Soapbox: Empowering half the nation By Ayman Abdel-wahab Women's empowerment has been on the national agenda for several years now, but achievements in that direction have been rather modest, as the recent Arab human development report suggests. So perhaps we need a new approach to the problem, one that is more comprehensive and effective. Women's empowerment should be made a national priority. Civil society and business can lend a hand in this respect. And the government already has several institutions that are trying to help women, including a national council for women. These groups should get together and formulate a coordinated strategy. And let's not forget that women themselves have a role. If united, women can overcome many of the societal restraints that hold them back. We need a women's movement. And we need to change attitudes towards women within the family and the clan. We need to reach out to the unprivileged classes, and we need to learn more about their perceptions of women and their role in society. We need a strategy that is based on the objective assessment of local needs and abilities. The obstacles are many. Some are old and related to cultural prejudices. Some are new and related to the economy and the direction in which it is heading. This is why we need integrated action by everyone: government, civil society, business and women. We need to end all forms of discrimination against women. We need to give women more voice and visibility in society. We have to have a strategy for health, education, social care, and political partnership. Last but not least, we must build a culture that is favourable for women. This week's Soapbox speaker is director of the Civil Society Studies Programme at the Al-Ahram Centre for Political and Strategic Studies.
