Mona Eltahawy

To write about the hijab is to step into a minefield. Even among those who share my cultural and faith background, opinions veer from those who despise it as a symbol of backwardness to those for whom religion begins and ends with that piece of cloth.

Egyptian Journalist

James Buchan

It is time to end the western policy of malign neglect. It is in the interest of the whole world to help tackle the actual grievances in Palestine, Kashmir, and in central and southern Iraq, and to help the region out of its economic backwardness.

British Novelist

Mohammad Javad Zarif

It's almost impossible to have security at the expense of insecurity of others. It's almost impossible to have prosperity when there is a huge problem of poverty and backwardness all over the world.

Iranian Public Servant

Mikhail Gorbachev

Political leaders still think things can be done through force, but that cannot solve terrorism. Backwardness is the breeding ground of terror, and that is what we have to fight.

Statesman

Hussein of Jordan

The link between peace and stability on the one hand, and social and economic growth on the other, is dialectic. Peace, poverty, and backwardness cannot mix in one region.

Jordanian Royalty

Li Keqiang

Poverty and backwardness in the midst of clear waters and verdant mountains is no good, nor is it to have prosperity and wealth while the environment deteriorates.

Chinese Politician

Atal Bihari Vajpayee

We are unnecessarily wasting our precious resources in wars... if we must wage war, we have to do it on unemployment, disease, poverty, and backwardness.

Indian Statesman

Ronald Reagan

The totalitarian world produces backwardness because it does such violence to the spirit, thwarting the human impulse to create, to enjoy, to worship.

American President

Backwardness implies comparison, showing a gap in progress between regions or groups.

Relative Progress

The term may carry a negative judgement, suggesting that the subject should improve.

Often Negative

Backwardness can reflect social and economic factors, not just technology.

Socioeconomic Context

Backwardness in learning suggests a need for additional support or resources.

Personal Development

Be cautious to not stigmatize individuals when describing their learning gaps.

Avoid Stigmatization

Backwardness can be specific to an area of study rather than general intellect.

Subject Specific

 compatible with all the other, larger countries, we must achieve excellence. And one of the signs of removing backwardness is to remove the squatters and house everybody in housing.