Women in Asia
Due to the patriarchal nature of traditional Armenian culture and society,[2] women in Armenia are often expected to be virtuous and submissive, to safeguard their virginity until marriage, and assume primarily domestic tasks.
[3] Women in Cambodia, sometimes referred to as Khmer women, are supposed to be modest, soft-spoken, "light" walkers, well-mannered,[4] industrious,[5] belong to the household, act as the family's caregivers and caretakers[4] and financial comptrollers,[5] perform as the "preserver of the home", maintain their virginity until marriage, become faithful wives,[4] and act as advisors and servants to their husbands.
[5] The "light" walking and refinement of Cambodian women is further described as being "quiet in [...] movements that one cannot hear the sound of their silk skirt rustling".
According to the research made by Daw Mya Sein, Burmese women "for centuries – even before recorded history" owned a "high measure of independence" and had retained their "legal and economic rights" despite the influences of Buddhism and Hinduism.
[20] Under the traditional Chinese patriarchy structure, the society was male-dominated, and women in Hong Kong had a relatively subordinate familial role.
Along with the rapid economic and social development of Hong Kong since the end of the Second World War, a significant improvement in the role of men has been witnessed, while female dominance society structure is still taking in place.
Many women in Indonesia choose to reside in cities instead of staying in townships to perform agricultural work because of personal, professional, and family-related necessities, and economic requirements.
[32] Following the 1979 Revolution, several laws based on gender discrimination were established such as the introduction of mandatory veiling and public dress code of females.
[44] Because of the demands of the nomadic economy, women in Kyrgyzstan worked as virtual equals with men, having responsibility for chores such as milking as well as child-rearing and the preparation and storage of food.
Due to modernization and rural uprooting, Lao women have begun to embrace lifestyles that are foreign to traditional Laotian ideals.
[45] Due to the large number of officially recognized religions in Lebanon, Lebanese family matters are governed by at least 15 [46] personal statute codes.
[48] Women in Malaysia receives support from the Malaysian government concerning their rights to advance, to make decisions, to health, education and social welfare, and to the removal of legal obstacles.
The Malaysian government has ensured these factors through the establishment of Ministry of National Unity and Social Development in 1997 (formerly known in 1993 as Women's Affairs Secretariat or HAWA).
[49] Women now pursue careers and professional training in Oman, slowly moving from their previous household confinement to the public sphere.
It is in this framework of Philippine hierarchical structure, class differences, religious justifications, and living in a globally developing nation that Filipino women struggle for respect.
Compared to other parts of Southeast Asia, women in Philippine society have always enjoyed a greater share of legal equality.
The report also noted that Saudi Arabia is one of the few Middle Eastern countries to improve from 2008, with small gains in economic opportunity.
[70] A common attire of women, particularly in Damascus, are Western clothing that includes long skirts, pants, jeans, high-heeled shoes, in addition to the sporting of the hijab and the monteau (a type of coat), sometimes accented by a “coordinating purse”.
The UAE constitution guarantees equality between men and women in areas including legal status, claiming of titles, and access to education.
The General Women's Union (GWU), established by HH Sheikha Fatima bint Mubarak wife of then President Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, remains a strong component of the State's and participating organizations' various initiatives.
In the 2007/2008 United Nations Development Programme report, the UAE ranked 29th among 177 countries in the Gender Empowerment Measures, the best rating received in the Arab World.
3, to “Promote Gender Equality and Empower Women” has reached its targeted levels of female participation in primary education and continues to increase.
Even more striking is the reality that while suffrage was gained in 1967 and constitutional and legal protection was extended to women during the first years of Yemen unity between 1990 and 1994, they continue to struggle “in exercising their full political and civil rights”.
[74] Modern day women of Yemen, however, are subject to a society that reflects largely agrarian, tribal, and patriarchal traditions.
Factors that affect women's participation in the socio-economic field include "inadequate gender awareness in the policy and planning process" and social stereotyping.
[13] Many women entered the work force out of economic necessity, a factor that disrupted some traditional family practices and increased the incidence of divorce.
By becoming "active participants" in the struggle to liberate their country from foreign occupation, Vietnamese women were able to free themselves from "centuries of Confucian influence that had made them second-class citizens".
[110][111][112] A BBC World Service "Assignment" report on 12 April 2012 uncovered evidence that women are being sterilized, often without their knowledge, in an effort by the government to control the population.
[20] Notable women from Asia include Qiu Jin (China), Trieu Thi Trinh (Vietnam), Miriam Defensor-Santiago (the Philippines), Sirimavo Bandaranaike (Sri Lanka) and Mandukhai Khatun (Mongolia).
[10] In the nineteenth century, the wife of Khan Almyn-bek led a group of Kyrgyz tribes at the time of the Russian conquest of Quqon.
