Suhail Naqvi, (at 5:19PM Saturday 22nd of December 2007, GMT)
I agree with Maryam almost completely. What a waste of half the intelligence of our society! But as Bhai Ikram pointed out, there may be many families in which decision makers comprise of both men and women. As as Ram pointed out, economics is perhaps contributing to change in the right direction. Personally, I think education is the fulcrum at which this issue rests. By education I do not mean simply acquiring university degrees, I am talking about the education one acquires by witnessing progress in more equitable societies.
Suhail
Woodbridge, NJ