Women Empowerment Program in the Arab World
TRANSCEND MEMBERS, 7 Oct 2013
Charles Mercieca, Ph.D. – TRANSCEND Media Service
By nature women tend to guide themselves from the heart, which is the seat of love, mercy and compassion. By way of contrast, men tend to view everything they encounter from the mind, which is the seat of suspicion, distrust and conflicts. Hence, in the Arab world the leading role of women in the community cannot be taken lightly. On the whole, they certainly reveal to have a better know-how than men in general.
Great Asset to Communities
Compared to western nations, the Arab countries need to find ways as to give women greater opportunities to assume roles of leadership. They would surely be an asset not only to their respective communities in particular but to the entire Arab region and the world at large as well. Of course, we do find women who represent their respective countries in some governmental positions especially in foreign embassies. Needless to say, this has been a great step in the right direction. To this end, we need to encourage more women to become active participants in every realm or segment of government.
The most important element in this regard would be education that starts in early childhood and keeps on going to elementary, high school, college and university. Their presence everywhere is beginning to make a difference. There is not one activity that one does which cannot be performed by another. This demonstrates clearly that in the Arab world women empowerment program cannot be taken lightly. It is in the best interest of every Arab nation to help develop the human talents in women to the maximum of their potential.
To this end, everyone will end up to be a winner and no one a loser. Since all people are made up of males and females, the greater involvement of women in society is bound to be an asset. More positive and constructive results could be expected in the best interest of everyone without exception. Let us here keep one important element in mind. What makes women highly productive is not to be sought in the structure of their body but in the generosity of their heart.
This means that men who act from their heart could be viewed as women in character and personality in a number of ways. In this regard, there is nothing that women can do which such men cannot do. On the other hand, women who tend to act systematically from their mind could be viewed as men for all practical purposes. Some of the leading women in history tended to think and act like men for by all means. Just to bring a few examples, we have had women of the caliber of Margaret Thatcher of the United Kingdom, Indira Gandhi of India, and Golda Meir of Israel to mention but a few.
Need for Female Qualities
Needless to say, we have also witnessed men in power who guided others through their heart, same way as women in general tend to do. To mention just a few examples, we had Nelson Mandela of South Africa, Oscar Arias of Costa Rica, and Najib Razak of Malaysia, in addition to others. What did all of these just mentioned heads of states have in common? They all tried to solve human problems through diplomacy and peaceful dialogues but never through conflicts and wars. We need here to bring to our attention the brief message that Pope Pius XII sent to Germany and the United Kingdom on the eve of World War II.
He exhorted them not to solve their differences through war adding: “In a war everyone is a loser, no one a winner.” And he proved fully right. The Germans lost the war and their economy disintegrated and totally collapsed. At the same time, the British won the war and their economy equally disintegrated and totally collapsed. Not only so but the British Empire also disintegrated and collapsed. A careful study of world history demonstrates that men’s machismo always had a self-defeating purpose.
Besides, we are all aware of the proverb: You can catch more flies with honey. In the realm of governmental relationships, the honey involved refers to strong diplomacy and healthy dialogues. In both of these two elements women in general always proved to be outstanding. Through rapid technological development the world is changing drastically, faster than ever imagined. At this stage of history, women’s involvement in world affairs is bound to bring positive and constructive results in the best interest of everyone involved.
In this regard, women should never be viewed by men as a challenge but rather as an asset as already stated. Their innate spiritual qualities are badly needed at this stage of time, which is mostly characterized by turmoil, struggles and wars. On the whole, women are more capable by nature in generating love and compassion for others. From the very beginning men and women were meant to complement each other in every way possible.
Every country should feel the sacrosanct obligation to educate both boys and girls from early childhood and to give them the maximum benefits of learning as much as possible. All children have unique talents and when developed to the maximum the communities in the nation become richer, healthier and happier. As a result, each nation will grow and develop in a total atmosphere of genuine peace with phenomenally beneficial results.
Good Humanitarian Organizations
Needless to say, what is being stated in this presentation applies not only to the countries of the Arab world but also to all countries across every continent without exception. It would be wonderful if those women, who especially wish to pursue an interesting career, become members of some good humanitarian organization. This would give them the opportunity to communicate with several women around the world from across every continent.
In this way, they will give themselves the opportunity to learn directly about the benefits other women are providing to their country and other nations as well. By the way, one of the organizations they would be welcome to join is the International Association of Educators for World Peace, which is a Non-Governmental Organization associated with the United Nations’ branch of ECOSOC. Its main objectives may be outlined as follows:
Promotion of international understanding and world peace through education; protection of the environment from air and water pollution; safeguard of human rights; and development of world peace along with the usage of the human potential merely for positive and constructive purposes.
If the above four objectives were to be fully implemented more than half of the world problems would be solved virtually overnight. World peace is possible and it could be realized, keeping in mind that when there is a will there is a way. Of course, we should always be persistent and never give up. In addition, it would help immensely if our young women were to read about the lives of our successful women on a global scale.
In view of what has been stated, it is obvious that all government officials around the world should take the education of women very seriously and to see to it that all young men and women are given the best education possible without any exception. Let us here bring to our attention the preamble to UNESCO, which states: Since wars begin in the minds of men, it is in the minds of men that the defenses of peace must be constructed. This could be achieved best through a positive and constructive education.
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Charles Mercieca, Ph.D.:
– President, International Association of Educators for World Peace, Dedicated to United Nations Goals of Peace Education, Environmental Protection, Human Rights & Disarmament.
-Professor Emeritus, Alabama A&M University.
-Hon President & Professor, SBS Swiss Business School, Zurich.
-Member, TRANSCEND-A Network for Peace, Development and Environment.
This article originally appeared on Transcend Media Service (TMS) on 7 Oct 2013.
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