Why are so many muslim women unemployed?

Question

Bangladeshi and Pakistani women have the lowest economic activity in the UK, especially those who are married. I would be grateful and extremely appreciative of your responses for the question below. Thank you.

Western discourses of Muslim women are “they do not want to work” or “they are not allowed to work”. Do you think any of this is true?

How does the family and society have different perceptions of young Muslim Women in terms of educational achievement and employment?

Do you think the education system has helped or discouraged Muslim Women to get jobs? Teachers having low aspirations of them, do you think this is true?

Do you think it’s more to do with cultural values?

Answer 1

Yes, its a cultural value and also to do with the requirements of the Muslim man. A Muslim man MUST (according to the Quran) provide for his wife and children and provide them with whatever she needs and give her spending money. but this burden is not put on women because she does the amazing and non repayable action of carrying a child and being the main person to raise and nourish this child. In Islam men and women have different roles, like a bee and an elephant do. The man provides food, money and love and the woman can also work but she its her part to be the housekeeper. the difference is that the money she earns when she works is just for her and its not required for her to spend it on the providing of the family. She can choose to, but thats her call. Thats why many women are like 'hey why should i work? i have everything that I want'
but some women like me and my mother and my aunts want some extra cash or just like to work so we work even though we are completely provided for.
Im young and theres nothing to discourage me from achieving what I want to achieve. A mere human's low aspirations of me would do nothing to hold me back. ofcourse I've never seen any teachers that do that, and especially do not target muslim women. I live in the usa so it may be different but i dont see why a teacher would do that. Both sides of my family live in London and they all work or are becoming something. a much much much bigger percentage of muslim women in america are extrememly well educated, im talking Phds. ofcourse this is my sect of Islam. There are about 75 different sects.
I hope you understand the different roles and why some women don't feel the need and rather just raise their children and have the money and shelter provided.

Answer 2

I'm an American living in a Muslim country. My husband has a good job and so I stay home to take care of the children (also I just prefer not to work).

Here there are MANY women that work. There are doctors, dentists, lawyers, police officers, customs officers, pilots, stewardesses, chefs, teachers, principals, judges, pharmacists, etc.

Here women can and do hold any job that a man does. If a women doesn't work, that is between her and her husband. Many women here like to work even if they don't need the money just because they want to assert their independence.

Here women are definitely treated equal to men and are encouraged to continue their studies so that they can get a job if they choose to.

I think Muslim women or not working depends on the country that you are speaking about and is definitely a cultural thing.

Answer 3

I'm sure those British subjects who happen to be Muslim and unemployed aren't too happy about it. What are the unemployment rates for people of other religions? Doesn't the UK have laws against religious discrimination?

Answer 4

I think there are just like other women, some want to work and some dont. I work in a hosptial and there are lots of muslim women doctors and pharmacists. Most are married so their husbands ovbiously approve. Obviously there are the ones who's husbands dont want them to, maybe thats the majority. (that wasnt really an answer was it sorry, lol)

Answer 5

You could write a book on that. There's loads of cultural and social factors, including discrimination and low educational expectations of Muslim women in schools and in the home. This is not the only case of seemingly baffling and intractable disparities in achievement between ethnic groups - afro-carribean boys have been consistently underperforming in exams for decades, and after years of investigation by sociologists still no one really knows why.

Answer 6

In my own personal experience, the Muslim women I know don't work because they can afford not to.

It seems that a high percentage of Muslim husbands earn enough that their wives are able to be full time housewives or mothers.

None of my Muslim friends (most of whom don't have to work and choose not to) are 'not allowed' to work - they choose not to, as I do.

Answer 7

Because they are more traditional and think the men should work and the women should stay at home taking care of the house and children.

Answer 8

Islamic society decrees that it is the husband who goes out to work and is not only the head of all the household but also in complete control financially, the womans role including the wife and daughters is to make the home as comfortable as possible for the males. A wife who works is shaming to the husband as it shows that he is not in total control of his family and home and is not manly enough to be the breadwinner. Women who work are an embarrassment to both her family and her husbands family and muslim society will make her life an absolute horror if she does not totally submit the her expected role in life although this is slowly changing

Answer 9

Some of these Muslin women still have to walk behind their men so do you suppose they are equipt to work in this still mainly dominated world. However, those women who are emanicipated are well equipt to hold down good jobs. The others need to break free from the shackles of the oppressed Muslim woman.

Answer 10

I'm not trying to shoot your question down, however i think that's a slightly misplaced assertion.
I would agree with another respondant, in that there are indeed cultural considerations. Moreover asians in my opinion, i feel Asians invest in their communities, even when purchasing their cars. Furthermore, many many Asian women work within their communities also. Merely my informed response.