Stand up for Saudi Women
Dr. Khalid Alnowaiser
(DEBATE)
23 January 2010
23 January 2010
The subject of equality for women in Saudi Arabia is still one of
the most difficult and complex issues to be discussed. Although everyone has
the freedom to talk about all matters of life freely and easily, the subject of
women’s rights is entirely different and always needs to be considered
carefully.
Ignoring a frank and honest debate on this very
important subject, though, has led to the exclusion of women in playing an
active and effective role in the development of Saudi Arabia, especially when
women comprise half of society.
It is undisputed that a woman‘s status in the
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is very difficult. Due to ingrained cultural
traditions, Saudi women are not treated equally with men, and this has created
a significant impediment for the Kingdom’s development plans. As a
consequence, confusion and chaos have ensued, so that it has become very
difficult to distinguish between what is religiously mandated and what is required
due to Saudi social customs and traditions.
Islam clearly appreciates and defines women and
their role in life and work. Indeed, Islam does not advocate the old rigid
social customs and obsolete traditions, which have relegated women to the
status of second-class citizens. Unfortunately, customs and past
practices purporting to be based on Islam, have actually distorted the faith
throughout the world.
In reality, Islam treats men and women as equal
in many things. As the Qur’an says, “O mankind! We created you all
from male and female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know
each other. Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is the most
righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge and is well
acquainted (with all things).”
What we can understand from this verse is that
women and men are equal in everything, and the only thing that can
differentiate them is piety before Allah. In fact, a fair reading of the Qur’an
and Hadith proves that the problem is not with Islam, but it is in cultural
stereotypes that have dominated Saudi society for decades.
The absence of a clear boundary between
religious and secular thinking has led to the exploitation of the wrong habits
and traditions by men and, by extension, the entire society. Although
purporting to be based on Islam, men have used Islam as a tool to persecute and
belittle the role of women in Saudi society.
The strange thing is that men thought that by
marginalising and repressing women, they would elevate their status in the
society, when in reality all it does is increase their duties and burdens in
life. Men have become solely responsible for all these challenges,
when they are actually in need of assistance and contributions from
women.
As a consequence, the development of this
male-dominated society has resulted in an unfortunate increase in the number of
divorce cases, immorality, domestic violence, mental illness, and greater
health problems among men.
In Saudi Arabia today, women are still suffering
from the rigid constraints society has placed upon them, where men can control
them physically, psychologically, and mentally. For example, a woman
is limited to a narrow range of jobs which she is allowed to perform, in spite
of substantial efforts the government has instituted to expand employment
opportunities among women in the age of King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud,
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques.
Even though women work, they are still isolated
and controlled in all their actions and behaviour by men, and Saudi society
remains divided into two categories contrary to all other societies in the
world, male and female, although Islam has neither excluded nor restricted
women from work.
Unfortunately, male control of women has caused
the latter to be ignorant of their rights such as the rights to marry, divorce,
dowry, custody, inheritance, travel, and a right to drive. It is
absurd that Saudi women still cannot operate a motor vehicle without employing
foreign drivers to drive for them. Saudi women have also been prevented from
selling their clothes, while men are permitted to do so. What is the rationale
for such a contradiction? Is there any reason other than to keep men and women
entirely separate culturally?
Certainly, most Saudi women believe that
allowing women to drive a car is not one of the most important rights, but the
lack of decisive action to resolve this issue and allow half of Saudi society
to freely move around the country by motor vehicle is
disgraceful. This issue deserves immediate attention and quick
resolution by the government.
There is no doubt that the outmoded customs
making women subservient to men in the kingdom have dominated Saudi society and
allowed men to exploit this inequality in order to control women, confiscate
their rights, destroy their self-esteem, and kill their pride as human beings
entitled to equal rights and opportunities.
So what is the solution to this problem that
threatens to undermine future progress in Saudi Arabia? First, no
solution will be achieved without the full participation of women, and the
Kingdom is no different than any other country that strives to become more
civilised and to progress as a society.
Therefore, it is now time to create a special
independent body headed by women to discuss ways to help all Saudi women to
live, work, and express their opinions as fully as men. This body would strive
to spread a culture of women’s rights, defend and assist the appropriate
authorities to regulate and create laws to ensure all women’s rights are
preserved, and protect all legal, civil, social, and family
rights. It is up to each one of us to push for Saudi women to be
treated equally with men in all aspects of our society.
The establishment of a body charged with this
responsibility is an indispensable first step.
Dr. Khalid Alnowaiser is a Saudi lawyer and
columnist based in Jeddah.
