt for £1.1m
- Danny WIlliams (midfielder): signed from Reading on a free transfer
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Find the right policy for you
Don’t wait until the week you fly to sign up for insurance – get it when you book your trip. Insurance covers you for cancellation and anything else that can go wrong before you leave.
Some insurers, such as World Nomads, allow you to book once you are travelling – but, as Mr Mohammed found out, pre-existing medical conditions are not covered.
Check your credit card before booking insurance to see if you have any travel insurance as a benefit – most UAE banks, such as Emirates NBD, First Abu Dhabi Bank and Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, have cards that throw in insurance as part of their package. But read the fine print – they may only cover emergencies while you’re travelling, not cancellation before a trip.
Pre-existing medical conditions such as a heart condition, diabetes, epilepsy and even asthma may not be included as standard. Again, check the terms, exclusions and limitations of any insurance carefully.
If you want trip cancellation or curtailment, baggage loss or delay covered, you may need a higher-grade plan, says Ambareen Musa of Souqalmal.com. Decide how much coverage you need for emergency medical expenses or personal liability. Premium insurance packages give up to $1 million (Dh3.7m) in each category, Ms Musa adds.
Don’t wait for days to call your insurer if you need to make a claim. You may be required to notify them within 72 hours. Gather together all receipts, emails and reports to prove that you paid for something, that you didn’t use it and that you did not get reimbursed.
Finally, consider optional extras you may need, says Sarah Pickford of Travel Counsellors, such as a winter sports holiday. Also ensure all individuals can travel independently on that cover, she adds. And remember: “Cheap isn’t necessarily best.”
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ
Price, base: Dh1,731,672
Engine: 6.5-litre V12
Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm
Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm
Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km
The five pillars of Islam
Ticket prices
General admission Dh295 (under-three free)
Buy a four-person Family & Friends ticket and pay for only three tickets, so the fourth family member is free
Buy tickets at: wbworldabudhabi.com/en/tickets
The specs: 2019 GMC Yukon Denali
Price, base: Dh306,500
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Power: 420hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 621Nm @ 4,100rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.9L / 100km
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
