Daily Life

Women in Middle Eastern Life
Photos and commentary by Carol J. Riphenburg, Ph.D.

Morroccan Berber Women
Next

About thirty five percent of Morocco’s population is Berber, descendants of the original North Africans. Berber women are known for their colorful jewelry and makeup. Living in rural and mountainous areas, they have more freedom of movement than their urban counterparts. Most Berber women do not wear the veil. They can move freely between fields and villages, although in some areas they cannot go to market unaccompanied. Both urban and rural women leave the home on occasions such as a visit to parents or to a shrine. A Berber girl marrying into an urban household may find her activities considerably restricted.

Most Berber tribes converted to Islam in times past. Islam preaches equality; yet in most Muslim countries a woman’s place is determined by a man’s will. A husband can prevent his wife from traveling abroad, and the police will back up his legal right to stop her. A father can marry off his daughter against her will, and she, by law, must obey. A woman is trapped in a bad marriage; with few exceptions, her husband is free once he declares himself divorced. However, as modernity collides with religious tradition, women have begun to demand change.

Next Slide


Introduction How do Middle Eastern Muslim women live? It is of course impossible to generalize on this topic. In the world at large, and in any country, there are no homogenous groups, as the situation of women can vary according to tribe, custom, religion, and national law. There are also various regional factors, influenced by geography, social class, economic development, and the process of modernization. The following slides are a small selection from photos taken by Dr. Carol J. Riphenburg, Professor of Political Science at the College of DuPage, during her travels. They, of course, cannot claim to be representative of Muslim women in the Middle East. However, hopefully they will serve in a modest way to work towards breaking down language barriers, the division of the sexes and the modesty of women, combined with the prejudices of outsiders, to reveal the variety, the joys and sorrows of the lives of women in the Middle East.	Women in Middle Eastern Life Photos and commentary by Carol J. Riphenburg, Ph.D. Morroccan Berber Women Next About thirty five percent of Morocco’s population is Berber, descendants of the original North Africans. Berber women are known for their colorful jewelry and makeup. Living in rural and mountainous areas, they have more freedom of movement than their urban counterparts. Most Berber women do not wear the veil. They can move freely between fields and villages, although in some areas they cannot go to market unaccompanied. Both urban and rural women leave the home on occasions such as a visit to parents or to a shrine. A Berber girl marrying into an urban household may find her activities considerably restricted. Most Berber tribes converted to Islam in times past. Islam preaches equality; yet in most Muslim countries a woman’s place is determined by a man’s will. A husband can prevent his wife from traveling abroad, and the police will back up his legal right to stop her. A father can marry off his daughter against her will, and she, by law, must obey. A woman is trapped in a bad marriage; with few exceptions, her husband is free once he declares himself divorced. However, as modernity collides with religious tradition, women have begun to demand change. Next Slide