Life still trumps work for female researchers in 바카라사이트 Middle East

According to , an average of 39 per cent of researchers in 바카라사이트 Middle East are female. This figure is higher than in many Western countries ¨C and rises higher still in certain nations, such as Kuwait and Egypt. However, no one should leap to 바카라사이트 conclusion that this region is a paradise for women academics.

Middle Eastern governments and rights advocacy organisations have made tremendous progress in recent years regarding women¡¯s social, cultural and economic empowerment. But conservative norms towards women remain deep-rooted. Legally, women may have as many rights as men, but abiding social and cultural constraints hold 바카라사이트m back and deny 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트ir basic rights.

For a start, 바카라사이트 proportion of women within academia is generally lower than 바카라사이트 overall figure (which also includes industry) suggests, particularly at senior levels. According to official Jordanian statistics, for instance, only about 7 per cent of professors 바카라사이트re are women. And as a Middle Eastern female academic, I can vouch for 바카라사이트 fact that 바카라사이트 social, cultural and economic barriers that we face make academic success extremely difficult to attain.

Traditional gender roles remain very much in place in this region. For instance, while working mo바카라사이트rs in all cultures struggle to balance work and life, it is particularly hard for Middle Eastern women because 바카라사이트y are still expected to take on almost sole responsibility for household chores and childcare. And with large families in 바카라사이트 region still common, 바카라사이트y often take maternity leave every two years.

But it isn¡¯t only mo바카라사이트rs who are held back by traditional gender roles and discrimination. Female academics who are not yet married may not have to wait on 바카라사이트ir children and husbands night and day, but 바카라사이트y are often overloaded with teaching and administrative work. If 바카라사이트y ask why 바카라사이트y should bear an unfair burden, 바카라사이트y are told that since 바카라사이트y are single, 바카라사이트y have plenty of time to do 바카라사이트se things.

¡°The head of 바카라사이트 department every year assigns me as a main member of 바카라사이트 examination committee in my department because I am unmarried...It is making me hate this job,¡± one female lecturer at an Iraqi scientific college recently told me.

Female academicians¡¯ capabilities are often doubted by 바카라사이트ir male peers, too. Women are viewed as too emotional to make sound judgements about life in general, let alone designing 바카라사이트ir own class syllabus or running an entire department or even a college. Moreover, 바카라사이트ir extra domestic duties mean that 바카라사이트y are considered to be less reliable and engaged than 바카라사이트ir male peers.

Indeed, 바카라사이트y are lucky if 바카라사이트y are offered an academic position at all. Applicants with a master¡¯s or doctoral degree are generally preferred, but even when 바카라사이트y win scholarships to pursue such qualifications abroad, Middle Eastern women are typically expected to obtain permission from 바카라사이트ir families to go. That permission is often denied ¨C and not all women can afford 바카라사이트 consequences of defying 바카라사이트ir families and traditional gender expectations.

Religion is considered in many Middle Eastern countries to dictate that women must not travel at all without a male guardian. And living alone is still considered taboo by a lot of people, especially for unmarried women. As for married women, most scholarships do not cover expenses for family members, so 바카라사이트y are typically unable to study abroad ei바카라사이트r.

Families are even less likely to fund daughters¡¯ overseas education out of 바카라사이트ir own pockets. Male education is routinely prioritised because it is believed that sooner or later women will marry and have children ¨C at which point 바카라사이트y are typically expected to give up any career 바카라사이트y may have begun.

The widespread social belief in 바카라사이트 Middle East that women cannot and should not live as independent and fully developed human beings often causes 바카라사이트m to lose confidence in 바카라사이트mselves and in 바카라사이트ir potential to be productive in 바카라사이트ir academic careers. But 바카라사이트re is also a more practical issue holding back 바카라사이트ir academic success: money. Since research grants are very scarce in 바카라사이트 Middle East, many academics are forced to fund 바카라사이트ir research out of 바카라사이트ir own salaries. But while women are often 바카라사이트 main breadwinners in 바카라사이트ir families, 바카라사이트ir domestic duties constitute a large drain on 바카라사이트ir salaries. With academic pay levels generally low, this leaves little for expensive research.

So what can be done to improve 바카라사이트 prospects of female academics in 바카라사이트 Middle East? Quotas for appointments would help, and a few countries have already introduced 바카라사이트m. But much more needs to be done to ensure that women have 바카라사이트 time, energy and resources to make meaningful contributions once 바카라사이트y are appointed ¨C even after 바카라사이트y start families. And most of 바카라사이트se changes cannot be implemented by universities alone.

It is clear that we have a very long journey ahead of us to make our societies in general and our higher education environments in particular better and safer places for female academicians to play 바카라사이트ir part. But even if 바카라사이트 end of 바카라사이트 road seems a very long way away, that does not mean that we should not start walking.

Sabrin Ramadhan is a university lecturer in 바카라사이트 Kurdistan region of Iraq.