A pillar of gender balance
Authorities in the United Arab Emirates have been ridiculed after it emerged that all of the winners of an initiative designed to foster gender equality in the workplace were men.
Well they have a gender too ya know!
“We are proud of the success of Emirati women and their role is central to shaping the future of the country,” a tweet from the official Dubai media office said. “Gender balance has become a pillar in our government institutions.”
But that doesn’t mean we nominate them for awards, for heaven’s sake. Let’s have a little common sense here.
However, according to rights groups, gender discrimination is still an entrenched problem across the UAE, particularly in the legal system, which prioritises men’s rights in family and personal status matters such as marriage, divorce and custody of children. UAE law also permits domestic violence as long as the assault does not exceed the limits set by Islamic law.
That’s why it’s safest for men to win all the awards.
gender discrimination is still an entrenched problem across the world – fixed it.
As much as I enjoyed the irony, I had a read of the Guardian article about it. There were no women among the recipients because women aren’t in positions of power. Hell, I don’t think they are even in positions. One of the blokes won his award for bringing in maternity leave. This is messaging direct to the men in the country.
I’m sure this is the UAE doing publicity – “look how enlightened we are!” – but all successful women’s movements needed men to back them. I wonder how much work women’s groups there have been doing to get this change happening.
#2
That was my suspicion – no women in eligible positions. The next suspicion I had was that no women were granted permission to enter by their nearest male relative.
“Equality” is the reporter’s word. The Emiratis themselves speak only of “balance”.
Balance≠equality. A balanced diet does not mean you eat equal amounts of meat and veg.
PS I tried some clever formatting in #4 that didn’t work. I meant, of course, balance IS NOT equality.
Like that?
I’m sure women are allowed to speak about these issues to their husbands and fathers – provided they are suitably respectful of course.
And provided they are already in another country that has offered them asylum and a new identity.