Violation of Women’s rights in Saudi Arabia

Despite the international efforts and approval of documents on women’s rights, violation of women’s rampant in some countries. Perhaps one can easily claim that one of the bleakest report cards in this regard is related to the Saudi regime.

Throughout history, women have sustained much oppression and deprived of many of their rights and basic freedoms. This paved the way for emergence of movements defending women’s rights. At the beginning of the 21^st century and as a result of endeavors by women’s movements and several activities in supporting women, safeguarding women’s rights notably developed. Since the end of world war two and the establishment of the United Nations whose duty is to preserve international peace and security and supporting human rights, the situation of women has been the theme of over 20 legal documents each of them reflecting a specific problem of women.

The 1979 convention called for removal of any discrimination against women and included major efforts for developing the situation of women in the world.

Till the end of 2004, the Saudi women did not have independent ID and their names were brought only in the father’s ID. Only then they got independent ID. But some pseudo-scholars like Abdul Aziz Al-Sheikh, insisting that showing the faces of women is haram, opposed against putting women’s photos on IDs.

The women in Hejaz are even denied of the right of voting. The Saudi regime declared that women cannot take part in voting in this country such as election of city councils. The court mullahs endorsed the regime’s decision and considered women’s voting as the source of “corruption”. For the past few months, the right of women’s presence in council elections was confirmed by the Saudi monarchy with many restrictions.

Saudi girls have always faced with certain restrictions for education. Although the regime in Riyadh has not banned education of girls, the presence of girls at schools and educational centers is very restricted. According to official figures, 55% of primary school students, 79% of the junior school students and 81% of high school students are boys. Traditional viewpoints in Arabia have caused many girls to leave the school at low ages. Studying of women in technical fields, engineering and law is prohibited.

In view of gender discrimination in educational facilities of Arabia, today many universities and educational institutes use remote training system based on the internet for educating women.

Home violence is one of the serious problems of women in Arabia. Women enjoy no support whatsoever in case of being beaten by men. Samar Badvi, after divorcing from her husband, returned to his father’s house. Her father severely beat her and finally Samar fled to the safe house of women in March 2008. Her father complained to the court on charges of what he called “disobedience”. But the complaint discontinued. In 2009, her father once again sued against her but Samar ignored the court summons and did not attend the court and this led to her detention. In this file, human rights activist Walid Abul-Khair assumed her defense.

Samar planned to marry again but her father prevented her marriage as her guardian. Samar sued to the court to retake the right of guardianship from her father.

In response, her father sued to the court for Samar’s disobedience. This complaint led to Samar’s imprisonment on the day of trial. Finally she was freed in October 2010 without trial. The reason for her freedom was a global campaign launched by human rights activists in Arabia and other countries which made the public opinion aware of her situation.

The ruling system in Arabia deters women from marriage, work and travel without permission of their male guardian. Badvi is the first woman in the country who during a historical file sued against her father due to abusing his authority.

In Arabia, women are not allowed to travel without being accompanied by a male known as Mahram.  

Over there, this law is implemented harshly and the women who are not accompanied with Mahram are not permitted to leave their house. This law is enforced both in trips within the country and abroad. Women without a Mahram are banned from entering many public places including banks, restaurants and shops. Restaurants usually have two separate parts for single individuals and families. The family sector has been divided in small rooms in which women can remove their veil and eat easily without entrance of Non-mahram.

Although in Arabia, working is not forbidden for women, there are many restrictions and women should take permission from the ministry of so-called Islamic affairs before starting working. This organization has enacted many rigid laws for employment of women. For instance, it has based employment of women on 5 conditions. It should be for gaining the required income for running a family. If the female job applicant cannot prove this, the ministry has the “right” to ban her working. Women’s working should be in a female environment and Non-mahram people do not have the right to enter. Based on this women can work in female schools, sewing workshops and women’s hospitals.

In Saudi laws, women are forbidden from working except at teachers or nurses. Women are allowed to teach girls and they are not allowed to teach boys. Nonetheless, participation of women in works is very restricted and they need official permission of husband or the guardian. The Wahhabi pseudo-scholars have declared as haram any job which causes relationship with Non-mahram men.

Prohibition and deprivation of women from taking political and social posts is another manifestation of discrimination against women. Employing women in many executive posts, ministries and offices is forbidden. Choosing women as judge is also prohibited in Arabia. Educated women cannot take part in economic activities. The rate of employment of women in Arabia in the recent years has not grown as such. Only 5% of educated women form the workforce in the country. This is the lowest rate of employment in the world.

Saudi women are even denied the right of driving. The high delegation of Arabia, by issuing a so-called fatwa in 1990 considered driving of women haram and since then. On August 24, 2006, the bill of a representative of the consultative assembly on giving the right of driving to women was rejected. The Saudi leaders insist that women’s driving is haram due to “creation of corruption and harming public chastity.” Those involved in Saudi traffic department also declared that the reason for banning driving of women is that if they keep their veil they cannot drive easily and this increases the possibility of car accidents. Manal Sharif as the first woman who has driven car in Arabia managed to drive for 8 minutes in Jeddah. The 8-minute video in the few first days attracted the attention of over half a million viewers. After a few days she was arrested and imprisoned by the religious police.

FK/RM/MG