Fifty Million Rising: The New Generation of Working Women Transforming the Muslim World

by Saadia Zahidi

There is a quiet revolution that is radically reshaping the Muslim 50 million women have entered the workforce and are upending their countries' economies and societies. Across the Muslim world, ever greater numbers of women are going to work. In the span of just over a decade, millions have joined the workforce, giving them more earning and purchasing power and greater autonomy. In Fifty Million Rising, award-winning economist Saadia Zahidi illuminates this discreet but momentous revolution through the stories of the remarkable women who are at the forefront of this shift -- a McDonald's worker in Pakistan who has climbed the ranks to manager; the founder of an online modest fashion startup in Indonesia; a widow in Cairo who runs a catering business with her daughter, against her son's wishes; and an executive in a Saudi corporation who is altering the culture of her workplace; among many others. These women are challenging familial and social conventions, as well as compelling businesses to cater to women as both workers and consumers. More importantly, they are gaining the economic power that will upend entrenched cultural norms, re-shape how women are viewed in the Muslim world and elsewhere, and change the mindset of the next generation. Inspiring and deeply reported, Fifty Million Rising is a uniquely insightful portrait of a seismic shift with global significance, as Muslim women worldwide claim a seat at the table.

Genres: Nonfiction, Feminism, Business, Economics, Middle East, Politics, Social Science

258 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 30, 2018

About the author

Saadia Zahidi is a Managing Director at the World Economic Forum and Head of the Forum's Centre for the New Economy and Society. Her team works with leaders from business, government, civil society and academia to understand and shape the new economy, advance competitiveness, drive social mobility and inclusion, close skills gaps, prepare for the future of work and foster gender equality and diversity.

Saadia founded and co-authors the Forum's Future of Jobs Report, Global Gender Gap Report, and Human Capital Report. Her book, Fifty Million Rising, charts the rise of working women in the Muslim world and is longlisted for the FT/Mckinsey Book of the Year 2018. She has been selected as one of the BBC's 100 Women and won the inaugural FT/Mckinsey Bracken Bower Prize for prospective authors under 35.

She holds a BA in Economics from Smith College, an MPhil in International Economics from the Graduate Institute of Geneva and an MPA from the Harvard Kennedy School. Her interests include the future of work, the impact of technology on employment, education and skills, income inequality and using big data for public good.

Reviews

[Bookworm · Rating 3 out of 5]

It sounded like an interesting book: a look at the increasingly number of women in Muslim-majority countries who are now in the workforce. Author Zahidi looks at and speaks to women in countries including Pakistan, Indonesia, Saudi Arabia and how they have entered the workforce, what sorts of jobs they do, what they hope to achieve, how this change has come about, etc.

Some of it was quite fascinating: to read about how and why these women came about to taking jobs outside of the home, the attitude shifts over time of women being in the home vs. those actively encouraged to get an education and a job (plus the barriers they faced). Some was a matter of experience: watching other women in similar roles or seeing the positive effects of what it's like to have more women in the workforce and/or receiving an education (representation is important!). I thought it was interesting that one specifically cited how her father had been likely influenced by the fact that he had lived in the US for quite some time (15 years) before returning to get married and start a family.

That said, sometimes the book felt a little repetitive and felt like a series of magazine longread profiles. I was intrigued as to how an economist would present this information and admit that it felt a little dry. There's plenty of stats to back up her information in between the personal stories and I felt that dragged the narrative down a bit.

All in all, though, it was an interesting read. I got it from the library and would recommend that a borrow is best.

[Peter Vanham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saadia Zahidi brings to life a world that is unknown to many of us in the West. Through statistics (facts!) and stories, she shows us how the reality of the Muslim world is changing for women who work. It is a reality which is neither black nor white, but always fascinating. Those who read this bok will find it humbling to do so, as it often proves us who don't really know the Muslim world, but like to opine on it, wrong in the most unexpected ways.
Coming from Pakistan herself, she is well placed to write about the quiet revolution of working women in the Muslim world, being at the same time an observer of the trend, and a part of it. Zahidi tells the story of dozens of women who started to work for the first time, in countries as diverse as Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Kazakhstan and Pakistan. Those stories show us what is happening "on the ground", at a micro level, what is changing for one woman or family at a time.
But it also tells the bigger story, through statistics on labor participation, political representation, and policies implemented. It is nice to talk about female empowerment, but what is it worth if women won't inherit the same, can't open a bank account, access the internet, or work after they get married?
This book is enlightening for laymen and experts alike, as it digs deep into a world that is otherwise inaccessible. It won't win the Nobel Literature Prize for prose, but first time author Zahidi does mix a strong narrative with convincing facts, teaching us all valuable lessons while allowing us to enjoy the read. A must read.

[Brian Griffith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zahidi travels all over the “Muslim world” recording and documenting a vast rise of women’s employment and entrepreneurship. She visits working women and female managers at all levels of society, learning how their own efforts and those of their role models have opened doors over the past few decades. Her focus is on the major shift from “in the family” work (in family-owned farms or business) to paid work outside the family. To some degree this shift involves an opening of professional and administrative positions to the rapidly rising numbers well-educated women. But perhaps the greatest trend is toward micro-entrepreneurship, as women enter the “gig” economy, offering products or services on a “per job,” “per sale,” or “per item” basis. Where Western families commonly fear the erosion of salaried full-time jobs due to globalization, these women of Asia and Africa commonly see precarious work in the globalized economy as a step forward. Overall, Zahidi presents the move toward work for pay as liberating, although many Westerners would view many of these workers as victims of economic exploitation.

On the home front, Zahidi explores the difficulties of taking paid work on top of a basically unquestioned primary role for women in parenting and homekeeping. She shows how the first big wave of female workers has relied on shifting more childcare to extended family members, and having access to very low-cost domestic help. As the pool of available low-cost childcare help dries up, and childcare itself is professionalized, new challenges loom ahead as the potential of Muslim women unfolds.

[Lucas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book covers 50 million women in Muslim countries who have entered the workforce since 2000, a 50% increase from the previous amount of 100 million. This new influx is changing workplaces, homes and economies. The author suggests that many of the events that America has seen with women entering the workforce in higher numbers since 1960 to now is all happening in Muslim countries from 2000 to now. That is a rapid acceleration of change.

In the opening to the book the author Saadia Zahidi states that the book will primarily focus on the positive changes happening in Muslim countries with female empowerment, and not as much on the numerous ways they are still oppressed in many of the countries covered. The book also opens with a story of a female entrepreneur named Khadjia who is mentioned in the Quran as being the wife and first follower of the Prophet Muhammed. Although it is not always taught this way, the Quran is supportive of female entrepreneurship and employment. Many of the oppressive measures in these communities are cultural as opposed to religious.

How these cultural norms change is the central thrust of the book. Partially this seems like it will come from economics. There is a memorable line in an earlier chapter about economics shaping culture. But the cultural norms also change person by person, with supportive family members and societies. Education is a leading indicator of workforce participation, and the book lays out many statistics about larger education enrollment for women than ever before in many countries. This should continue to lead to higher numbers of women in all industries. Another memorable stat from the book is the need for a minority portion of a group to need 30% representation to truly have a voice at the table. This may still not be the case for women in many areas, but is getting closer and closer.

The book itself can be slightly repetitive and unclearly structured, but it includes an impressive amount of research.

[Hanie Alizade · Rating 4 out of 5]

من این کتاب رو با عنوان ۵۰ میلیون زن جهان اسلام را تغییر می‌دهند، با ترجمه خانم منصوره موسوی خوندم. برخلاف طرح روی جلد کتاب ترجمه شده، نویسنده درباره زنان معمولی طبقه متوسط در کشورهای اسلامی صحبت میکنه، نه زنان شاخص و شناخته شده. زنانی که آموزش دیدند، تحصیلات عالی داشتند، وارد دنیای کار و اقتصاد شدند و زندگی متفاوتی رو نسبت به نسلهای قبلشون انتخاب کردند.
جالب‌ترین نکته کتاب برای من زنان سعودی بودند که بر خلاف تصور ما، زنان طبقه متوسط و بالای عربستان از نظر جایگاه اجتماعی به شدت در حال پیشرفت هستند و نگاه خیلی سنتی به این زنان در بدنه جامعه داره کمرنگ میشه.

[Bharathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

We almost always hear of sad/ unfortunate stories about women from the Muslim majority countries. While it is important that these stories are heard and considered, it is not the only real situation. There are several other stories that have to be told and understood.
I am glad that Saadia decided to write this book to tell the other narrative. She is well placed to write it, coming from Pakistan, born into a family that prizes education and also having had examples of highly educated women.
Being in a university setting, I have had an opportunity to meet with several women from the countries that are discussed in this book like Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Egypt, Syria and Turkey. So even though, I know these women, I did not completely understand their background. This book definitely certainly gives me the setting and possible lifestyles.
The chapters of the book are very nicely done, focusing on different aspects of their life instead of different countries. This shows us how women in each country are able to navigate their unique situation and culture to enter into the work force and also compare their environments.
She has written about ordinary women trying to make ends meet, middle class aspirations and also about pioneers in their respective countries giving us an overview of the current situation rather than one particular group exclusively.
One powerful theory she has put forward is the so called 'Third way'. It is when women follow the traditional way while, at the same time they are trying to break new ground. Such as when they wear traditional clothes and do most of the housework while working. This is most likely a burden on most women, but this is probably the only way that they are allowed to work. One generation has to bear this burden for the following generations to enjoy a more egalitarian life. I have seen it happen in my family in India, and I am sure this will be the case in any conservative society.
Overall a fantastic book.

[Kathrin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was provided to me by NetGalley and Nation Books. All opinions are my own. Pub Date 30th Jan 2018.

"Neither overtly feminist nor wholly traditional, this "third way" has helped women gain a footing in the workforce while still adhering to traditional norms around marriage and motherhood, facilitated by the prevailing social infrastructure."

Zahidi delivers a book that combines oral history with hard data. In the book she includes accounts and research about 30 Muslim majority countries covering all societal influences. She specifically looks at the "third way" and how women combine career aspirations with family obligation and also brings light to the role of men in these changed circumstances. The author manages to not gloss over the obstacles that women still face, but overall, this is a positive book.

In additional to learning things that I didn't know, I really thought it was interesting to read about the parallels of the feminist movement in the Muslim Word vs the Western World.

[Leah · Rating 5 out of 5]

An enlightening look at the growth of working women in the Muslim world over the past 10-15 years. Even though I worked in the field of international education during that time and saw many of the young Muslim women who came to the United States to study (often on government-sponsored scholarships), I had no idea the number of working women in Muslim-majority countries was growing so quickly. As Zahidi explains using ample statistics and interviews, this shift is quietly changing the culture of the Muslim world, as well. One of her main arguments, "economics trumps culture," was an interesting one, and something I had never thought of in that way before, but this book makes a strong case. I also found it fascinating that the very "gig economy" we in the West often lament as creating a precariat is often what allows working Muslim women to lift themselves and their families up in a way that is both flexible and culturally acceptable.

Fascinating book. Highly recommended.

2019 Reading Challenge Category: A book written by an author from Asia, Africa, or South America
(Zahidi was born in Pakistan. As a bonus, much of this book is about the women of the Middle East North Africa (MENA) region.)

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Extremely informational read given how Western media portrays Muslim women in the Middle East. The 50 million women that Saadia Zahidi talks about in her book have made more advancement toward equality than they are given credit for. It's inspiring to read about women entrepreneurs all over the Middle East taking advantage of the opportunities presented to them by globalization. In most cases, some Middle Eastern and Muslim-majority countries have made more advancements than the U.S. in terms of gender equality. Zahidi touched on something that was a prevalent theme among the people she interview. It's not about forcing a new way of doing things on an old culture, it's more about the economics of embracing women into the workforce of these countries. The times have changed and it makes more economic sense to strive for gender equality in the workforce. What I've never understood about any form of discrimination is how people thought in made business sense to exclude people. I mean, if everyone was contributing, I assume that would be beneficial to everyone.

[Audrey Arnold · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having known only a little about the Muslim world, I found this book to be an interesting read. Saadia Zahidi, who herself grew up in Pakistan, writes about 30 Muslim majority countries in which women are increasingly entering into the workforce. She writes about the "Third Way," in which women keep up traditions while at the same time becoming a part of a new movement of working women.

One of the best parts about this book is that it gives readers a look at these women's everyday lives, while also providing a good macro-view by looking at the lives of women in many different countries. In this book, Saadia is honest about the hardships that women in the Muslim world face, but she also creates an empowering, overall positive feel to the book through her writing.

It was interesting not only to learn about the daily lives of diverse groups of women in the Muslim world, but also to learn about how feminism is different in the Muslim world as opposed to Western society.

[Stormy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about 50 million Muslim women entering the workforce over a 15 year period. Page 8 talks about statistics - 20% of world population is Muslim - in many many countries. 1 in 10 females is Muslim.

I valued seeing where Saadia Zahidi took us in learning about different Muslim individual women starting to work in many different countries. She spoke of 30 different countries in the book.

In chapter 7 , 37 pages, there are many things to think about beyond the title Ministers and Mullahs.

Our Great Decisions discussion group chose this book to read in our off seson.


It's an informative read.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating insight into the lives of modern working Muslim women. As a Muslim herself and a trained economist, Zahidi is both respectful to her faith and honest about the issues that exist in many majority Muslim countries. She emphasizes the progress being made by professional women across the Muslim world, using relevant statistics linked with the stories of individual women. Highly recommended. Review based on an ARC received through Netgalley.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked reading this book but it was too long with too much repetition. The subject matter is very important - who of us in the west knew that so many women in the muslim world have joined the paid work force in the last decade. I liked the stories of individual women a lot also.Even though I didn't rate it that high I highly recommend it. Just skim when it gets repetitive.

[A'isha Rahman · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn’t finish. This is like reading a book on stats. Not what I was looking for. There are some interesting facts about the data of women that work in various countries where Muslims are the majority; however even upon skipping ahead a few chapters I couldn’t bring myself to read anymore.

[Salman Rauf · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good effort! I have two daughters and I want to see them as strong and independent. I will recommend this book to both of them!

My only suggestion: I would have wanted to see tables with facts and figures rather than paragraphs. Easier to compare and understand and retain.

[Siobhan Harrop-McDiarmid · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great stories of Muslim women from Middle East, North Africa and South East Asia. Inspiring reading and an antidote to the often negative news from these regions.

[Adriana Inilloc · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content itself interesting, but it feels like to book hasn't gone through the last edit. It is still quite chaotic. So it is an interesting and insightful read, but not a pleasure to read.

[Bari Dzomba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although repetitive, this was informative and important.

[Brooke]

AW Rec

[Faramarz Majedi · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was okay👌.

[Debraj Bhattacharya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Zahidi knows how to write using data and stories. Terrific book.

[vince · Rating 4 out of 5]

the conclusions for each chapter dragged on forever 🤕

[Ladan Afshari · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a girl from a country with an Islamic government, I found all written in the book authentic and accurate. The author's claims were well-baked by statistics. Ultimately, it is absolutely worth reading, particularly by ambitious girls like me, because of the hope that it creates in the mind and heart of women of "Islamic countries".

[Lu · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was very interesting because it talked about all the strides muslim women are making in their home countries. It's full of statistics and interesting stories.

My favorite line was in the end of the book and wasn't the words of the author.

"It's impossible to send us back into our homes again now that we have tasted success ourselves. I want to help change everything around me". (Architecture student in Shiraz)

Mumm ~ Cairo home cooking food delivery

[Mills College Library]

331.40917 Z19 2018