Women's Rights In saudi arabia, explained

Why Do Women Veil Themselves?

The full covering of women is required in Saudi Arabia, and enforced by the religious police. All versions of Islam encourage women to dress modestly, covering her hair and body, but Saudi Arabia requires women, even visitors, to follow a much more conservative dress code. Women must wear an abaya in public, a floor-length, traditionally black outer garment worn over street clothes to hide the curves of a woman. The abaya is then worn with a hijab (headscarf), a niqab (which leaves a slit for the eyes), or a burqa (covers the body from head to toe with mesh for the eyes). This dress code is not just a suggestion, but a legal requirement.

Women must follow these strict codes in public, and even around male relatives, but there is still some room for expression with makeup and accessories. Many women have even found ways to personalize their abaya. Stores have appeared all over Saudi Arabia selling abayas of different colors and patterns, rather than the traditional black. There is no code for the shoes women have to wear, so under their abayas, Saudi women can wear sneakers, heels, or sandals. According to the Economist, “The Accessory business (in Saudi Arabia) is Booming." Expensive purses, jewelry and sunglasses allow for some sense of individuality when all women are required by law to all dress the same.

How Do Women in Saudi Arabia Respond to These Restrictions?

Although one cannot tell the story of a common experience of being a women in Saudi Arabia with only a few accounts, these can help offer insight as to how women view the restrictions that are placed on them. Testimonies from over a dozen Saudi women published in “New York Magazine,” illuminate/reveal/show a common view of frustration in the ways that they are restricted, though it is important to keep in mind that this is just a small window into the experience of women in Saudi Arabia, and may not reflect of the views of all women.

Many of the women in these interviews are vocal about their frustration regarding education and job opportunity. One woman, for example, was selected out of thousands of applicants to study abroad, but her father (and guardian) would not accompany her, and therefore, she could not go. Furthermore, despite being highly educated, she was unemployed because she could not apply for jobs where she would work with men because her father and brothers would not allow her, and the female-only fields such as teaching and bank telling were extremely competitive.

When the women featured in the interview were asked about the first time they realized women were treated differently than men, the majority of them replied that they made this realization sometime in high school. As young girls, many of these women accepted the system as it was, assuming that their guardian always had their best interest at heart, but as they grew into young adults, many of them became more aware of how restricted they really were. One woman recounted a time she needed to print something at the library, but her brothers refused to come, so she went anyways. When she returned home, she was beaten, despite being from a more “open-minded” Saudi family.

However, the feeling of oppression is not the only view women in Saudi Arabia have. While the Saudi Regime severely limits the rights women have, it would be unfair to state that all women are opposed to these ultra traditional gender roles (Ahmed). One woman expressed, “A lot of women talk about not being able to do the same things men can here, but I feel it’s the other way around: men my age can’t do what I do. They can’t have the carefree, stress-free life that I enjoy because they’re too busy having careers and feeding their families.” Another woman expressed, “I love everything about living in Saudi Arabia: the way everyone is adorned in abaya, the way men respect us women, the fact that our holy place (Mecca) is just few hours away." These practices become oppressive when it is not the woman’s choice, but rather enforced by the government.

How does the Saudi Government Work?

The Saudi Government operates under a monarchy, ruled by the Āl Sa‘ūd family. The primary source of legislation is the Sharī ‘ah (Islamic Law), however the actual implementation of these laws and policies is also strongly influenced by intertribal politics, and the inner politics of the ruling family.

On March 1, 1992, after nearly 60 years of independence, the king formulated and passed a document known as the Basic Laws of Government . It is largely based on the Qur'an and the life and traditions of Mohammed. Therefore, much of, if not all, Saudi law is based on their Islamic roots.

The Āl Sa‘ūd family’s status was secured by their close ties to the Wahhābī religious establishment . This religious movement began when Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhāb, the founder of the movement, preached his ideas of “conservative religious reformation based on a strict moral code." The Wahhābī interpretation of Sunni Islam has been extremely influential in both social and political spheres. The commander in chief of the Wahhābī forces, ‘Abd al-‘Azīz, continuously worked alongside Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhāb. ‘Abd al-‘Azīz, later accompanied by his son Sa ‘ūd, focused on expanding his empire, while Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhāb controlled the civil administration of the country. Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhāb’s alliance with the Sa ‘ūd family aided in the establishment of the Sa ‘ūdī state. Essentially, the relationship that Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Wahhāb formed with the Sa ‘ūd family has lasted for generations, and allows for the state supported oppression of women through strict interpretations of the Quran.

What Role Does Religion Play in Saudi Government?

Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam, with 93% of the population being Muslim. Saudi Arabia also holds great significance for Muslim people for other reasons, particularly because it is the home of two of Islam’s holiest cities: Mecca, where the Prophet Muhammad was born, and Medina, where he is buried (Fahmy). Religion has influence on everything in Saudi Arabia, especially in politics.

Wahhabism helped to establish and consolidate the first Saudi Kingdom, and has since been the ideology behind the laws and practices of the country. Wahhabism originated from the teachings of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, and calls for “the literal interpretation of the Quran and strict enforcement of religious codes and practices." The Wahhabi society is led by men, and the decisions on women's rights are made by these men. Wahhabism is completely ingrained in Saudi government to this day. Abd al-Wahhab’s decendents still maintain control over the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Islamic Affairs. These ideals are upheld in Saudi government by clerics who control the judiciary, and a government funded force known as the religious police.

Many discriminatory practices against women are based on certain portions of the Quran, because of the government's strict interpretation of the text. Saudi Arabia’s interpretation of Shariah law is much more restrictive than many other Islamic countries For example, many Muslim Scholars argue that there are many sections of the Quran that advocate for the equality of men and women. For example, one section states, “be you male or female -- you are equal to one another” (Qur’an, 3:195). For this reason, many scholars believe that the oppression of women in Saudi Arabia is not due to religious factors. The director of the American Muslim Studies Program at Georgetown University stated:

Basically it's a cultural issue, It's not Islam...If it was Islamic, then it should be all in 57 Muslim countries and Muslims living all over the world, and they don't have these type of problems. It's very much a Saudi-specific issues.

The “Saudi-specific” issues that Dr. Zahid Bukhari speaks of explains that the Saudi Government uses religion as support for the oppression of women, but no other Muslim countries are this restrictive, disproving the idea that this oppression of women is supported by Islam.

What Is In Store for the Future?

However this all might change under the influence of Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman. Mohammed bin Salman, has a more modern take on issues of women’s rights, however, Madawi al-Rasheed reporter for the the Middle East Eye has stated, "Saudi women need a political solution that guarantees their safety, rather than simply a state that allows them to attend football matches, circuses, and cinemas." He has felt the immense amount of international pressure to rethink Saudi policies on women, however, at the same time, he does not want to do anything too radical. In lifting the ban on women driving, bin Salman hoped to gain recognition for helping women gain more rights, without actually doing anything. Although the lift on the ban was a huge stride, women driving does not accomplish as much as one would think. Women still cannot travel without their guardian, so the lift of the ban is somewhat more of a publicity stunt for bin Salman to respond to the pressure he has faced.

Feminism in the “New” Saudi Arabia

The fight for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia has been very prevalent under New Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman. In recent years, many activists have been detained for their work with various with human rights organizations. One high profile Saudi feminist, Loujain al-Hathloul, made a name for herself after she was arrested many times for her prominent role in ending the ban on women driving." Just before the ban was lifted, a group of activists were detained with the charge of “acting as foreign agents and working to undermine the security of Saudi Arabia." Their detainment and trials shed light on the “contradictions in the new Saudi approach to women’s rights." Saudi Prince bin Salman did not want to share credit for the strides on modernizing policies on women with the many activists that were behind the ban on driving being lifted.

Restrictions and policies on women in Saudi Arabia are too deep rooted in culture, religion, and government to be overturned anytime soon, however, giving women some form of advocacy in their lives is necessary. The root of most restriction lies in the strict guardianship system under Saudi law, which is why that must be the first practice reviewed for women to have the rights activists are lobbying for.