The 11 countries of Southeast Asia include over million people. Despite great linguistic and cultural diversity, the region is characterized by the relatively favorable position of women in comparison with neighboring East or South Asia. Over time, however, the rise of centralized states and the spread of imported philosophies and religions Confucianism, Daoism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity increasingly privileged males and stressed female subordination. Although such influences were most noticeable among the elite, the strength of local traditions was always a moderating force. By the s the entire region except for Siam Thailand was under European control.

Sometimes it happens with an email, sometimes it occurs in person. The Pakistani-born US-based writer, who has also worked in sales and event coordination, has found that time and time again, vendors and clients have expected her to do work for free or for very low compensation. Some have called her disrespectful for pushing back, while others have assumed that her white colleagues were the ones in charge. The stereotype Ahmed refers to is an enduring one. The women in the study who attempted to speak out reported that others reacted with surprise or retaliation — like Ahmed, who says that she has lost business due to being outspoken. In the US, under-representation at senior leadership levels is linked more to racial stereotypes than to women dropping out of the workforce Credit: Alamy. These kinds of stereotypes are most prevalent in countries where Asians form a minority group.

The evolution and history of women in Asia coincide with the evolution and history of Asian continent itself. They also correspond with the cultures that developed within the region. Due to the patriarchal nature of traditional Armenian culture and society, [1] women in Armenia are often expected to be virtuous and submissive, to safeguard their virginity until marriage, and assume primarily domestic tasks. Traditional social norms and lagging economic development in Azerbaijan's rural regions continue to restrict women's roles in society and the economy, and there were reports that women had difficulty exercising their legal rights due to gender discrimination. Women in Cambodia, sometimes referred to as Khmer women , are supposed to be modest, soft-spoken, "light" walkers, well-mannered, [3] industrious, [4] belong to the household, act as the family's caregivers and caretakers [3] and financial comptrollers, [4] perform as the "preserver of the home", maintain their virginity until marriage, become faithful wives, [3] and act as advisors and servants to their husbands.

In China from very early times, men have been seen as the core of the family. When women enter the early historical record, it is often because they caused men problems. Some women schemed to advance their own sons when their husband had sons by several women.