Will Inferior Status of Women in Islam ever change?

[Shahzad]

I am writing a paper on the politics of global gender equality, and am hoping to receive many replies on this thread. My perspective on the status of women is that of a Canadian, that the only part of the woman inferior to the man is physical strength.

In 1947, the Universal Charter of Rights and Freedoms was ratified by most member countries of the United Nations, but the delegates from Saudi Arabia and other Arab states refused to acknowledge certain details. Articles 16 and 18 refer to individual freedom of choice of marriage and religion, respectively. The Saudi delegate claimed (probably correctly) that the authors of the draft had for the most part only taken into consideration Western values and traditions. He stated that the exchange and control of women, and restriction of female marriage choice was essential to the patriarchal culture they maintained.

Apparently some Middle Eastern countries have begun to adopt slightly more liberal practises concerning the rights of women. However, I am wondering whether the equal status of women in Western countries will ever be attained by Muslim women in Islamic states, and in a modern global society what the reasoning is for their oppression? I'd like my research to include source opinion, so I thank you for any replies.