Muslim women in high offices in Europe stir debate

Manama: An article in the Kuwaiti press highlighting Muslim women who have risen to high government positions in Europe has stirred a debate in the country’s blogosphere,

Kuwaitis expressed mixed feelings over the report. Some social network users reacted by paying tribute to the women, their success stories and the positive attitudes of their host countries while others said that they were promoted politically and socially only after they adopted Western values and ways of life.

“These women made it because they worked hard and there were no obstacles to their rise and success,” Kuwaitawi, a blogger, wrote. “There was no jealous bias against them nor were there attempts to deflate their egos or to undermine their work. Such attitudes towards foreigners would not have worked here,” he said.

Arsenal Fan, another blogger, posted on local news site Al Aan that the women deserved to be praised for their success. “Those who have expressed criticism should know better than to be jealous of the women’s success. They should uphold high moral grounds.”

Faysal held the view that the West was better prepared to support people and give them ample opportunities to succeed. “The good thing is that people in the West usually support everyone to achieve something. Success is very important in their culture,” he said.

However, several bloggers said that they were not impressed with the move by some countries to give government portfolios to Muslim women. Some even accused the women of abandoning family values to elevate their social and political status.

Ahmad said that these women succeeded in Europe “because they gave up their way of life and adopted that of the West”.

“It is really terrible and families ought to instil our values in our children better,” he said. “It is heartening to see there are no women originally from the Gulf among them,” he added.

Bu Mohammad said that none of the women who were appointed ministers wore a veil. “I am sure that the West would not have allowed any of the women to become minister if she had a headscarf, for example,” he posted. “They made it to the government because they distanced themselves from their original values and traditions.”