Arab women writers and their importance as leaders
With the advent of the Arab Spring, all the leaders have had to announce reforms or step down. One of the major changes was the participation of women in these reforms. Women have always played a significant role in shaping a society’s cultural beliefs.
Women have always been believed to be more focussed in whatever task they do. Women need to play a central role in Arab countries as they have many high quaity skills that are valued on the world stage.
Most women use their pens as their weapon and protest through their writings. In January 2009, 500 women participated in the first ever Arab Womens Leadership Forum in the UAE. They discussed ways of increasing their social, economic and political contributions.
Sheikh Fatima bint Mubarak, chairwoman of the Arab Women’s Organisation gave the keynote address. She is regarded as the one responsible for this program and has been heralded as a women’s rights crusader in the past. Her contributions led to the government increasing the number of women in government posts.
But there is still a lot to be done. Even though the UAE government has taken steps, the number of employed women in the UAE is just 15%.The shocking thing is that it is the most progressive country in the Gulf region.
One of the most important ways in which women tend to raise their voices is through their writing. In September 2006, “Qissat: Short Stories by Palestinian women” was launched in London which had stories by written by women, most of them young. There has been an increase in the demand for Palestine memoirs in the West which reflect an increasing appetite to gain knowledge about that region.
Similarly, in 2008 a book “Hikayat: Short stories by Lebanese women” was launched. Women writers in Lebanon emerged during the late 50s. These women used innovative themes and styles and addressed gender-related issues defying the conventions imposed on them by the society. These women writers were, for the first time competing with men. They challenged the notions set by the society on women boldly. Rima Alamuddin, at the age of nineteen wrote her first novel Spring to Summer in 1960. During the Lebanese war in 1975, these women shifted to the tragedy and trauma of the war and violence.
During the uprising in Egypt, many female writers contributed articles in the press. Prominent writer Ahdaf Soueif published an article in The Guardian about the popular uprising. One of the most popular Egyptian writers is Nawal el-Saadawi. She studied psychiatry and became Egypt’s Director of Public Health in 1972. She was soon dismissed due to her political activities and writing. She has gained a significant following in the English-speaking world.
In these times of change sweeping through the Arab countries, women need to step up and guide their country towards a much-needed stability. The story of these countries needs to be written and along with it, even the literature is going through a change. Every woman has to contribute to make their own, and their country’s future better.
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