In Saudi Arabia, rights of men and women differ to a large extent. Men possess all scope of rights as people in other countries, whereas women`s rights are rather limited, their role in social, cultural, economic and political lives of Saudi Arabia ranges from minimum to middle. This paper will mostly concentrate on role of women in Saudi Arabian society and will compare position of Saudi Arabian women and place of men in this country.
Journalists dubbed Saudi Arabia as the world's largest women's prison (Gorney, “The Changing Face of Saudi Women”). There is an opinion that Saudi Arabian men are assured that they are superior and behave accordingly. The authority of the Saudi male is unlimited. He punishes and shows mercy, decides whether his wife and children will live. These are most wide-spread opinions about society in Saudi Arabia. There are reasons for such a consideration, however, under no account this can be regarded as absolute truth. There are many rules that regulate rights of Saudi women better than women in other parts of the world, including even European or American women. For example, rights of men and women to decide about marriage are equal, so a woman can any time refuse a marriage offer. Norms of Islam prescribe that a husband shall care for his wife and give her anything that she wants, no matter how expensive it is if the family can afford it. Wealth of Saudi Arabian men gives their wives opportunities to live happy lives, when there is no need to go to work every day (Gorney, “The Changing Face of Saudi Women”).
Family support in Saudi society has a tremendous power. For example, if a woman gets widowed, her husband's brother considers it his duty to marry her and protect. This cannot be done in other well-developed countries of the world. Saudi women have a right to get a decent education, attend any university they wish if this goes along with the norms of Islam as long as she is no married. Once married, she is either prohibited from work or simply has n time for this taking into account habits of Saudi Arabian families to have many children (Gorney, “The Changing Face of Saudi Women”).
Despite the fact that public relations between women and men in Saudi Arabia are very limited, and women there have fewer rights than duties, many Saudi women are quite satisfied with such conditions. Under their black abaya, there are often hidden from public best fashion clothes and expensive jewelry (Gorney, “The Changing Face of Saudi Women”). Their husbands contain the whole staff of servants in order to facilitate the life of their wives. Prohibition on education had long been removed. Since 2011, Saudi women have been granted suffrage (Gorney, “The Changing Face of Saudi Women”). Alternative means of communication through technology allow Saudi women somehow successfully feel themselves a part of Saudi society.
Still, the vast majority of characteristics of women`s lives in the Saudi Arabia can be considered as those which violate human rights of Saudi women. Further this will be discussed in the paper.
There is no country in the world with such a separation of men and women as in Saudi Arabia. Women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to use public transport, elevators common with men. Entrances to restaurants in Saudi Arabia are equipped with separate entrances and exits for men and women, as well hotels with separate rooms for couples and men.
Women in Saudi Arabia make up only 17% of the workforce. In comparison, their share in the UAE labor force is over 40% (Breslin 115). Every second working Saudi woman has a higher education. It is worth noting that the quality of education for women is much lower than for men (Breslin 115).
Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that completely suppresses any manifestation of women's sports. Until 2008, the country was not represented by women at the Olympic Games, despite the fact that there have always been women's sports teams. Only in June 2012, the Saudi female athletes were admitted to the Olympic Games in England (Breslin 137).
Since 2013, women in Saudi Arabia obtained a permission to ride bicycles and motorcycles that had been previously strictly forbidden. Needless to say, that female cyclists must be completely bundled up in abaya and be accompanied by a guardian (Breslin 137). Situation is much worse with driving cars. According to local regulations, women cannot drive a car, although this prohibition is widely violated in the Saudi countryside (Breslin 138).
Perhaps the worst thing in the lives of Saudi women is that the legislation does not protect them from domestic violence and gender discrimination. When Saudi women accuse their husbands of beating – this is not considered as a proof of his guilt. A Saudi woman, who claims of rape or sexual harassment, will not only receive government support, but will be accused of provoking the incident, misconduct or clandestine sexual relations (Breslin 140).
All these examples of discrimination against Saudi women and full scope of granted rights to Saudi men largely affect country`s profile and cause millions of people all over the world believe that Saudi women are not treated well, which is often true. Such drastic differences between rights of men and women in Saudi Arabia can only harm the country`s positions on the world arena which may bring various repercussions, starting with absence of international tourists and finishing with political isolation of Saudi Arabia by the rest of the developed humanistic world.
Works Cited
Breslin, J. Women's Rights in the Middle East and North Africa: Progress Amid Resistance. Freedom House, 2014. Print.
Gorney, C. “The Changing Face of Saudi Women”. nationalgeographic.com. 13 Jan. 2016. Web. 3 Mar. 2016
