The Role of Women in Society on the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates - Case Study Example

Role of Women in Society Student’s Name: Instructor’s Name: Course Code: Date of Submission: For over centuries the role of women in many of the world societies has been to remain in homes and take care of children and other family issues such as washing and cooking. This is because men believe that women are there to help but not to be in the forefront in important issues in the society such as education and development. This perception for many years has undermined the ability of women in taking part in the development of the society. Women are adult females and are approximated to be above 50% of the world’s total population. Despite the significant roles they play in development in terms of development and other spheres especially family bringing-up, all these has been as a result of great struggle amid serious denial and abuse of their rights in society. However, in the modern society the role of women has been changing and becoming very different from the past society when they feared men and felt inferior to their counterparts-men. Unlike in the past when women were expected to be obedient, loving, caring and loyal to their husbands, today women fear not men and they are striving to be parallel and independent in society issues. This society context about women has been greatly duplicated in the development and more especially the business (United nations 2012). The purpose of this essay is therefore to study into the concept of “the role of women in society” in relation to the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates. Despite the significant role that women can play in the society even in the contemporary society more especially in the development sector, the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates present two different contexts about the role of women in society. In the United Arab Emirates society the law fully recognizes all people as equals and that every person in the society irrespective of gender has equal opportunity to contribute into the society development. The United Arab Emirates is a good example of the world countries that has recognized the need to ensure progress for all people. The UAE’s law identifies women in the society as equal partners in society building. This is after realizing the competence of women in various fields such as education, medicine, engineering and management which for long have been considered to be areas for men. In the United Arab Emirates, women account up to about 49.3 of the total population. According to the country’s 2005 census, many of these women are in the workforce in the United Arab Emirates both in the private and government sector (PHC 2005). The progress that has been witnessed in the UAE with regard to women contribution in the society has been as a result of the government’s effort to fully empower women and give equal opportunities as it’s in the case of men. Since the establishment of the UAE Federation in 1971, the country has witnessed enormous changes in the way women are participating in the workforce and thereby contributing positively to the overall development of the economy. According to Article 16, of the UAE Constitution, all people should be empowered to work in order to help themselves and also contribute positively to overall development of the economy. Article 25 of the same constitution also applauds that, “all persons are equal before the law, without distinction between citizens of the Union in regard to race, nationality, religious belief or Social status.” In the UAE the constitution has been developed in such away to take care of the needs of all people. This is because the government believes that women like men are entitled to take part in society issues and become equal partners in the development process. In the United Kingdom the situation with regard to the role of women in the society is still not clear even up to day. It is very hard to tell what the role of a woman in the society in the United Kingdom is. This is because no clear guideline or policy that women are expected to follow or operate. In the United Kingdom, unlike in the case of the UAE women are left to choose on what they want. For example if they want education they can go for it, if they want a career still they have the choice to pursue that or even if they want to get married or even remain single, leave workplace and stay at home to take care of their families as long as they are able, they have the right to do that. Some women in the United Kingdom society can choose to pursue both career and education and even family life. The situation in the United Kingdom has provided several options to women to choose on what they want to contribute to the society. In other works women in the United Kingdom are allowed to live the live they want. Britain unlike the case of the UAE is still very far from becoming fair and an equal society. This is because class and race has been a very issue in the society and that it has continued to impact negatively on the full participation of women in the society issues (Michelle 2011). Gender in the case of the United Kingdom has been a very big issue and has continued to impact on the participation of women in development. Despite the major contributions that women are expected to make in developing the society through education and leadership, many women still struggle to reach the positions in life. in the united kingdom the participation of women in important society activities such as politics and business as well as finance, has been very limited and it looks like is the men who are taking charge of these aspects. This is because of the prejudice the society in general has against women. For example, in the United Kingdom even though it’s not allowed for the interviewers at workplace to ask women if they are going to have children, the assumption of many of the employers is that they automatically will. This kind of situation has continued to affect the role of women in society. This is because many of the employers still perceive women as people whose main responsibility is to take care of their families and therefore will never have adequate time to perform their duties as expected at workplace. This case presents itself very differently from the one in the UAE. At UAE, the constitution has gone miles ahead to ensure that even in the leadership of various government organizations, women are given a chance to be among the top management and even the CEOs. Not only that, the constitution has gone a step further to recognize that women like male counterparts have every right participate in the process of making very important decisions about the country’s governance (Expertscolumn 2011). Article 20 of the UAE Constitution for example talks about women in the workforce. In the article, the constitution talks about the need to recognize work as the cornerstone to the country’s development and therefore the need to ensure employment and equal training for all people. In article, 34 of the same constitution, all people irrespective of their gender, race or language are entitled to choose on their occupations and professions as provided in the law. This law has real empowered many women in the UAE to pursue various fields of development in various disciplines such as medicine, engineering, management and law which in the past have been considered to be fields for men even at workplace. With empowerment of women in the UAE, it has been demonstrated that women are equally able and that with the right framework they can contribute to the development in very many ways. For example in the UAE the contribution of women to the economy increased from 9.6% to 33.4% in 2007 with an annual average growth of 3.5%. Currently approximately 60% of the UAE workforce consists of women and who all work various disciplines such as engineering, media, science, healthcare, law, commerce, oil industry, lecturing in universities and computer technology. Further, unlike in the case in Britain where women are expected to struggle themselves to come into political power by themselves, in the UAE, the constitution has defined the political office as any given public office and that any person has the right to ascend there as long as he/she can be entrusted with public responsibilities (Raja 2008). This has made the possibility of joining of joining a political office by women to be an achievable dream. Like men, this has demonstrated that women also can and can actively participate in the process of making important laws. However, this is not case with the United Kingdom. Many of the women, who made it into top of their professions or political ladder, come from privileged social backgrounds. Disparity for sure exists between women who come from less privileged and privileged families. This has actually suppressed the role of women in the United Kingdom (UNDP 2008). In conclusion, it is important to highlight that this essay was intended at studying the concept, ‘the role of women in society’ with reference to the United Kingdom and the United Arab Emirates.’ This study essay has established that the role of women for many years has been downplayed by many because of the prejudice that the society holds against as people whose responsibility is to bear and take care of children. But as a matter of fact, they are equally able as their men counterparts. The situation about the role of women to the society in the two countries is very different. This is because of the perceptions the two societies have towards women and their involvement in society development. References Expertscolumn 2011, Globally The Role Of Women In Society Today, viewed 31st July 2012 from http://expertscolumn.com/content/globally-role-women-society-today Michelle W 2011, Helum: The role of women in British society, viewed 31st July 2012 from http://www.helium.com/items/2114051-the-role-of-women-in-british-society PHC 2005, Mishkat Centre for Research and Training, Egypt, “Higher Education In Arab Countries; Human Development And Labour Market Requirements” Cairo, Egypt. Raja AG 2008, President of Dubai Women’s Business Council “UAE Women in Business: An Overview of the past, Trident Press, London. UNDP 2008, Human Development Report, viewed 31st July 2012 from http://hdrstats. undp.org/countries/data_sheets/cty_ds_ARE.html United nations 2012, UN Women UK Launch the Women’s Empowerment Principles, viewed 31st July 2012 from http://www.unwomenuk.org/un-women-uk-launch-the- womens-empowerment-principles-press-release/ Read More