Saudi Arabian Women’s Rights- A Final Report

Throughout the semester I have been researching Saudi Arabian women’s rights. My knowledge about the daily lives of women in Saudi Arabia, and their fight for equality, has grown immensely. I have been amazed and horrified at some of the information I have found. This post, my final blog post, will summarize my findings starting from the first blog to now and, delve further into analyzing how this issue relates to globalization, the Arab Spring and the five perspectives on globalization.

For my first blog post, I focused on the general concepts of women’s rights in Saudi Arabia. Having approached the topic with little to no knowledge I needed to do some fundamental research. I knew very little about the rules and regulations that are imposed on these women on a daily basis. The first item I discussed in my blog is a list of eleven things women in Saudi Arabia can’t do, from The Week. These rules include but aren’t limited to: vote in elections, drive a car and try on clothes when shopping. I was surprised at the laws imposed on these women. The second item I discussed on my blog is a video from the Economist titled Women’s Rights in Saudi Arabia: Driving Change. Women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, although very primitive, are changing. Women are starting to be able to go out in public without being accompanied by a man. There is also a huge change in the work force. Prices are rising and men can no longer afford to be the only source of income in their homes, allowing women to work in places they were initially forbidden from working in, such as law offices. We read a chapter in Battle for the Arab Spring, regarding the advances Tunisia has made and how they accomplished such advances. With access to the Tunisian League of Human Rights and Tunisian General Union of Labour, activists had a lot more to work with than Saudi Arabian activists. I hope that one day Saudi Arabia will be able to make the changes they so greatly desire. The Arab Spring has been expressed as a wave of popular uprisings against an oppressive government or ruler. In regards to Saudi Arabia women’s rights, I feel that a big issue does not simply reside with governmental restrictions but with tradition and culture. Cultural norms are strongly dictating what is right and wrong for women.

For my second blog posting I focused on King Abdullah and the changes he brought to Saudi Arabia. A key article I posted in this blog is titled “Did Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Have a Soft Sport for Women’s Progress?”. This article discusses both the subtle and not so subtle changes that were made for women’s rights during Kind Abdullah’s reign. An important change that was made is an increase in employment for women. Although women still struggle to find work in certain fields, women’s employment has skyrocketed from 50,000 to over 450,000 in a mere five years span. Change in Saudi Arabian women’s rights is slow but there is progress. I feel that the Arab Spring and it’s success in areas such as Tunisia is a driving force for change in Saudi Arabia, giving hope to protesters that if you act change will come. With the protesters in the Arab Spring standing up for what they believe in, it is leading women to do the same. So how are the people of Saudi Arabia protesting? For my third blog I answered this question.

Social media is a driving force for Saudi Arabian women’s rights. The first article I discussed on this blog post is from Twitter. The Twitter account is centered around women’s rights in Arab Nations. The user posts about current issues in places with severe women’s rights problems such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia.  The second article I posted is of a You Tube video. In this video, a woman named Wajeha Al-Huwaider is sending a message to Saudi women about the need for women’s rights to be changed. She makes this statement while driving a car, which is a banned act for women to do in Saudi Arabia. Both of these links show activists using social media to campaign for women’s rights. Social media has made a huge impact for women’s rights activists and activist all over the world for many different issues. Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and I’m sure many other forms of social media are used on a daily basis to spread information about issues and to aid in protest. Throughout the semester we have covered many readings involving the use of social media to bring about awareness and make a change. For example, the death of Khaled Said, which was covered in both Battle for the Arab Spring and Diaries of an Unfinished Revolution.

For another blog posting I decided to focus on the differing perspective had by women in Saudi Arabia in regards to women’s rights. The first article I am posting comes from CNN. The article discusses 3 different women and their perspectives and contributions to the fight for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia. One woman, named Rawda al Youssef, is for the laws that many feel are oppressing women. She states it allows them to live a life of privilege and pampering and went on to create a campaign entitled ” My Guardian Knows What’s Best for Me”. The other women discussed in the article fight the laws that are oppressing them. The second article I am posting is from a page dedicated to women’s rights in Saudi Arabia. This site lists in general the different views had by women in Saudi Arabia of their restrictive laws. The article includes those opposed, those for, and also the views of women who travel to Saudi Arabia for work in areas such as oil fields. Both articles discuss the varying views of the reform and the laws that are currently limiting the lives of women in Saudi Arabia. Upon reading both articles I was intrigued to see the varying perspectives on how women perceive their rights. The articles give me a respect for the women that do not wish for a reform as well as those fighting for change. It is interesting to see the argument from both sides. It is hard to imagine such oppressive laws being seen as life of pampering instead of that of oppression. This debate, although different, reminds me of the differing opinions seen in the film The Square, that we watched in class. Different political and religious views as well as a simple way of life have an impact on the changes that people want to see for their nations. What is seen as a humanitarian issue in some places is simply a way of life for others. Some people have become accustom to their way of life and are not wanting or willing to change. However, the push for change is not only important for equality but also for health reasons.

For another blog entry I chose to discuss women’s health in Saudi Arabia and how it relates to education. The first article I found discusses gender inequity in Saudi Arabia and it’s relationship to health.  Gender inequity in Saudi Arabia leads to many issues regarding health and education. More women than men are illiterate due to the young ages that women can be married and forced to turn into stay at home moms. There are also limitations on women exercising in school and public places, increasing the rate of obesity for women. Additionally, there are issues involving access to healthcare for women. The second article I found discusses the rights women have to healthcare in Saudi Arabia. According to this article it is a misconception that women have to obtain permission from their legal guardian to receive medical treatment but they still go untreated. Women have the right to health care but are unaware of this right so, they do not try to seek medical attention without approval from their guardian. Many doctors are also unaware of this right or fear the possible repercussions from the guardian if they perform a procedure without consent. Both articles discuss health care and women’s rights. Women are suffering greatly in Saudi Arabia from health issues such as obesity and cancer. Both of these issues could be combatted and or treated faster if women in Saudi Arabia were given more rights and access to being educated about the rights they currently possess. In the chapter in the book Controversies in Globalization discussing women’s rights in developing nations, education is discussed as a main priority. If women were to be more educated on their rights to healthcare without a guardian, many health issues would be resolved and many women suffering from conditions could be treated. Women should be educated in regards to what their rights are, even in countries such as Saudi Arabia where their rights are limited.

For my last blog entry I decided to focus in on the social media pages of some of the Saudi Arabia women advocating for equality. The first article is about a woman that was arrested for driving.  The woman, named Loujain Al Hathloul, drove illegally and was stopped by police. The police took her passport and refused to let her drive. She took to Twitter posting throughout the day about the experience as she sat in her car until she was arrested. The event brought major national and global attention to the issue of Saudi Arabian women’s rights. The second article is a twitter page entitled @womens_rights. The account focuses on women’s rights in general throughout the Arab nations. She posts new information and discusses current events in women’s rights as she calls for change and voices a disproval for women’s inequality. Much like in chapter 9, The Media Revolution, from Battle for the Arab Spring, twitter has been a major driving force for activists. In The Media Revolution, Syrian activists harnessed Twitter to criticize the regime and rally protesters. In Saudi Arabia, women and men are using Twitter to spread awareness of the inequality women are facing. The use of Twitter has greatly impacted the battle for women’s rights by spreading information in the form of tweets about current events.

With the vast cry from social media, I feel that many of my authors would fall under the cosmopolitan perspective on globalization. With the aid of technologies and it’s increasing popularity, words are being spread faster, advocating for change. Additionally, many of the authors recognize certain disparities hindering the change such as the generational gap, further placing them under the cosmopolitan perspective. I hope that the use of social media will help bridge this gap and create change for women in Saudi Arabia.

Twitter and Saudi Arabian Women’s Rights

For this blog entry I have found 3 different sources. The first article is about the one of the women that I have previously mentioned that was arrested for driving. This article, from the Times, discusses the transition seen in Saudi Arabia after the death of Kind Abdullah. It specifically discusses the story of a woman, named Loujain Al Hathloul, who drove illegally and was stopped by police. The police took her passport and refused to let her drive. She took to Twitter posting throughout the day about the experience as she sat in her car until she was arrested. The second article is a twitter page entitled @womens_rights. The account focuses on women’s rights in general throughout the Arab nations. She posts new information and discusses current events in women’s rights. The third article is an interview with Princess Reema Bint Bandar Al-saud and her views on technology. She feels it that social media is a strong driving force. What people say is heard immediately. It is making a very positive impact. Much like in chapter 9, The Media Revolution, from Battle for the Arab Spring, twitter has been a major driving force for activists. In The Media Revolution, Syrian activists harnessed Twitter to criticize the regime and rally protesters. In Saudi Arabia, women and men are using Twitter to spread awareness of the inequality women are facing. The use of Twitter has greatly impacted the battle for women’s rights by spreading information in the form of tweets about current events.

Women’s Health in Saudi Arabia

The first article I found discusses gender inequity in Saudi Arabia and it’s relationship to health.  Gender inequity in Saudi Arabia leads to many issues regarding health and education. More women than men are illiterate due to the young ages that women can be married and forced to turn into stay at home moms. There are also limitations on women exercising in school and public places increasing the rate of obesity for women. Additionally, there are issues involving access to healthcare for women. The second article I found discusses specifically the rights women have to healthcare in Saudi Arabia. According to this article it is a misconception that women have to obtain permission from their legal guardian to receive medical treatment but they still go untreated. Women have the right to health care but are unaware of this right so they do not try to seek medical attention without approval from their guardian. Many doctors are also unaware of this right or fear the possible repercussions from the guardian if they perform a procedure without consent. Both articles discuss health care and women’s rights. Women are suffering greatly in Saudi Arabia from health issues such as obesity and cancer. Both of these issues could be combatted and or treated faster if women in Saudi Arabia were given more rights and access to being educated about the rights they currently possess. In the chapter in the book Controversies in Globalization discussing women’s rights in developing nations, education is discussed as a main priority. If women were to be more educated on their rights to healthcare without a guardian, many health issues would be resolved and, many women suffering from conditions could be treated. Women should be educated of their rights, even in countries such as Saudi Arabia where their rights are limited.

Saudi Women Driving and Economy

The first link I found is to a video about Saudi women driving. The video discusses what a woman, named Sarah Burke, she has witnesses as a correspondent in the middle east. She discusses laws that women are forced to follow as well as the changes that are slowly beginning to take hold, specifically in regards to Saudi women driving and how the limit on driving restricts every aspect of life. The second article I found is about Saudi Arabia announcing to women to not join in protest regarding the law banning women from driving. Although there are many leaders trying to change the law, many other leaders want to enforce it. There is a thought that if women want drive they will have interactions with men that they should not. Both articles discuss women driving laws and restrictions in Saudi Arabia. The laws against women driving effect many aspects of women’s lives and also effect the lives of their loved ones an even the economic status of the country. In the book Controversies in Globalization the lack of education is discussed and it’s involvement in the economic status of the country. Although the problem is different the outcome is the same. Women are unable to drive themselves to work and also are limited as to where they can work reducing the amount of employed citizens. This effects the economic level of families and the country. In both situations, driving and education, if women’s rights were to change for the better the economic status of the country would change for the better.

Women’s Education in Saudi Arabia

The first article I found is from BBC news. The article discusses the lives of 8 young women in Saudi Arabia and how their lives will progress in the next few years. The women’s live’s are centered on education. The woman I am specifically focused on is Rotana who is a student hoping to eventually get a PHD and use her education as weapon of empowerment. The second article I found is from CNN. This article focuses on a woman named Arwa Al-Hujaili. Arwa Al-Hujaili is the first, and possibly only, female lawyer in Saudi Arabia. Both of these articles discuss women with educations and show the difficulties they face to accomplish their goals. Rotana was fortunate enough to a have a family that was not concerned with gender disparity and viewed men and women as equals. However, she knows that she is blessed to have parents with these views and knows that she will use her education as a weapon. Hujaili struggled to get where she is today and continues to struggle to meet get higher in her field. Her story shows the difficulty for women in Saudi Arabia to use their education and degree once they achieve it. In the book Controversies in Globalization, there is a chapter about women’s rights in developing nations. In the chapter, the issue of women gaining an education is brought up. It is believed that women with an education will be more empowered and that women frequently possess less of an education than men in many developing nations. This however is not the case in Saudi Arabia, many women achieve a higher education in Saudi Arabia. It is not the struggle of getting an education but instead of using it. Combating education might work in some nations but in countries like Saudi Arabia it is the restrictions in the work force that should be combatted.

Women’s Abuse in Saudi Arabia: Two Stories

The first article I posted discusses a horrific rape of a Saudi woman. A woman, known as the “girl of Qatif”, went out to collect an old photo from a high school friend. While out, she was gang raped by 7 men. When she took the crime to courts she was punished more than her attackers for having gone out without her guardian and without her guardian’s knowledge or permission. The second link I posted is of a YouTube video. The video is of an interview with a woman named Rania al-Baz. Rania al-Baz was a television presenter. One night she was beaten almost to death by her husband. The video is her story from that night, or what she can remember from it. Both links include stories of women that have suffered from the oppression of women in Saudi Arabia. The lack of women’s rights does more than just limit women’s access to health care and ability to drive, it places men in a position of power greatly over that of a woman’s. This leads to countless instances of abuse by husbands, fathers, and even random men on the streets. As mentioned in Controversies of Globalization, there are laws in most countries outlawing violence and discrimination against women, enforcement is still a problem. Women are constantly being beaten in Saudi Arabia, even with anti abuse laws in place. Women fear coming forward about the abuse in a society that undermines and degrades women on a daily basis. Further action needs to be take to prevent this abuse. If the government can restrict media and other aspects of life to such a great extent, they should be able to help aid in the prevention of abuse of women.

The Two Perspectives

The first article I am posting comes from CNN. The article discusses 3 different women and their perspectives and contributions to the fight for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia. One woman, named Rawda al Youssef, is for the laws that many feel are oppressing women. She states it allows them to live a life of privilege and pampering and went on to create a campaign entitled ” My Guardian Knows What’s Best for Me”. The other women discussed in the article fight the laws that are oppressing them. The second article I am posting is from a page dedicated to women’s rights in Saudi Arabia. This site lists in general the different views had by women in Saudi Arabia over their restrictive laws. The article includes those opposed, those for, and also the views of women who travel to Saudi Arabia for work in areas such as oil fields. Both articles discuss the varying views of the wanted reform and the laws that are currently limiting the lives of women in Saudi Arabia. One article takes a more personal look. Upon reading both articles I was intrigued to see the varying perspectives on how women perceive their rights. The articles give me a respect for the women that do not wish for a reform as well as those fighting for change. It is interesting to see the argument from both sides. It is hard to imagine such oppressive laws being seen as life of pampering instead of that of oppression. This debate, although different, reminds me of the differing opinions seen in the film The Square, that we watched in class. Different political and religious views as well as a simple way of life have an impact on the changes that people want to see for their nations. What is seen as a humanitarian issue in some places is simply a way of life that some have become accustom to and are not wanting or willing to change.

Saudi Arabia’s Artistic Censorship

The first article I posted shows photographs of women in Saudi Arabia and discusses the difficulty of obtaining these photographs. The photographer, Olivia Arthur, traveled to Saudi Arabia to teach a photography class. While there, she took photographs of her own. In this article, Arthur states that many women did not want to have their picture taken and many women that allowed their picture to be taken did not allow their faces to be visible. The second article I posted is titled Living in Saudi Arabia. In this brief article, the way of life in Saudi Arabia  is documented. The information included in the article include cultural norms, societal norms and women rights. One interesting fact I learned from this article is that human acts are not allowed to be depicted in art so most art is geometric etc. The two articles are related because they both portray the lack of humanity in art. The goal of Olivia Arthur was to show people what life was like in Saudi Arabia through photographs. However, as discussed in the second article, people cannot be depicted in photographs or art. This explains why Arthur had to get creative with her photographs and why women did not wish to show their faces. The censoring imposed on art and photographs is just one aspect of life in Saudi Arabia that is censored and showed through both articles. In our class we have discussed different forms of government censorship through television and radio broadcasts. These censorships limit what can be shown of society. It restricts the information citizens have of new government abuse and it even further demeans women. The lack of women in photographs covers them even more than the dress code enforced on them.

Social Media and the Fight for Women’s Rights.

The first article I posted is from Twitter. The Twitter account is centered around women’s rights in Arab Nations. The user posts about current issues in places with severe women’s rights problems such as Turkey and Saudi Arabia.  The second article I posted is of a You Tube video. In this video, a woman named Wajeha Al-Huwaider is sending a message to Saudi women about the need for women’s rights to be changed. She makes this statement while driving a car which is illegal for women to do in Saudi Arabia. Both of these links show activists using social media to campaign for women’s rights. Social media has made a huge impact for women’s rights activists and activist all over the world for many different issues. For example, in class we have learned about, and read of, the use of Facebook for protesting such as that used to bring awareness of Said’s death. Facebook, Twitter, Youtube and I’m sure many other forms of social media are used on a daily basis to spread information about issues and to aid in protest. Throughout the semester we have covered many readings involving the use of social media to bring about awareness and make a change. For example, the death of Khaled Said, which was covered in both Battle for the Arab Spring and Diaries of an Unfinished Revolution. Had it not been for Wael Ghonim creating the Facebook page “I am Khaled Said”, his death could have gone mostly unnoticed and would not have made such an impact in Egypt’s revolution. Saudi Arabian women rights has also been greatly affected by social media with Facebook pages such as Women Driving  and the above YouTube video that bring awareness to the outlawing of women drivers and how it affects them.

King Abdullah and Women’s Rights

One article I posted on my Diigo account is entitled “How Women in Saudi Arabia Lived Under King Abdullah”. This article discusses the struggle women faced during Abdullah’s reign, including their struggle to find meaningful employment and the lack of female figures in politics.  The second article I posted on my Diigo account is titled “Did Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah Have a Soft Sport for Women’s Progress?” This article discusses both the subtle and not so subtle changes that were made for women’s rights during Kind Abdullah’s reign. An important change that was made is an increase in employment for women. Both of these articles have a focus during the same time period, King Abdullah’s reign and shortly after. Both articles suggest a problem with employment but the second takes a more positive outlook than the first. Although women still struggle to find careers in the legal system, as pointed out in the first article, women’s employment has skyrocketed from 50,000 to over 450,000 in a mere five year span. Change in Saudi Arabian women’s rights is slow but there is progress. However, it seems that the government is merely trying to give women enough to tide them over without giving them any real power to make legal changes. This is likely why women are being employed in new areas such as lingerie stores but still struggle to find work in politics. In class we have discussed many kings and rulers, many of which promise and state what they can’t achieve. I think that King Abdullah did what he could to maintain his promise to women. There are many mixed articles so it is hard to know what to believe but under his rule women saw advances that had never been seen in Saudi Arabia including allowing women to work in lingerie stores.