As is the case with many Middle Eastern nations, women are nowhere near equal to men when it comes to basic freedoms and rights that we take for granted every day.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
You know who is against democracy in the Middle East? The husbands. They got used to their way of life. Now, the traditional way of life must change. Everybody must change. If you don't give equal rights to women, you can't progress.
Here's a notion: Peace in the Middle East would come about more easily if the region were governed by women.
If women's rights are a problem for some modern Muslim men, it is neither because of the Quran nor the Prophet, nor the Islamic tradition, but simply because those rights conflict with the interests of a male elite.
It's true that, in Iran, women have half of the rights men do. And yet 66 per cent of students are women.
I'm not obsessed with the rights of women; it can be a bit excessive. I want to put men and women on an equal footing. I think we are equal but different.
The condition of women in Islamic societies as a whole is also far from desirable. However, we should acknowledge that there are differences. In certain countries, the conditions are much better and in others much worse.
Wealthy women have rights in every country. And poor women don't.
The more equality women have, the fairer, more civilized and tolerant society will be. Sexual equality is a lot more effective against terrorism than military strength.
Contrary to popular view, I've never been patronized in the Middle East. Men maybe treat women differently, but they do not treat them with disrespect. They don't hate women. It's a very different kind of mentality.
As to women, the Islamic faith has given women rights that are equal to or more than the rights given them in the Old Testament and the Bible.