Guys can you do me a favour, this is an essay plan for what i am writing tomorrow in my exam, have i got anything fundamentally wrong?
1. 'The progress of woman rights reflects the modernity of a Muslim society.’ Discuss by using empirical evidence from Middle Eastern countries.
Introduction – break down the question, state that I believe that women’s rights are fundamental in the modernity of any society, let alone a Muslim one. Argue with reference to Turkey, Iran and Saudi Arabia.
Turkey – Is a modern Muslim society Ataturk led the way favouring women’s rights and having a fully educated populace, secular politics. Women are given the vote and could be elected in 1930 locally and nationally in 1934, article 10 of the Turkish constitution bans discrimination based on sex, girls are allowed to go to uni, free education, the headscarf is aggressively opposed in work places and anything political. Turkey represents a modern society, politically and socially, the women's rights reflect this.
Iran – The only Muslim Democracy in the Middle East, women have been allowed to vote since the white revolution in 1963, women are allowed to attend university and schools. Women legally have to cover their body, which is monitored by the moral police, Sex Segregation exists, women have to sit in the back of busses, queue in separate lines, sit separately from men. Iran represents a country that is becoming more modern to the western ideal of modernity, but still has major issues both in its society/political developments and in women’s rights to be a great example of Muslim modernity.
Saudi Arabia – Extremely devolved as a country. Run by a king and legislated by appointed council. Very tribal country, based around oil revenues. Women have little rights in the country. No suffrage, in the local elections in 2007, women are not allowed to drive cars, women have to wear the Burqa, women are not allowed to attend university with other men and are not allowed to be taught by men, education for girls is only Islamic teachings. The complete lack of women's rights reflects the extreme lack of modernity in Saudi Arabia.
Conclusions – Women's rights do reflect the modernity of a country.