SAUDI WOMEN'S RIGHTS IN SAUDI ARABIA

Saudi Women's Rights In Saudi Arabia

Table of Contents

Introduction3

Discussion3

Women's role in Saudi Arabia4

The rights to fight5

Women's Discrimination5

The Unhidden Truth6

Culture And Religious Factor7

Women's Status in the Middle East8

Islamic Beliefs and Women's Status8

The Changing Dimension for Saudi Women9

Restriction for Saudi Women10

Women's Political Status11

Conclusion11

References13

Women's right in Saudi Arabia

Introduction

The Middle East has been a focal point of American foreign policy, and international debates for many years. This papers seeks to understand why in some MENA (Middle Eastern and North African) countries women's rights and status have progressed, whereas in other countries, women have limited or virtually no rights and subordinate status. It focuses specifically on the influence that religion has on the social and political status of women. The goal of this project is to produce an in-depth examination of women's development in Saudi Arabia, mentioned in the modern era, to discover and discuss the relationship between traditions and change; culture vs. religion, emerging democracy vs. established democracy.

"Democracy" translates strangely in Saudi Arabia. One leap into freedom announced by the Saudis this week is enlarging the pool of princes from which the king can be chosen. Another is preventing the religious police from raiding people's houses to look for alcohol. However, in a society still just blinking itself awake from feudalism, you have to take your democracy where you can find it. Considering where Saudi Arabia has been, the changes announced by King Fahd are enormous reforms. The country now has a bill of rights, something it never had before. In addition, it will apply to expatriates in the country as well as the Saudis themselves (Handrahan, 2001).

Discussion

Saudi Arabia is a monarchy, but with an advanced economic base11. Saudi Arabia is an Islamic country and the wearing of a headscarf considered a woman's religious duty. A majority of the population believes that women only belong in the house and, familial tasks are the only tasks they should be serving. In fact, even in the house there are varying levels for women, depending on their role in the family, for example, as mother-in-law, unmarried daughter, etc. Moreover, legally women are not allowed to drive in the city. Women must be escorted in almost all parts of the city. Saudi Arabia is a place where culture and religion make women live mostly restricted segregated lives. In public, there are separate sections where they eat, work, and pray. All women must have a male guardian. Women cannot vote or be elected to high political positions. The World Economic Forum 2009 Global Gender Gap Report ranked Saudi Arabia 130th out of 134 countries for gender parity12. It was the only country to score a zero in the category of women's political empowerment (Ambah, 2004).

Women's role in Saudi Arabia

Gender relations and stereotypes about women are societal constructions that have been heavily influenced and reinforced by religion, especially Islam. “Islam fundamentally reformulated the nexus of sexuality and power between men and women (Ahmed, 45),” institutionalizing the idea that men were superior to ...