Women in education in the UAE

Women in education in the UAE

A general stereotype about most societies in the Middle East is that they hardly support women’s development but instead oppress and discriminate them in several ways. In the United Arab Emirates, women were subjected to forced labor, domestic violence, and limited access to education. Even after the formation of the union in 1971, the number of young girls taking up formal training as well as other women taking over leadership positions in the society remained significantly low as compared to their male counterparts. Nevertheless, the situation tremendously changed during the start of the 19th century, and the United Arab Emirates currently ranks among countries with the highest scores on gender parity regarding access to education, access to job opportunities, and implementation of programs that promote women’s education, empowerment, and development.

One significant similarity between the plight of women in UAE during the 19th century and now is that despite the efforts to achieve gender parity, access to education is still under male guardianship. The initially patriarchal Emirati has never changed, and just like the case was in the 1970s, women finances, movement, even social interactions were all under the control of men. While the government has made numerous available opportunities for women education, young girls still seek permission from their male parents to attend school. In some cases, such girls are only allowed access to Muslim religious teachings and wholly barred from attending formal education. Women who defy male societal guardianship to pursue formal education are regarded and rebels and made targets of shame by the mainstream society.

Another outstanding similarity between the situation of women education in UAE over the years and currently is that despite attending formal training, very few women are absorbed into the labor market. For instance, in 1975, the overall number of women employed in the UAE labor market stood at 2.2 percent as compared to 91 percent among men. Similarly, in 2016, the labor participation amongst Emirati women was at 42 percent as compared to 85 percent for Emirati men. The commonality here is that although women can attend formal education, they still face sigma and discrimination when it comes to absorption into the job market. Hence, the current Emirati society comprises of large numbers of women who are qualified but cannot find jobs due to fear of stigmatization. In some cases, some employers are also unwilling to absorb female candidates in compliance with the male-dominated society.

Despite the similarities discussed above, there are also major differences between the current level, access and benefits of education to women in the United Arab Emirates and the situation a few years ago. For instance, while Emirati women can currently access both formal and religious education, they were initially limited to Muslim teachings alone. According to (XXXXX), Muslim religion largely emphasizes on female submission to their husbands. As a result, Emirati men could willingly allow their daughters and spouses attend such religious classes but not formal education. Formal education, according to XXXX, bred disobedience, a virtue that is against Muslim religious teachings. However, the formation of the UAE council for gender balance under the stewardship of Sheikh Shaik Zayed opened access to formal education to Emirati women. During his reign, women were encouraged to seize the available opportunities to enroll in formal learning centers and schools and compete with their male counterparts for the spaces in the labor market.

Unlike the in the early 1970s and 80s, the current population of Emirati women enrolling in both schools and higher learning education centers exceed that of men. Further statistics point towards a higher number of girls successfully complete formal education than boys. For example, the total population of women at UAE universities increased tremendously from 38 percent in 1978 to more than 83 percent in 2017. A striking observation from the current education trends in the UAE is that the number of women in STEM disciplines in the UAE is more than men, a rare scenario in most countries in the middle east. Schools and formal learning were reserved for boys and men alone. However, with increasing local opportunities and global pressures to embrace gender parity, women education in the UAE has significantly been boosted. EUnlike in the past, education in the UAE is no longer reserved for men ut instead open for both genders and as it stands, the quest for education amongst women has surpassed that of men.

Although the plight of Emirati women regarding education has mixed fortunes, there is growing hope that the mainstream stream will eventually let go of oppressive and discriminative cultures that barred women from school. ducation and development in the UAE have been improving since the formation of the union in 1971. Currently, the country stands out as a case example of nations where women have beaten odds and enslavement to fight for their positions in the community. Generally, there is so much to boast of the current state of women education in the UAE. Nevertheless, there should be structures to ensure that women who graduate from UAE universities and other nations of higher learning are all absorbed into the UAE labor market.