In this survey, women's roles (jobs) and their participation in the workforce in the Muslim Middle-Eastern countries will be discussed generally; moreover, some of the Middle-Eastern countries, such as Egypt and Iran, will be studied a little more specifically as a sample. The status of women, their education, skills, and profession, will be explained historically from the date of the Islamic period until today. The problems and factors that prohibited women from having outside jobs, social life, and equal rights in past and present times (from 610 A.D. to 1982) will be analyzed. On the other hand, the attempt is to make a general picture of women's conditions in the society to which they belong from the time of Muslim's Prophet until today.

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D.Litt. et Phil. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

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Morocco is oftentimes praised by academics, development workers, and women’s rights activists as a trailblazer for the empowerment of women in the Middle East and North African region. Its reforms in the realm of family legislation and progress made in human development place the country at the helm of liberalising Arab Muslim-majority societies, even more so after the Arab Spring and Morocco’s peaceful transition to a ‘new’ constitutional order. However, a closer look at women’s rights discourses, legal reforms, its texts and implementation, and the public attitudes towards the enhancement of women’s rights reveals a less empowering situation. The purported goals of the Family Code, as the extolled document showcasing Morocco’s attempt at ameliorating (married) women’s rights, of ‘doing justice to women’ while ‘preserving men’s dignity’ mask the reformed law’s reconsolidation of patriarchal family relations. Many legal grey areas within this particular law, as well as clashing principles emanating from other laws such as the Penal Code, allow judges and the ʿaduls (religious notaries) to exercise discretion and apply the law as they see fit and, to a large extent, as it conforms to their and the community’s vision of the ideal moral order. Moreover, because ‘doing justice to women’ affects men’s and family’s honour, the project of the enhancement of women’s rights has had as a result retraditionalisation of family relations and hierarchical gender structures. Nowhere is this more poignant than in the status of educated single adult girls from provincial areas. They may be poster girls for the development community, but they are pitied by their own communities because they fail to become complete women––married (non-employed) mothers. The story of Morocco’s professed progress is a story of empowering its citizens, but one which does so on paper only. It is also a story which hides the salient details of poorly written reformed laws, obstructed access to justice, continuing widespread misogyny, material poverty and social marginalisation, and cohesive socio-economic programmes, which are rarely followed through.

Afrikaans text / Hierdie studie spreek die beperkte en eensydige beriggewing oor vroue en vroulike skoonheid in die Hebreeuse Bybel en ander antieke geskrifte aan, asook die ondergeskikte posisie wat vroue in die patriargale Ou Testamentiese samelewing beklee het. ‘n Argeologiese benadering word gevolg en beskikbare literêre bronne word gebruik. Daar word gelet op die redes waarom ‘n mooi voorkoms vir vroue so belangrik was. Hul posisie ten opsigte van staatkundige, wetlike, godsdienstige, ekonomiese en huishoudelike aangeleenthede en hul lewensverloop word bespreek. Die studie fokus hoofsaaklik op vroue van ou Israel en Egipte – vir ‘n goeie vergelyking. Inligting oor vroue van die ou Nabye Ooste en Mediterreense wêreld word waar van toepassing ook in aanmerking geneem. Vroue se skoonheidsmiddels, parfuums, juweliersware en kleredrag word bespreek – asook die invloed van vroue se skoonheidspraktyke op die ekonomie en handel van antieke tye. Die slot- hoofstuk maak sekere afleidings en dui enkele onderwerpe vir verdere navorsing aan. / This study addresses the limited and one-sided reporting about women and female beauty in the Hebrew Bible and other ancient literary sources, as well as the subservient position the women experience in the patriarchal Old Testament society. An archaeological approach is followed, although literary sources are also used. Attention is given to women’s position with reference to governmental, legal, religious and domestic issues, their course of life and the reasons why a beautiful and attractive appearance was important. The research focuses mainly on the women of ancient Israel and Egypt – for the purpose of comparison. Information on women of the ancient Near East and Mediterranean world is also taken into account. Women’s cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry and clothing are discussed – as well as the influence of women’s beauty practices on the economy and trade of ancient times. The final chapter makes certain deductions and some aspects are recommended for further study. / Old Testament & Ancient Near Eastern Studies / M. A. (Biblical Archaeology)

Afrikaans text / Hierdie studie spreek die beperkte en eensydige beriggewing oor vroue en vroulike skoonheid in die Hebreeuse Bybel en ander antieke geskrifte aan, asook die ondergeskikte posisie wat vroue in die patriargale Ou Testamentiese samelewing beklee het. ‘n Argeologiese benadering word gevolg en beskikbare literêre bronne word gebruik. Daar word gelet op die redes waarom ‘n mooi voorkoms vir vroue so belangrik was. Hul posisie ten opsigte van staatkundige, wetlike, godsdienstige, ekonomiese en huishoudelike aangeleenthede en hul lewensverloop word bespreek. Die studie fokus hoofsaaklik op vroue van ou Israel en Egipte – vir ‘n goeie vergelyking. Inligting oor vroue van die ou Nabye Ooste en Mediterreense wêreld word waar van toepassing ook in aanmerking geneem. Vroue se skoonheidsmiddels, parfuums, juweliersware en kleredrag word bespreek – asook die invloed van vroue se skoonheidspraktyke op die ekonomie en handel van antieke tye. Die slot- hoofstuk maak sekere afleidings en dui enkele onderwerpe vir verdere navorsing aan. / This study addresses the limited and one-sided reporting about women and female beauty in the Hebrew Bible and other ancient literary sources, as well as the subservient position the women experience in the patriarchal Old Testament society. An archaeological approach is followed, although literary sources are also used. Attention is given to women’s position with reference to governmental, legal, religious and domestic issues, their course of life and the reasons why a beautiful and attractive appearance was important. The research focuses mainly on the women of ancient Israel and Egypt – for the purpose of comparison. Information on women of the ancient Near East and Mediterranean world is also taken into account. Women’s cosmetics, perfumes, jewelry and clothing are discussed – as well as the influence of women’s beauty practices on the economy and trade of ancient times. The final chapter makes certain deductions and some aspects are recommended for further study. / Biblical and Ancient Studies / M. A. (Biblical Archaeology)