Gender Inequality in the Middle East
Gender inequality is a very serious issue in the Middle East, specifically in Saudi Arabia. Women are put behind men in most everything, rights, politics, jobs and more. These women are denied common privileges such as driving a car and basic human rights.
One major issue that Saudi Arabian women face is domestic violence. Many women are said to be abused however it is extremely rare for them to report it. Women deal with being abused because they risk shaming their families name if they speak up. Also women are subject to rape because in the event that a women told what happened to her there would have to be four witnesses in order to have the proprietor convicted. Therefor actually punishing someone for rape is almost impossible. In fact in one case a woman was meeting with an ex-boyfriend when they were both gang raped by seven men and when they told the police the woman was subjected to punishment for being out alone with a man who wasn't part of her family. When a woman reports rape she is considered to no longer be a virtuous woman and the family name is shamed.
In Saudi Arabia women are denied basic rights. They cannot drive cars even if it is an emergency and they can't find a man to give them a ride. Small boys are allowed to drive on busy streets but women, no matter what age, are denied access to the drivers seat of a vehicle. Saudi Arabia is the only country that bans women from driving. One woman in opposition of the ban posted a video of herself driving around and was arrested. Women are expected to get a driver or have their husbands drive them places. Men have complete control in this situation because a lot of women can't afford a driver and if they are divorced or their husband is away, they are unable to get around.
Women in Saudi Arabia are fighting for education rights and it is paying off. About 81% of Saudi Arabian girls are literate and about 57% of the students graduating from Universities are women. Saudi Arabia also made a law that requires all children to gain a primary education. There was also a scholarship program founded that allows Saudi Arabians to study abroad and 20% of the recipients are women. Sadly sometimes it doesn't matter how educated you are if you are a woman because Saudi Arabia's workforce is composed of only 15% women. Women are starting to gain more rights but the work field is still very sexist.
There are many horrendous inequalities in Saudi Arabia but the women of the country are fighting for their rights. These women are denied basic rights and are forced to live a life that is completely dependent on men. They deal with abuse, the inability to do such things as drive and have an extreme disadvantage when it comes to getting jobs. The women of Saudi Arabia are a prime example of the gender inequality of the Middle East.
http://genderindex.org/country/saudi-arabia
http://womanstats.wordpress.com/2013/01/16/the-high-rape-scale-in-saudi-arabia/
http://globalcitizendaily.com/story/global-citizenship/2012/11/a-saudi-perspective-on-womens-education