How Can Women in the West Help Women in the East?

Question

Over forty women have been killed and their mutilated bodies found with notes warning against "violating Islamic teachings" for the 'crime' of not wearing traditional dress and scarfs. (See AP article linked below.)

Is there anything women in the West can do to help the opposed Women in the East? Do you care, or do you think that we have no right to interfere with what goes on on foreign soil? Do you think that it helps or hurts to have western feminist groups to put the spotlight on cases like this?

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hZnCkP0LBfeyJAVTm6fjlcmGOiUwD8TE7EI80

That is suppose to read "oppressed" women, not "opposed" women. Sorry!

Answer 1

We don't have the right to force our western culture on anyone or limit a person's right to choose. However, being killed and tortured, do not fit under the above. As humans we should feel some responsibility and compassion to at least speak up when we see other humans being treated unjustly.

Change can only occur from the inside, with outside pressure and the support of international organizations. Educating others about these issues and gaining strength in number is a good start for us observing from the outside.

I'm grateful that there are people like you who continue to bring these issues into attention :)

EDIT: Sanctions only hurt the poor and middle class who are already suffering. Sanctions have never been effective in regime changes. They also give the government a reason to unit people against the West. Isolation and alienation against the West hurts them even more. When people are hungry, they blame the sanctions, not their government. Sanctions are one of the most harmful and ineffective tools the West has continued to use, only hurting those who need help.

EDIT:
SP: You have seen them, but I was born there and have relatives who suffer from these conditions. It is true that some are oppressed without knowing, but a lot of them know they are oppressed but have no way of changing their conditions. Respectfully, it's a bit comic for an "outsider" to tell an insider what her own flesh and blood is going through, what her culture/religion has done, what is possible, and accuse her of not knowing what she is talking about LOL...They are "my" people, unlike being "these" people to you.

And "Iraq is happier since Americans got there?" Oh boy...Iraqis were pro-western before the war, after thousands of their innocents being killed and causing a civil war, they are joining terrorist groups against the west...and you call that happy?

And you can't just "eliminate" laws rooted in thousands of years of culture overnight. That's the typical outsider attitude: "let's just get rid of their beliefs and tell them ours is better"...You can't get rid of someone's religion. Many muslims do know that Islam can be compatible with both secularism and democracy...which is what needs to be emphasized on...not elimination LOL


You have fallen victim into the picture your media is giving you. It is not a time to argue though...let's concentrate on solutions to help my people, or what you would call "these" people.

LOL@ I have seen Iranian people. Where did you see us? In magazines, on TV or did you travel there once or twice and surveyed people on the street. Give me the name of the villages and places you visited. And let's chop it up in Farsi about the Iranian history, social problems and culture to make sure nothing gets lost in translation. Are you game?

I guess the answer to my question would be "no." Culture is not to be confused with religion, yet another insensitive outsider remark. A religious democracy is the only way to start the democratization process in those countries, elimination of religion is NOT. And this is not about you and I and our differences. It's about working towards a common goal of saving those individuals (men and women). But next time, make sure you do your research before accusing someone of not knowing what they are talking about, as you risk sounding double ignorant, for first not knowing, and second, accusing someone who knows, of not knowing. Cheers and have a pleasant day!

Tera: You're absolutely right. Cultural understanding is crucial also. You can't invade them as an outsider and tell them what to eliminate and what kind of beliefs to adapt.

Answer 2

I'd like some examples where change has actually occurred from within a country. There may be some, but they are generally a response to support from outside. Even the fall of some minor soviet republics only occurred because the régime was moribund and several surrounding countries had already changed.
The Islamic world is not like this. Oppression is kept afloat through stealthy cultural conditioning. The tribal 'cultural norms' subsumed into Islam shouldn't be protected by so-called 'religious freedom'; it's disingenuous to even call it that.

Cultural relativism causes people to turn an unwitting blind eye because they are afraid of admitting a hard truth: Islam will not cease its deeply-rooted mediaeval ways without outside influence and a flush of ideas that will oppose it.

Answer 3

I think women in the West have the right and should fight for the rights of women in the East.
Yes, it helps to have western feminist groups to put the spotlight on cases like this.

Answer 4

You go over there all gun ho right now as we speak you will not only get them killed, but yourselves as well. The ones that are killing them are over zealous and they won't stop even when it comes to killing you. It has to be weathered out. I've lived in Iraq from 89 to 90 back then those Iraqi women were steaming under the collar; can't say I could blame them; it wasn't that their husbands treated them bad; they could handle them pretty good. They weren't allowed birth-control so that Saddam Hussein could have future soldiers for his army. So what happened some of those women didn't give a hoot about their kids. In the most part kids were allowed to run freely and do as they so-called pleased; no one was going to kidnap them cause they had too many of their own. You may not agree with me, yet here is my theory on what's going on. Those women are being killed to show the American troops that they better get off their land; an Arab won't tell you; in most and all cases they will show you. They'll use any and every trick in the book to get their point across. They can be pretty effective when they really want to be. What I am saying is they won't pay any attention to you at all. I'm talking about the women, especially now. .

Answer 5

I don't really have an answer to this question, but I do think it's wise to listen to those who have lived there, like Laela and Lioness have...they offer a perspective on it that we, as Americans, do not have. Where to go from there, I don't know.

Personally, as much as it pains me to say this, I think real change has to come from within those countries. We could go in, overthrow their governments, but how long-lasting would that be? Their countries (and their religious faith) have been around a hell of a lot longer than our country (and our democracy)...we can't realistically expect to go in and change things for them overnight. Most democracies (if not all) arose in places where the people WANTED them...fought for them....change came from within. There are things we can do, but direct interference may, in fact, like Laela said, be more harmful to the people who actually live there. I hate to say this, but I think maybe we should consider letting these countries sort out their own problems. No amount of resolution we give to their issues will be long-standing if it is not what the majority of people who live there want. This is not to say we should ignore these issues completely...but we must tread carefully...they live in a culture that is vastly different from our own. We have no concept, really, of what it's like. We should not rush in, as we have, and think we have all the answers. I think we should proceed with caution...perhaps condemning their practices publicly...and rally other nations to do the same. But sanctions? We'd only be hurting the people who live there...and they are hurting enough already, trying to settle their own differences amongst themselves.

Answer 6

we need to vote. these acts of violence against women are allowed by the governments that preside over their countries states and cities. strong sanctions on the part of our government will help.

we need to find quick solutions to our oil dependency.

we need to bring other developed nations together to collectively put pressure on the countries violating basic human rights.

further, i believe a strong voice against human rights abuses of all kinds must be supported by feminist groups. the squeeky wheel gets the grease.

Answer 7

Pressure from the "Western" world freed Mandela. If the World could bring sanctions against these countries, something might be done. However, the world is dependent on oil and is not in a position to bring such sanctions. I hope that the Internet can help, if women have access to such information.
People in power are not likely to give it up easily. They have no motivation. Women under repressive regimes may have to resort to the tactics of Gandhi, to realize any improvement. Are they willing to die for their freedom? Are Islamic fundamentalists willing to kill their own mothers, sisters and potential wives to retain their hegemony? Are they willing to give up their future children because there are no more women left?

Answer 8

If your asking if women in the west have more individual rights than women in the east then yes I believe they do, but If the question is do they have equal rights with men then no. It doesn't matter if its the east west or anywhere else men have more rights than women in every country around the globe. With power comes privilege and for the majority of history men have been in power throughout the world. I am not agreeing with the policies just presenting facts.

Answer 9

Supporting the war effort, women in Afghanistan and Iraq are a lot happier since Americans got there. Then, Kuwait, finally got women to vote, because of American influence because of the First Gulf War.

For every Islamic 'Republic' we dismantle, women get more rights. I would definitely place emphasis on eliminating Sharia law. In the middle east, Feminism is not enough. Words, and rallies just get cut out, or run down. The only thing they understand is military force.

As human beings, wherever other human beings are being subjugated or forced to suffer, we have right, nay, and obligation to 'interfere' and help them.

Edit: Lioness, I have seen these people (Afghan and Iranian women). They are oppressed in a way that they could never make change by themselves. Outside pressure doesn't do much against a bunch of religious fanatics. I really don't see how they can get too educated, if they can't leave their homes, or are even allowed to be literate. You don't know what you're talking about, nor do you know anything about my culture (not American).

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I thought you were Iraqi? Now you're Iranian? Didn't know they did dual citizenship. Interesting. I've met a fair few, mostly ones who left after the Shah got kicked out, and went back a few times. Also met a few on my trips to the middle east. Don't see too many on TV, except for ol' Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Iran's best stand up.

Also Islam and it traditions are hardly 'thousands of years old' since it was founded only in the 7th century. I can't really think of too many democratic and secular states where Islam works, closest I can think of is Turkey, and I know for a fact it barely works there.

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Ha, good one. Good luck with your Islamic democracy, let me know how that works out. I still don't think you know what you're talking about, regardless of your nationality. I'm proud to be 'double arrogant' if that's your definition, or 'triple arrogant' now, I guess. Hope you have a pleasant day too.

Answer 10

Feminists and their input may get these women killed.