Bahrain's RUW debates with University of West Virginia

Manama: The Royal University for Women (RUW) and the University of West Virginia (UWV) participated in a heated students’ debate yesterday on the topic: “The West provides more opportunities for women leadership than the Middle East.”

Associate Professor of General Studies Dr Chitra Sinha, who gave the opening speech, said the debate would offer a “diverse perspective on a challenging platform” and that, in her view, “women across the world face problems, simply because they are women – and just for that reason!”

“I was struck as a Gender Studies professional that, in the East, diversity is not only tolerated, but often even celebrated,” she added.

Dr Jennifer Orlikoff, Associate Professor of Women’s and Gender Studies at UWV, expressed gratitude for the ongoing partnership between the two universities.

Journalism major Helany Kinney, who was the first of the UWV students to take to the podium, said that with more women getting hired, there is a chance of more women being voted into leadership positions just like a domino effect.

RUW law student Asya Bukhoa, said there are “three main obstacles when women become leaders, and they are related to stereotypes, finances and balancing their lives as both leaders and mothers.

Business and Finance major Aruba Abbasi spoke about the negative side of American opportunities for women in high profile roles, pointing out that Afghani women’s involvement in parliament is increasing” while “women are vastly under-represented in the US.”

She added that “India has the longest history of women in power” due to higher levels of education and the rise of the average marital age (25 years).

For the UWV team, English Literature major Ashland Robertson gave a convincing argument about the West’s greater opportunities in terms of women pursuing jobs in the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields.

Isra Abdulkarim Alaradi spoke for RUW, saying, “Women are not just striving, but excelling in the Middle East” and that, “leadership roles comes with a price in the US.”

“We have a 70pc success rate in Bahrain for women entrepreneurs, so where is the lack of freedom for women to lead professional lives?” she queried.

During the rebuttal round, Helaney Kinney said the topic was very different for the West, as they have less availability for parental leave and child care.

Hend Khalifa Al Amir said, “King Faisal Specialist hospital gives women staff members’ equal pay to men” and “article 39 prohibits discriminating on gender, ethnic origin and language.”

Jennifer Mangavo, Economics major from UWV, brought up the subject of homosexuality and LGBT rights, in which she said that America is by far the more progressive leader on this matter: “Look at the publicity and backing of Caitlyn Jenner, a celebrity transgender woman, in the US recently – would that happen in the Middle East? I don’t think so.”

Dr Chitra concluded the debate, saying, “We need to make the society aware of what we need, and the more critical the discussion, the better.”