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Why women in Saudi Arabia have a long way to go yet

fd24

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King Abdullah has announced that Saudi women will get the vote – but there's still much catching up for them to do

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia's ruler, King Abdullah, announced that women would be given the vote in the kingdom's municipal elections – starting in 2015. It's certainly a move in the right direction, although human rights campaigners caution that the promise has been made before but not acted upon. And the kingdom still has a long way to go when it comes to equality:

Male guardianship Every woman in Saudi Arabia must have a male guardian – usually a husband or father, sometimes a son. Essentially reduced to the status of a minor, an adult woman has to seek permission from her guardian to travel, work, marry or make many other decisions. The government has taken steps to reduce the power guardians have over some aspects of women's lives, but in practice many officials still demand to see proof of permission. "This is the major issue to be resolved for women in Saudi Arabia," says Nadya Khalife, women's rights researcher at Human Rights Watch.

Employment Saudi women make up 58% of graduates, but only 14% of the workforce, and usually in professions deemed "suitable" (the most common is teaching). There are no female judges, for instance. In 2010, the government announced female lawyers would be allowed to practise (until now, law graduates had only been allowed to give legal advice) in specially constituted courts where they could represent other women. Many employers still use the excuse that Saudi society is strictly gender segregated as a reason not to employ women.

Violence It is believed that huge numbers of rapes go unreported because of women's fears of punishment (the woman could be found to have flouted sex segregation rules) and bringing "shame" on their family. Rape within marriage is not recognised. "In reporting these crimes [at the police station], women have to take their male guardian with them, who may very well be the same person who is assaulting them," says Khalife.

Driving Although unenforced in many rural areas, women are not allowed to drive.

Back to the stone age?? Does Abdullah want us to pat him on his back and thank him for his generosity towards women?


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/sep/26/saudi-arabia-women-equal-rights
 
Most of the report you said is wrong. while some is yes true but it is clearly over exaggerated.

Things don't happen over night. The Shoura is a powerful body in Saudi Arabia and its reputation of being useless is usually carried over from the last king era.

Having women in the Shoura means that most of these problems will change not just driving. If King Abdullah gave them the right to drive and that's it the entire world will be yey now saudi is cool and move on but what he did was give Women a say in changing the government's rules and laws. The next Shoura council cycle will be in one year and 4 months. After one year and 4 months people would have loosened up significantly till then.

Besides in a month or so the Shoura will hold the women driving issue to study it comprehensively (In other word they will be allowing it) before even the next Shoura cycle. I am 100% sure that they will come up with the ruling of establishing the infra structure for women driving meaning female driving schools etc.
 
Also it is not Women vs Men type of situation it is New vs Old type of situation.

We have people who are now going on a rampage how "All is Lost" just because of this. And on other hand we have people who say "Not good enough" And rarely you will find someone in between. So in order to get to the "New" Without having another Grand Mosque Seizure scenario it has to come gradually....Like a virgin's first time sort to speak.
 
Most of the report you said is wrong. while some is yes true but it is clearly over exaggerated.

Things don't happen over night. The Shoura is a powerful body in Saudi Arabia and its reputation of being useless is usually carried over from the last king era.

Having women in the Shoura means that most of these problems will change not just driving. If King Abdullah gave them the right to drive and that's it the entire world will be yey now saudi is cool and move on but what he did was give Women a say in changing the government's rules and laws. The next Shoura council cycle will be in one year and 4 months. After one year and 4 months people would have loosened up significantly till then.

Besides in a month or so the Shoura will hold the women driving issue to study it comprehensively (In other word they will be allowing it) before even the next Shoura cycle. I am 100% sure that they will come up with the ruling of establishing the infra structure for women driving meaning female driving schools etc.

With respect its 2011 brother. You think the world should be grateful that these sacrifices are being made by the Shoura? I think we are both aware internationally Saudis are embarrassingly behind in what they allow women to do.
I believe what women go through with giving birth and loving and giving part of their life to the children they should have more rights.
 
Star√ation;2140818 said:
What makes those Saudi Arabia males so keen in sexual discrimination toward their counterparts?

Believe it or not some women are opposing this thing lol. While a lot of men are joyful about the new rules. It is not Men vs Women it is people who want to open up and people who are too afraid of change.
 
With respect its 2011 brother. You think the world should be grateful that these sacrifices are being made by the Shoura? I think we are both aware internationally Saudis are embarrassingly behind in what they allow women to do.
I believe what women go through with giving birth and loving and giving part of their life to the children they should have more rights.

2011 or 2111 The situation on the ground is what dictates the outcome. I am not against Women's rights I would love it to have a Female Saudi foreign minister etc. But I also know my country. People all over the world and all over history are afraid of change. Making powerful changes all in once in a situation people have lived in for hundreds of years will be faced by heavy resistance.
Take the American civil war for example. Abraham Lincoln passed a bill that says all slaves are free and he got a civil war on his hands the next day. But doses of change in any society should be slow.

Another Example is Iran and its revolution the Shah ordered changes too quickly and look what happened to him.
 
King Abdullah has announced that Saudi women will get the vote – but there's still much catching up for them to do

On Sunday, Saudi Arabia's ruler, King Abdullah, announced that women would be given the vote in the kingdom's municipal elections – starting in 2015. It's certainly a move in the right direction, although human rights campaigners caution that the promise has been made before but not acted upon. And the kingdom still has a long way to go when it comes to equality:

Male guardianship Every woman in Saudi Arabia must have a male guardian – usually a husband or father, sometimes a son. Essentially reduced to the status of a minor, an adult woman has to seek permission from her guardian to travel, work, marry or make many other decisions. The government has taken steps to reduce the power guardians have over some aspects of women's lives, but in practice many officials still demand to see proof of permission. "This is the major issue to be resolved for women in Saudi Arabia," says Nadya Khalife, women's rights researcher at Human Rights Watch.

Employment Saudi women make up 58% of graduates, but only 14% of the workforce, and usually in professions deemed "suitable" (the most common is teaching). There are no female judges, for instance. In 2010, the government announced female lawyers would be allowed to practise (until now, law graduates had only been allowed to give legal advice) in specially constituted courts where they could represent other women. Many employers still use the excuse that Saudi society is strictly gender segregated as a reason not to employ women.

Violence It is believed that huge numbers of rapes go unreported because of women's fears of punishment (the woman could be found to have flouted sex segregation rules) and bringing "shame" on their family. Rape within marriage is not recognised. "In reporting these crimes [at the police station], women have to take their male guardian with them, who may very well be the same person who is assaulting them," says Khalife.

Driving Although unenforced in many rural areas, women are not allowed to drive.

Back to the stone age?? Does Abdullah want us to pat him on his back and thank him for his generosity towards women?

Who wrote this master piece? any links?

BTW.. in some cultures women are simply unwanted, they are killed before their birth or immediately after birth, those who survived the baby butchering are burned alive with their dead husbands and are forced to dirt their heads with husband's foot dirt... or are sent to abroad to work as maids for the so called victimized women of Saudi Arabia.

---------- Post added at 12:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:05 PM ----------

long way to go, but still this one is better than nogthing, at least they have put a small step in the right direction.

What are you doing to women in Afghanistan?

Giving women right of vote is not every thing.... important is they shall be free to vote.. in Afghanistan not even men are free to vote!!!
 
Who wrote this master piece? any links?

BTW.. in some cultures women are simply unwanted, they are killed before their birth or immediately after birth, those who survived the baby butchering are burned alive with their dead husbands and are forced to dirt their heads with husband's foot dirt... or are sent to abroad to work as maids for the so called victimized women of Saudi Arabia.

---------- Post added at 12:08 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:05 PM ----------


Who wrote this master piece.

IS it neccessary to bring Evil Bhartis here.
 
"...an adult woman has to seek permission from her guardian to travel, work, marry or make many other decisions. "
That's wonderful! I wish it could be like that everywhere. Good work, Saudis. Don't let that change.
 
"...an adult woman has to seek permission from her guardian to travel, work, marry or make many other decisions. "
That's wonderful! I wish it could be like that everywhere. Good work, Saudis. Don't let that change.

She should be able to Travel without permission and about working they don't need papers for it or anything just another thing of the past haunting us and about marriage it is not just Women also Men must seek the permission from their fathers or uncles to get married and this is Islamic Marriage rules for Both the fathers of both the bride and groom must be present when the "Book is written" sort to speak.
 
Travel overseas you mean? On her own, without a maHram? Travel's hard as it is, why add to it?

Marriage is another issue, let's not bundle it within the same post. That said, we in pakistan generally follow fiqh ul Hanafii, which does not obligate a waalii...well if the bride and her father differ, the state steps in as the waalii in lieu of the father in the bride's favour...some technical stuff I don't really know about and can't enlighten you more about.
 

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