Women from Akkar talk about their experience in work and about gender stereotypes within the family

The Working Women Union in the North organized a discussion seminar on the stereotypes which guide relations between women and men in the family.  The seminar grouped women from the villages of Tell Meyan and Tell Hayat in Akkar.  Participants spoke about their experiences in the field of work and how they relate to their husbands.  Women also spoke about the various tasks that they do like minor agricultural work and Mooneh production.  According to Al Mustaqbal newspaper which published this report, although these tasks are basic, yet, they allowed women from Akkar to engage, albeit in a limited way, in the public domain. In sharing their stories, some women spoke about being beaten by their husbands and accepting it.  Another young woman told the group that her father forbade her from going back to school because he saw her talking with a male classmates.  She called for the creation of same sex schools in case gender integration was considered to be problematic.  Another woman said that she is happy with her work and that she no longer allows her husband to hit her.

 

(Source: Al-Mustaqbal 26 January, 2015)