Introduction
The sociology of gender forms one of the most integral disciplines in sociology since it sets the platform for societal comprehension and perception of femininity and masculinity. The sociology of gender interrogates and seeks to present an understanding of the social construction of gender under the dynamics of political, social, and cultural relations in our society. The social structure from the medieval era highly propagated the superiority of men over women in the designation of key societal responsibilities. Women’s space was categorically to act as the family caregivers and perform house chores, whereas their male counterparts had the solemn responsibility of providing for the family’s basic needs (Healey, 2018); hence men occupied financial supporting occupations.
Challenges that have Faced Women and Its Remedy
The feminist activities that marked the 20th century played a critical role in the gender mainstreaming of society. The Activism activities gave the leeway to discuss gender-related issues such as Gender Based Violence and the mechanisms of elevation of women’s participation in essential societal roles (Carney, 2018). Through the inception of various organizations, such as the United Nations for Women, which promote gender equality, women have been able to occupy male-dominated careers previously globally. The sociology of gender as a discipline sets the precedence that seeks to enable the societal unlearning of previously held beliefs that outlined gender roles in the labour and home environments.
Women’s involvement in the Arab world, just like in other parts of the globe, was heavily restricted. However, in recent years, Kuwait has demonstrated significant strides in the positive inclusion of women compared to the rest of the countries in the Gulf. The Kuwait University, established in 1965, has witnessed a resounding number of female students seeking academic refugee in Kuwait (Alzuabi, 2016). The women’s skills, values, knowledge, and competencies call for their effective involvement in society’s socio-political and economic realm.
Status of Women in the society
Women have progressively established their societal position from the feminist acts early in the 20th century to occupy vital positions in their societies. The population of women in the Middle East is more than half of the population (Alzuabi, 2018). Despite their high population, women’s participation in the social and political specs has yet to be fully guaranteed. It was only until the 20th century that women were first allowed to participate in the election process.
Western countries have heavily maximized gender equality to streamline their socio-political and cultural spaces; for instance, the United States of America’s allowing women to vote and take part in elective positions painted the country as a democratic icon in the world (Alam, 2017). The participation of women in democratic activities also increases their chances of representation in leadership in the various arms of government. Women’s representation in the decision-making table allows for the propagation of gender equality and integration policies in society.
Most countries in the Middle East have extensively considered and implemented the integration of women in the socio-political arena. The roles and responsibilities of women have significantly changed at both local and global levels. Women in Kuwait have steadily embraced the modern space more than any other country in the Gulf region through access to education and the freedom to establish themselves economically (Hamdan, 2017). However, there still exists the need to fully utilize the established pool of women in addressing the glaring gender gap in the country.
Participation of women in the development process
Economic development played a significant role in asserting gender responsibilities in society. Economic transformations in the various corners of the world exemplified the roles to be undertaken by women in the political and economic structures. The unearthing of oil deposits in Kuwait presented an opportunity for an economic revolution in the modern space (Alazm, 2017). The era inspired growth in the various sectors of Kuwait society, such as education, and this opened up opportunities in the career sphere prompting women to assume new responsibilities.
Economic strides have adequately addressed gender mainstreaming and equality in the modern era. Structural changes in society influence women to take up responsibilities outside the pre-conceived home environments; for instance, the feminists’ drives from the Western countries gave birth to gender equality conversations in Kuwait. Women in Kuwait began to show interest in education and were absorbed in careers such as media and teaching (Alazm, 2017). Ever since, Kuwait women have remained the pioneers of gender integration, especially among the countries in the Middle East.
Kuwait University was the first institution of higher learning in the Arab world to have a woman as its president, setting the pace for women to occupy leadership positions. Women in Kuwait have continued to explore more male predominant careers. The successful struggle to appoint women as judges have increased the number of women enrolling for careers (Alzuabi, 2016). The steps have been vital in ensuring that women become global citizens and participate in the world’s development agenda.
Gender equality and women empowerment lie at the heart of the sustainable development of modern societies. Women’s income and earnings have been the most significant contributors to healthcare and education among families worldwide (Saeed, 2019). The empowerment of women economically has yielded incredible strides through their active involvement in entrepreneurial activities and business management. It remains the responsibility of individual nations in the world to implement policies that are gender friendly to achieve sustainable development.
Gender discrimination threatens women’s exploration of economic development, leaving most women to languish in poverty. Kuwait has advocated women’s involvement in economic development through policies such as Vision 2035, which provides for equal opportunities irrespective of gender (Alzuabi, 2016). The Kuwait government has also been vocal in gender mainstreaming by boosting involvement in the labour markets and supporting women enterprises in realizing their goals.
Organizations supporting Women’s Challenges
Gender equality continues to serve as one of the most significant impediments to achieving national development. Women have continued to suffer the consequences of gender inequalities since they receive restricted access to work and education, affecting their productivity. In order to address this problem, some organizations worldwide have taken up the responsibility of advocating for gender integration and equality in the hope of ensuring women’s empowerment.
The United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and Empowerment of women is one of the most dedicated organizations in the fight for women’s rights and representation. The UN women were launched in July 2010 by the United General Assembly with the primary responsibility of integrating gender equality and supporting the United Nations member states in formulations of policies in implementing gender equality (Marlys, 2017). To address women’s challenges, the organization has actualized vital agreements such as the Beijing declaration and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women.
The United Nations Women has spurred the growth of other gender equality-based organizations worldwide. The Women Empowerment Program in Kuwait is an example of such an organization. The organization has enforced women empowerment policies in Kuwait around employment, leading to over a hundred percent growth in companies adhering to women’s employment compliance (Alazm, 2017). Women’s involvement in the spheres of development has been exacerbated through the support of such organizations that have constantly pushed for reforms to actualize gender equality.
Conclusion and Recommendation
Gender attributes influence the participation of men and women in their societies’ socio-political, economic and cultural dynamics. The modern era has witnessed an increasing number of women assuming economically beneficial roles as opposed to their traditional responsibilities of working as caregivers and performing home chores. From the discussion, the question of gender equality can only be effectively addressed through the economic empowerment of all individuals, irrespective of their gender.
The participation of women in Kuwait’s national development has witnessed significant growth in different fields, such as women’s appointment in the judiciary. However, women still face various obstacles to fitting in perfectly and fighting for opportunities on an equal basis with men. This calls for the effective implementation of ongoing policies such as vision 2035 to solve the underlying challenges and foster the full inclusion of women in the nation’s development process.
Some of the famous questions that have risen out of this topic include; are women more empowered to address their current socio-political needs? Does women’s empowerment play a critical role in addressing economic empowerment? Has there been growth in women’s empowerment? Have other organizations supporting women’s empowerment? Furthermore, have women’s challenges been adequately addressed? Answering this question has helped us understand the topic of the sociology of gender. This has been crucial in addressing the gender issues and position of women in society.
References
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Hamdan A. (2017). Women and education in Saudi Arabia: Challenges and achievements. International Education Journal, (1), 42–64
Healey, J. F., Stepnick, A., & Eileen, O. (2018). Race, ethnicity, gender, and class: The sociology of group conflict and change. Sage Publications.
Marlys, M. (2021, March 10). 7 organizations that fight for gender equality. The Borgen Project. https://borgenproject.org/organizations-that-fight-for-gender-equality/
Saeed, H. (2019). » 5 ways we can empower women globally. AtlasCorps. https://atlascorps.org/5-ways-we-can-empower-women-globally/
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