Role of Women in Aviation Industry in the context of Gulf Arab Countries - Coursework Example

Topic: Role of Women in Aviation Industry in the context of Gulf Arab Countries Affiliation: Title: Date: Literature Review The role of women in the domestic and international arena is yet to match up with the role played by men in the same context. Across different countries around the world, efforts into affirmative actions have persistently been pursued, with an increasing trend over the last two decades (Tohidi, 2002, p.851-863). Men have dominated in almost every aspect in social, economic and political context when it comes to critical roles that aid development across the identified aspects. In both developed and developing nations, laws that promote human rights and equality have been left to account for women needs. However, there are clear-cut differences across different countries in the way these laws are applied. Women empowerment around the world has necessitated the need for legal procedures that account for the welfare of women. In many countries, the developed ones included, women are treated with lesser importance or considered inferior to men. Such is also the case with GCC national women, among many other countries around the world. Even with the highlighted domestic and international trends, women in the developed world play a more active role compared to GCC women and women from other nations around the world. Developed world women have major competitive opportunities in comparison to their male counterparts (Tohidi, 2002, p.865-870). They are provided with equal opportunities in the education system adopted by developed countries. What brings the difference between the men and women in these countries is their ability and capacity to perform different duties prior to the training at hand. Women in developed world have matched up knowledge and skills possessed by men. Career opportunities in these countries treat women with an equal capacity to perform roles as good as men do. In the aviation industry for example, while the GCC aviation industry is being mobilized to integrate women into the system, the developed world took this initiative decades ago. Eve when women were openly not equal to men, they still pursued careers that were thought to be predominantly for men. Doumato and Marsha (2003, p.251) claim that entry of women into economic and political arena has presented women as leaders. Their bid to do so cannot be simply termed simple since it has taken so much effort due to resistance from men. However, women leadership in the developed world has proved to be as effective as that of men. In some cases as a matter of fact, women have been deemed to be more effective leaders than men. Over and above this, women entry into the corporate world has pointed out the actual potential that women possess. Several aspects have presented women as corporate role models, thereby empowering other women. Just like it is the case with women who have already made a successful entry into the GCC aviation industry, women in developed countries play a significant role of empowering other women by acting as their role model in a bid to raise their social, economic and political status. In comparison to the women context in developed world, GCC women are yet to match up the trend especially in corporate career development like in the aviation industry for example. El Baz (2003, p.127) notes that patriarchal laws and social customs continue to foster one of the worlds most restrictive environments for women. This is not the case in developed world or rather in most other international environment around the world. Restricted civil liberties in the GCC have left women being deemed inferior to men in almost every aspect of life. Women activists are persistently advocating for equal opportunity between men and women in the GCC (Center for Arab Women Training and Research, 2006). This is a scenario that has already been accounted for in many other countries outside the Middle East. However, women entries into male-dominated careers like the GCC Aviation Industry are proof that GCC women are countering the restrictive Middle East environment to realize their autonomy career development. Policy Measures Various governments have and continue to formulate and implement policy measures that are tailored towards promoting the role of women in the aviation industry. While some have succeeded, others have failed to meet their purpose but the pursuit still continues. Numerous strategies have been employed in a bid to nurture and build women careers in the line that has been considered predominantly for men (Tohidi, 2002, p.884-887). The first policy measure has been built to assess and evaluate the full potential women in social, economic and political aspects. In the light of the three aspects, career growth and development has been the primary factor consideration in the assertion of the full potential of women. Social and economic policies are the aiding tools used to create the right operational environment. Numerous governments have successfully integrated women in male-dominated careers through these policy measures. Entry of GCC women into the GCC aviation industry is a pointer to the potential of Middle East women prior to male domination in aviation careers. Legal systems reform is another policy measure that governments are using to promote welfare of women in career development. The reforms are basically alleviating violence and discrimination against women. Discrimination and violence against women have contributed to the inferiority of women to men. As a result, women and career development has been characterized by a massive gap. The reforms will therefore fill up this gap, opening up opportunities for women, not only in the aviation industry but also in other aspects that present unequal opportunities between men and women. An example in this case is leadership. That is, legal restructuring is giving women an opportunity to be leaders, necessitating the need for women to pursue different careers. The third policy measure is the collaboration of women organizations and major stakeholders in the aviation industry. Following the notion that aviation activities are best suited to men than women, many aviation entities are reluctant in promoting women to pursue aviation courses (Center for Arab Women Training and Research, 2006). Women’s rights and freedoms activists have identified loop in the aviation industry around the world. As a result, women organizations have sought the implementation of relevant policies by governments that enable them to collaborate with aviation stakeholders in investing in potential women interested and able to pursue aviation courses and related training. Gender perspective mainstreaming is the fourth policy measure. Cultural and more so societal attitudes and beliefs against women are being reversed. This is primarily being done through encouraging men-women collaboration and involvement in career development. Affirmative action is integral to this pursuit. The fact that affirmative actions is not biased and therefore considers men and women welfare is helping to mainstream gender perspectives, thereby presenting men and women as equally potential in education pursuits. Finally, the fifth policy measure is based on enhancing girl education, men and women equal access to quality education, career and vocational guidance and employment of men and women in demanding positions (Abdulla, 2006, p.159). Governments through relevant ministries have consistently advocated for equal education opportunities and access between men and women. Many governments have gone a step further to formulate and implement guidance in vocations and careers. As a result, women have been awarded senior government positions, among them management of the aviation sector. Recommendations The aviation industry in both local and international arena has the capacity to develop significant roles for women. GCC females in particular can fit into the global trend of women training and employment in the aviation industry. Given the restrictive environment that face women in the Middle East, developing significant roles for GCC women in the aviation industry can be done prior to the consideration of the following recommendations: Educational empowerment Girl child education is still low compared to that of boy child. Women play a rather limited role in many aspects socially, economically and politically, except when it comes to family matters. Social, economic and political variables need to be balanced between men and women through educational empowerment. This will ensure competitiveness between men and women and, therefore, motivate women to pursue education pursuits as much as men do. Alleviate social rigidity Social rigidities have resulted to restrictive environments for women in the GCC. As a result, the GCC society has been rigid in adjusting to modernization and granting women equal opportunities to those of men. Oppressive cultural and social rigidities need to be revised and the societal attitude towards women changed in order to provide women with significant autonomy in pursuing their interests and exercising their full potentials. Embrace globalization Globalization is consistently converting world economies into a global village. International cooperation among world nations has significantly increasing, enhancing their interaction and in particular labour mobility. Due to competitiveness in the labour market, women and men are gaining equal access to career opportunities from one economy to another. GCC needs to embrace the globalization trend and therefore expose GCC women to international exposure and diversity through international cooperation with numerous world states. In order to do so, the static restrictive environment against women in the GCC would have to encompass dynamism. Economic empowerment GCC women are yet to fully practice economic independence. In this regard, major decision making is done by men, thereby side-lining women’s economic power. GCC women need to be economically empowered if they are to become independent decision making units. This way, their full potential will not be experienced in the aviation industry, but also across economic contexts of the GCC. Science and technology Women are not fully involved in science and technology programmes. Women generally avoid science and technology courses and training in their higher education. On the same note, scientific and technical developmental projects hardly integrate women fully. Scientific awareness is, therefore, critical to develop in the women context. Women’s special skills in science and technology need to be identified, nurtured and developed to fit into the aviation industry and beyond. On the same note, technologies tailored towards women’s needs are essential to develop. References Abdulla, A. (2006). The Impact of Globalization on Arab Gulf States. In: John Fox, Nada Mourtadah-Sabbah and Mohammed al-Mutawa (eds.). Globalization and the Gulf. New York: Routledge. Center for Arab Women Training and Research. (2006). Gender and Trade Liberalization in the MENA Region, Tunisia: CAWTAR. Doumato, E. & Marsha, P. (2003). Women and Globalization in the Arab Middle East: Gender, Economy, and Society. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers. El Baz, S. (2003). Globalization, Arab Women and Gender Equality. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers. Tohidi, N. (2002). The Global-Local Intersection of Feminism in Muslim Societies: The Cases of Iran and Azerbaijan, Social Research, 69, no. 3 (2002): 851-887. Read More