Arab StatesDemocracy is representation for the people by
the people. A true democracy must include women
who are representative of half of the population.
Arab states that do not allow women to participate
politically either implicitly or explicitly demon-
strate, in this fact alone, their commitment and
desire to democratize. As is evidenced from Table 1,
regime type and economic and social status play lit-
tle role in women’s entrance into parliament. In-
deed, societal obstacles which hinder women from
entering such positions can in many cases be over-
come by foreign influence and then, in most
instances, by a quota system.
Political culture in the Arab world is shaped by
informal groups and kinship relations, even within
the formal political systems. Arab political struc-
tures include traditional and conservative monar-
chies, republics, and secular and Islamic regimes.
Western democracy ideologies are often juxtaposed
against these various structures of Arab political
culture. Therefore, much of the political cultural
analysis of the Arab world tends to dilute the pos-
sibilities of democratic advancement by labeling
these states as “democratically challenged.” The
reasoning for such a consensus stems from religion,
cultural beliefs, authoritarian Arab leaders, politi-
cal economy, or a rejection of foreign influence.
Yet, reform processes are taking place in Arab
countries, albeit slowly, which aim to establish
democratic methods of governing.
Certain religious interpretations adopted by reli-
gious groups contribute to the stagnation of the Arab
reform process. Some scholars (such as Kedourie)
believe that democracy is an alien concept to Islam
while some Arab thinkers (Khàlid Mu™ammad
Khàlid) believe that the Islamic principle of shùra
(consultation council) corresponds to the idea of
democracy.
Democracy Ideologies
The evidence regarding obstacles to democracy
are more clearly understood by examining the issue
of women’s status according to Sharì≠a law (Islamic
law), which Islamic movements strive to uphold.
Islamic law allows men to unilaterally divorce their
wives, accepts polygamy, considers a woman’s testi-
mony to equal half that of a man, and allows a
woman to inherit only half of what a man may
inherit. Interpretation of women’s inferior status in
Islam is further reinforced by the patriarchic struc-
ture of the Arab family. An inferior view of women
clearly represents a major obstacle to democracy, by
not considering a woman a full participant in society.
Full participation is a right of every individual in
society. Human rights organizations and women’s
organizations are at the forefront in creating a
more pluralistic society in attempts to break up pat-
terns of control and exclusionary tendencies in the
Arab states. The ideologies of the women’s move-
ments and democracy share characteristics such as
equality, dignity, autonomy, power-sharing, libera-
tion, and human rights. While women’s movements
and democracy are ideologically united, women’s
presence in elected positions of formal government
in the Middle East and North Africa region has
been the lowest (regionally) in the world. Causes of
this phenomenon are conventionally related to reli-
gious and cultural gender roles, tribal affiliations,
or the existence of a patriarchal society.
Conventional wisdom suggests that if women’s
role in the social and economic sectors of the pub-
lic sphere were to improve then women would
more easily make the transition into politics. Table
1 shows that it is the external factor (whether con-
ditionality of foreign aids or resisting foreign hege-
mony and influence) rather than socioeconomic
factors that creates a conducive environment which
allows women to enter the political realm. Foreign
influence is the strongest variable affecting women’s
entry into the political realm.Table 1State External Factor Political Participation Rate Female Labor Force
Jordan Conditionality 5.4% 16.0%*
Morocco Conditionality 10.0% 11.0%
Syria Resistance 10.4% 25.0%
Lebanon Minimal 2.0% 30.0%
Kuwait Minimal 0.0% 33.8%
Source: World Bank GenderStats
- Department of Statistics, Government of Jordan, 2002