Women’s Rights in the Arab World Poll – Thomson Reuters

Women’s Rights in the Arab World Poll – Thomson Reuters

<p>The Women’s Rights in the Arab World Poll refers to the November 2013 survey by the Thomson Reuters Foundation that assessed and ranked 22 Arab states on the following indicators: violence against women, reproductive rights, treatment of women within the family, women’s integration into society, and attitudes towards a woman’s role in politics and the economy.<a href="http://www.trust.org/spotlight/poll-womens-rights-in-the-arab-world/">Thomson Reuters Foundation 12.11.2013">"Poll: Women’s Rights in the Arab World," <i>Thomson Reuters Foundation</i> 12.11.2013</a></p>
<div id="toc">
<h2>Table of Contents</h2>
<ul>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#w_methodology"><span class="tocnumber">1</span> <span class="toctext">Methodology</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#w_findings"><span class="tocnumber">2</span> <span class="toctext">Findings</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#w_critiques"><span class="tocnumber">3</span> <span class="toctext">Critiques</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#w_see-also"><span class="tocnumber">4</span> <span class="toctext">See also</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#w_references"><span class="tocnumber">5</span> <span class="toctext">References</span></a></li>
<li class="toclevel-1"><a href="#w_external-links"><span class="tocnumber">6</span> <span class="toctext">External links</span></a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<h2 id="w_methodology">Methodology</h2>
<p>The methodology involved compiling responses to a questionnaire sent to 336 gender experts. Experts were asked to respond to statements and rate the importance of factors affecting women’s rights across the six categories. Their responses were converted into scores, which were averaged to create a ranking.<a href="http://www.trust.org/application/velocity/spotlight-extensions/womens-rights-in-the-arab-world/english/documents/methodology.pdf">Thomson Reuters Foundation">"Women’s Rights in the Arab World: Poll Methodology," <i>Thomson Reuters Foundation</i></a></p>
<p>A full description of the methodology is provided <a href="http://www.trust.org/application/velocity/spotlight-extensions/womens-rights-in-the-arab-world/english/documents/methodology.pdf">here</a>.</p>
<h2 id="w_findings">Findings</h2>
<p>The poll found that Egypt ranked last, followed by Iraq and Saudi Arabia. Comoros topped the list, followed by Oman and Kuwait.</p>
<p>Egypt’s low ranking is based on high rates of sexual harassment (affecting 99.3% of women and girls), female genital mutilation (FGM, affecting 91% of the female population), and illiteracy (applying to 63% of the adult female population). Iraq scored poorly due mass displacement resulting from invasion and conflict, making thousands of women vulnerable to trafficking and sexual violence. Moreover, men who kill their wives in Iraq are subject to only three years’ imprisonment.</p>
<p>Comoros topped the ranking, because Comorian women have a good deal of social freedom while sexual abuse is recognized and punished. Still, women hold only 3% of seats in the national parliament. Oman’s high score was based on the better social protection accorded to women compared to in other Arab countries. Still, FGM is practiced in some regions and women face discrimination in the workplace and pressure to conform to traditional roles.</p>
<p>The full findings are available <a href="http://www.trust.org/spotlight/poll-womens-rights-in-the-arab-world">here</a>.</p>
<h2 id="w_critiques">Critiques</h2>
<p>Some women’s rights activists in Egypt criticized the report or questioned its methodology, while acknowledging that Egypt is a difficult place to be a woman. They raised concerns about the selection of the survey’s expert respondents, as well as whether Egypt deserved a lower ranking than Saudi Arabia, where a woman cannot leave the home without approval of a male guardian, or Syria, where rape is used as a weapon of war.<a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/sophia-jones/egypt-worst-arab-country-women_b_4266381.html">Huffington Post 13.11.2013">"Egyptian Women Criticize Poll Calling Egypt Worst Arab Country For Women," <i>Huffington Post</i> 13.11.2013</a></p>
<h2 id="w_see-also">See also</h2>
<ul>
<li>"2009</li>
<li>"2009</li>
<li>"2010</li>
<li>"The</li>
</ul>
<h2 id="w_references">References</h2>
<p>&nbsp;</p>
<h2 id="w_external-links">External links</h2>
<ul>
<li>http://www.trust.org/spotlight/poll-womens-rights-in-the-arab-world/</li>
<li>http://www.trust.org/application/velocity/spotlight-extensions/womens-rights-in-the-arab-world/english/documents/methodology.pdf</li>
</ul>