Brit Broadcasting Conservatism

Commentary in The Daily Star reports -

Leaders of organizations from 12 countries that form the first transnational women's network emerging from Muslim-majority countries, the Women's Learning Partnership (WLP), met this week in Beirut. On their plate were the challenges and opportunities they face as they strive to promote women's rights and decision-making nationally, regionally and internationally, and how to fortify relationships to help build a stronger support structure and an international network of civil society advocates.

The WLP network emerged in response to the challenges women face across the globe, but especially in Muslim-majority countries, in achieving an equitable role in decision-making and political leadership. The network grew out of a gathering held in 2000, where women from 15 countries met to discuss the status of women and possible strategies to bring about their fairer participation in the public sphere, and to redefine concepts of leadership and power.

Good. Bad -

Women comprise 14 percent of national parliaments worldwide, and they head only 12 of 180 governments. In most countries, women's representation in political parties, municipal bodies and local councils remains far below parity. The United States, though a developed industrial nation, ranks 59th in the world for women's political representation. In the Middle East and North Africa women's representation is significantly lower than the world average, comprising only 4.6 percent of the seats in national parliaments. Countries such as Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates still do not have universal suffrage.

This last line makes it sound like free and universal suffrage is commonplace in the Middle East. But, of course, the only countries with it are.. you guessed it, Afghanistan and Iraq. Damn imperialists and their patriarchy.

(Read the whole thing)