Women's day in the Arab world - Cartoons

The status of women in the Arab world is the subject of constant comment in the Arab press, even if not much is done about it. Egypt and many other Arab countries are signatories of international conventions on the rights of women, but these are not implemented. Lack of education for women, polygamy, legality of wife beating according to the Qur'an, sequestration, honor killings, female circumcision, lack of property rights are all still common in most Muslim countries.

At the beginning of March, a women who had been gang raped was sentenced to a severe lashing by a Saudi court, because she had met with a male who is not a relative.

On the occasion of International Women's Day, the Arab press published numerous cartoons bewailing the plight of women. Here is a sample.

Cartoon No. 1: "Women's Day"

Cartoon No. 2: The writing on the note in the dustpan says: "International Women's Day - invitation to a feast for the poor in a five-star hotel." The writing on the patches says: "Invitation," "Women's Day Celebration," "for the Promotion of Women's Rights," etc.

Cartoon No. 3: The text on the TV screen says: "International Women's Day."

Continued

Ami Isseroff