Describes the status of Arab women, who constitute nearly half of the 135 million Arabs worldwide. Their experiences vary widely from country to country; for example, Saudi Arabian women, with few exceptions, still wear the veil, whereas in more modernized countries such as Egypt, Lebanon, and Tunisia, the more affluent women have a lifestyle similar to that of European women. While Islamic legislation and other customs have placed restrictions on Arab women for centuries, many Arab governments are recognizing that full social and economic progress cannot be realized unless women are afforded a stronger role in public life. Most governments, however, are cautious about introducing measures that directly challenge the traditional and religiously approved restrictions on women. The report examines the status of Arab women in Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Tunisia, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, South Yemen, United Arab Emirates, and Oman as well as Sudan, Libya, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, North Yemen, Morocco, Jordan, and Israeli-occupied territories. Although women in some countries have rallied to gain greater rights, women in other countries have embraced a patriarchal framework. The question remains whether economic pressures will counterbalance fundamentalist urges to perpetuate laws that subordinate women to men.
