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 History The first known group of people in Algeria was the Berbers. Berber’s now consist of 20% of Algeria. They represent what Algeria was before the Arabs conquered North Africa around 632 AD. There are four main Berber groups: the Kabyles, the Chaouias, the M’zabites, and the Tuaregs. The Kabyles are governed by councils of adult men. Their women are unable to inherit property or remarry without the consent of their divorced husband. This group is the most restrictive of the Berbers when it comes to women. The Chaouias believe that women have magical powers; this can give women more freedom and privileges. The M’zabites have social equality and literacy for men and women. But women cannot leave the villages. The Tuaregs are ruled by women. A legend states that a Berber princess from Morocco journeyed across the dessert with only her slave girl and for her courage was made a leader. This was the first in a long line of female rulers. In this group of Berbers men wear veils, as opposed to the women in other Muslim cultures. Present Political The main battle for women’s rights is over the family code. The government has tried repeatedly to advance the status of women but consistently faced opposition from Muslim fundamentalist. Women have achieved the right to their dowries and child custody in the case of a divorce, but only until the children are seven years old, then the custody reverts to the father. Women can vote and run for office. A woman cannot be married without her consent and can divorce in very specific circumstances. However, men can divorce much more easily. Women cannot inherit property equally with men. Women are considered permanent minors in the eyes of the law, needing the consent of a husband or father in many circumstances. And men can have up to four wives, although few actually do. Society Young girls are taught that they are inferior to boys and that their place is in the home. Boys learn that women are there to comfort them and take care of them. Traditionally women wear veils covering all but the eyes to keep them in their place and to insure their purity. A family’s honor largely depends on the conduct and purity of its women. If a woman is found to be guilty of a transgression, the men in her family are traditionally bound to punish her. The legal age for marriage for men is twenty-one and eighteen for women. Once married a women goes to the village or household of the bridegroom’s family. There she lives under critical surveillance of the mother-in-law. A woman gains status in her husband’s house once she bears a son. Mothers often tend to favor their boys and nurse their baby boys longer than their baby girls. Mothers are often warm and caring towards their sons, whereas the father is more distant. The war for independence (1954-62) marks a interesting point for women’s rights in Algeria. This war was for independence for all Algerians from colonial oppression. With the men at war women had to run the family. Some women even fought in the war for the same cause as the men were fighting for. However this war was an explicit affirmation of Muslim values, which included the subordination and submission of women. Since Algeria’s independence few gains have been made for women’s rights. Much of this has to do with Algeria’s cling to Islam and its Nationalism. If Algeria were to give women more rights they would become westernized. Many feel that this is giving up their identity. For instance, during the French rule, French colonizers opposed the wearing of the veil. They saw it as a symbol of national and religious values they sought to damage. So when independence was achieved the wearing of the veil actually increased in Algeria. But this in turn granted women a little more freedom. The veil allows women to go outside the home and still maintain her seclusion and purity. Education Prior to Algeria’s independence from France, few Arab children attended school and education for girls was almost unheard of. In 1907-08, 2667 Muslim girls were attending French primary schools. In 1953-54 there were 76,610 female primary students, 952 secondary students, and 22 university students. In 1982 girls accounted for 38.8% of students in secondary schools. The education of girls in Algeria has made a great change in the past century. Algerian society is slowly accepting the possibility that women may have other roles in life outside the home. About seven percent of the workforce consists of women. The majority of them have traditionally female roles such as secretaries, teachers, nurses, and physicians. |
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