Introduction
A former member of the UAE Federal Council, Najla Al Awadhi, develops the article based on her experience and knowledge in the social and economic system in the UAE, especially in regard to women affairs in the country. The author is one of the modern and educated women in the UAE, which provides evidence of her ability to develop an article describing the state of women in the country. Although one may not agree with all the issues that the author puts forward in this essay, it is worth noting that the author has successfully shown that the UAE is one of the few Arab and Islam states that have taken a leading role in implementing women rights as part of the global set of human rights.
Summary of the Article
Najla Al Awadhi’s article attempts to develop an in-depth description of the decreasing gender gap in the UAE, which is better than any other Arab nation. In measuring the gender gap, sociologists consider a number of social and economic factors such as healthcare, education, employment, education, politics and leadership, and other activities (AlMazroui, 2014). Using this basis, Najla Al Awadhi shows how the UAE government has been using different strategies to achieve a reduced gender gap. However, the author notes that the country is yet to achieve the desired goals and that a number of obstacles must be addressed before the desired goals are achieved.
Noteworthy, the author argues that a society with a reduced gender gap achieves more than benefitting its women. In fact, the author argues that gender equality promotes social development. In regards to Islamic beliefs, a common stereotype is that gender equality, and religions cannot exist at the same time. However, the author refutes this claim in the article.
Analysis and Evaluation of the Article
The author’s main point is to show the state of women in the UAE in regards to the gender gap. The article shows that the country has achieved a lot in reducing the gender gap through education, but a number of obstacles still affect the plight of women in the country. Najla Al Awadhi (2013) also proposes a number of solutions related to the culture of the UAE in order to help in reducing the gender gap, which is likely to improve women’s affairs as well as the social well-being of the country. The author’s main audience is the general population, especially the adult people in the country. She intends to create an awareness of the need for a free society that provides equal opportunities to both males and females in order to improve the overall well-being of the nation.
Pathos, logos, and ethos are important strategies in analyzing the ability of the author to develop a comprehensive, valid, and up-to-date rhetoric. Al Awadhi (2013) addresses one of the major issues affecting modern society (gender inequality) in the Arab and Islamic world. In addition, the author uses statistical facts to describe the situation. For instance, she notes that the UAE is considered the most advanced nation in the Arab world in terms of reducing the gender gap, a fact that is derived from studies by the UN and the World Economic Forum. Moreover, Najla Al Awadhi’s ability to write about the plight of women is justified because she is a former member of the UAE federal national council, which is involved in taking studies on the state of gender inequality in the country.
The appeal for emotions (pathos) is observed when the author attempts to develop a connection with her audience by referring to the need for gender equality. For instance, she argues that gender equality does not seek to benefit women only, but the whole society. She also refers to the current state of women in the UAE, where women who are more educated than men and those who work harder than men fail to obtain higher positions in the workplace.
The context of the text is quite informative, well organized, and eligible. The author uses good and impeccable grammar. In addition, she has arranged the ideas in a manner that allows the readers to understand point by point, which reduces confusion. She uses facts from various sources, which increases the validity of her arguments.
Response
The article has provided me with additional information regarding the state of women in the country. Although I was aware that the degree of the gender gap is high in the country when compared to the western world, I did not know that many people in the country continue suffering from the gender disparity at the workplace, politics, and other areas. I have realized that the country is on the right track, but we need to do more to ensure that women achieve social goals that will improve the well-being of society.
Conclusion
Although the article is short, Najla Al Awadhi develops an aspiring analysis of the situation in the UAE as far as female citizens are concerned, which borrows information from statistics in education, health, and occupation. For instance, Najla Al Awadhi uses statistics that indicate that the number of educated women in the UAE is larger than the number of educated males, yet the number of employed women and those in law and other areas is less than that of men. Thus, Najla Al Awadhi’s synthesis is important in describing the situation of women in the UAE in comparison with other Arab and Islamic states in the region and the world in general.
References
Al Awadhi, N. (2013). Developing a Culture of Gender Equality. Gulf News. Web.
AlMazroui, A. (2014). The UAE gender gap and the women who fall through it. The National. Web.