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Eight things women still can't do in Saudi Arabia (and this is still one of our allies???)
Eight things women still can't do in Saudi Arabia
King Salman has promised many reforms for female citizens but important decisions a woman in Saudi Arabia still cannot make for herself include the ability to marry, travel or seek medical treatment
Saudi Arabia women arrive to a rally to celebrate the 87th annual National Day of Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on 23 September 2017 REUTERS
The news that King Salman of Saudi Arabia has issued a royal decree finally giving women in the conservative Kingdom the right to drive was met with celebration both inside the country and across the globe. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that does not allow women to drive. The issue has come to represent all of the human rights abuses Saudi women suffer under the Kingdoms male guardianship system, which gives a womans husband, son or father control over almost all aspects of her life.
Womens issues have always been used by the Saudi regime at the right moment in order to disperse bad publicity, Madawi al-Rasheed, a Saudi Arabian professor of social anthropology at the London School of Economics, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme on Wednesday. We talk about driving as if it is the most important thing - it is important for the womens movement... but there are certain legal restrictions that are still in place [that are also a pressing issue], she added. Its a long struggle and a long road to serious equality. King Salman and crown prince Mohammed bin Salman have implemented Vision 2030, a long-term blueprint of economic and social reforms designed to modernise Saudi Arabia and wean itself off reliance on oil revenue.
While there has been promise of several reforms for female citizens so far just a handful of the important decisions a woman in Saudi Arabia still cannot make for herself include:
Marry:
Permission to marry must be granted by your wali, or guardian. Women who seek to marry foreigners must obtain approval to do by the ministry of interior, and marriage to non-Muslims is so difficult as to be impossible.
. . . .
Seek important medical treatment
Even life-saving operations and procedures require the written signature of a male relative.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabia-womens-rights-driving-ban-lifted-marriage-custody-bank-accounts-travel-medical-a7969551.html
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Eight things women still can't do in Saudi Arabia (and this is still one of our allies???) (Original Post)
niyad
Oct 2017
OP
Westend women should boycott traveling there and American businesses should pull out.
BigmanPigman
Oct 2017
#1
BigmanPigman
(51,627 posts)1. Westend women should boycott traveling there and American businesses should pull out.
This is a human rights issue.
niyad
(113,553 posts)3. it certainly is
guillaumeb
(42,641 posts)2. But Saudi Arabia is a US military ally.
And oil producer. So in any listing or ranking of important issues, are the rights of women obviously ranked below military and economic relationships?
So it seems.
niyad
(113,553 posts)4. actually, I am surprised that women's rights rank at all.
AmandaRuth
(3,105 posts)5. allies?
more like oillies
niyad
(113,553 posts)6. snort!!!!!