Malaysia (AP):
Developing countries, especially Muslim nations, must challenge outdated customs and religious teachings that keep their women largely poor and powerless, Malaysia's Prime Minister said earlier this week.
Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said groups opposed to the empowerment of women in many parts of the world have often "used religion and cultural norms as a justification to perpetuate discrimination against women."
"It takes a great deal of moral courage and fortitude to be able to challenge long held and deeply ingrained societal beliefs about the role of women in society, particularly if religion is cited as the main reason for their subjugation," he said at the opening of a two-day ministerial meeting of Non-aligned Movement members on the advancement of women.
marginalised
Badawi did not name any country but noted that although women in some parts of the world have become more emancipated, they continue to be marginalised and discriminated against in many Muslim countries.
Women still suffer from a lack of education, skills and resources, and job security, he said.
The situation is even worse in countries torn by war and armed conflicts where they not only suffer from poverty and poor health but are "raped, tortured, maimed and subjected to other unspeakable crimes."
The two-day meeting has drawn 75 ministers from the 116-member Non-Aligned Movement, a group of poor nations that tried to stay neutral during the Cold War. Since
the end of the Cold War, the movement has continued to work to reverse the marginalisation
of Third World countries in world affairs.
Malaysian Women's Development Minister Shahrizat Abdul Jalil said
the conference would help
governments to formulate
measures to beef up the role of women in important areas such as political decision-making and information technology.
