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large-scale political entities. People belonged to close-knit clans, or extended families, that formed tribes. Most Arabs were pagans, but small minorities were Jewish and Christian.
Bedouins Farmers
Traders
People considered backwards Lived in the desert Nomads who rode camels
Bedouins = Arab nomads who rode camels
their own needs with: Herds of sheep & goats Small-scale trading in towns Regular raids on one another and on caravans.
but in many areas soils were too poor and rain was too infrequent to support agriculture. TRADERS: Cities supported traders who carried luxury goods (spices, incense, perfumes) from the Indian Ocean region and southern Arabia along caravan routes to the cities of the eastern Mediterranean. These traders formed the economic and political elite of Arabia, and they led the tribes.
Clans
Tough to survive in desert Families joined to form clans Clans joined to form tribes
Fights constantly broke out between clans Fought over issues such as: -
These feuds often lasted 100s of years Constant infighting hurt the bedouins:
trade center in Arabia. It was dominated by the powerful tribe of the Quraysh (KOOR-aysh). Ruling Clan = Umayyad
thousand BC
(Khaymah): represents family. A camp of Khaymah formed a Hayy and one member of each Hayy made a clan Qawm. It was these clans that grouped together to form tribes and the members of each individual clan were blood related leader; one who was viewed as the wisest and most experienced of the other members of the clan was elected and was known as Sheikh. This position was not hereditary. There was no unity or nationalism between the Arab people. Each tribe was a separate identity with their own dialects and religion.
The Bedouin tribe was democratic in the sense that they had a
in about 360 Gods and Goddesses. The existence of Allah was a religious reality for a minority of Arabs. superstitious
magic lamps, flying carpets and wishes. A famous example of this is the tale of Arabian Nights.
as significant however not as much as the moon, a friend and ally providing them with light, coolness and shade. The moon symbolised a nomadic lifestyle which is what they lived by as opposed to the agriculture sense that the Sun implies. The sun was actually viewed as an enemy to the nomads depriving them of pasture, shade and water, in the scorching heat of the desert.
for their Gods and did not establish mythology in regards to whom they worshiped.
Most of the 'holy' places of their other divinities were trees, wells,
caves or fallen meteors. The pagan Arabs made sacrifices - both human and animal - to 'Venus'.
Another belief of the Bedouins was that the desert was home to various
living creatures and spirits known as Jinn who were said to fill their lives with mischief and difficulties/hardships.
As the Pagan Arabs were nomadic, there was no specific burial ground
for the dead hence no significant reverence was given to those who have died nor did they believe in an afterlife, resurrection, day of judgment or even heaven and hell as all of these beliefs came about with the religion of Islam.
Life was Rough according to law Hammurabis law code (1752 BCE: disobedient women get teeth knocked
out (but disobedient son get hands cut off) Middle Assyrian Laws: wife who gives away husbands possessions gets ear cut off; if she hits him in the groin (and equipment damaged, she loses a finger) Later Assyrian law codes include women being pawned for debt But consistently in NE law, rape/unauthorized deflowering of freewoman requires the man be killed, woman goes free Veil tied to class: Assyrian law forbids slave women and harlots from wearing veil; noble women must cover head Byzantine upper class houses had harem set up, even the Empress Irene veiled herself (including hands) Institutionalized Sexual Jealousy/Honor Middle Assyrian law codes prescribe flogging and hard labor for baseless sexual slander (yo mama jokes out of the question) Egyptian king and medicinal lack of virgins
(Byzantine and Sasanian) Played key economic roles: milking camels, weaving clothes, raising children Women still not equal: couldnt be warriors, and property inheritance/divorce laws favored men
Africa, Central Asia shares with those regions Islamic culture, a history of colonialism, and a society with a strong clan or lineage component.
Turkmenistan are unique and face individual challenges in advancing human rights, principally womens rights, however, there are commonalities and shared experiences which link the region.
each nation has since made from the communist era have proved both opportunities and hindrances for women as they try to assert their rights and partake in society as equals. The Soviet policy in the 1920s and 1930s concentrated on the economic and cultural transformation of the CAS. Changing women's lives was a vital part of the programme.
This law outlawed bride price, forced and captured marriage, child marriage, polygamy, marriage by barter, and other antiquated customs termed as 'evil' and 'injurious' to women . Formation of women's section (Shentodyl), and the special women's clubs-housed in 'Red Yurtas' (tents) Land and water reforms
status of CAW as they were transformed in to a productive working class. In all areas of activity - blue collar to white collar workers - the number of women increased yearly. The belief that women's oppression had been eradicated because of female participation in labour, ignored the new burden on the women who combined occupational, political and domestic duties.
women were removed through state intervention. But some conservative rituals and overall patriarchal structure of Islamic practice were retained in the private realm. The state intervened in family life, guided reproductive norms, etc.
steel, was a comrade-in-arms for all public struggles, was not concerned with western feminist struggles, remained until the break-up of the Soviet Union.
and economically.
There are approximately 130 different ethnic groups
living inside Kazakhstan, making it one of the most ethnically diverse nations.
Violence
Trafficking Economic Hardships
female President in any Central Asian nation, Roza Otunbayeva was formed. April 2010 until 1st December 2011.
Domestic violence; Bride kidnappings; Trafficking and exploitation; Conditions of detention and violence against women in detention. Gender relations- lesbian, bisexual women, and transgender men prejudices; Sexual harassment and sexual violence.
Outside of the scope of violence against women issues such as:
Employment discrimination and economic disadvantage; Religious freedoms; and Lack of representation in decisionmaking and political organs
A high social acceptance of violence against women; Under reporting of domestic violence;
violence are not viewed as serious crimes; A lack of prosecution where cases are reported and/ or inappropriate prosecution is pursued; A general focus on reunion of the spouses. Aksakals (community courts)
forced marriage and discrimination against separated and divorced women; Expulsion of women who are foreign nationals but married to Turkmen men; High levels of domestic violence including physical, psychological and sexual abuse and deprivation of freedom; Trafficking in women and girls
however there is little empirical data available. Systemic social stereotyping and attitudes that subjugate women; Family relation difficulties relating to forced marriage. Bride kidnapping, polygamy and divorce practices. The economic and social deprivation of women; Trafficking of women and girls which remains a persistent and increasing problem.
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