Saudi Women’s Suffrage and the Dire Need for Reforms in the Middle East
Last week King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia issued an order granting women the right to vote and run in municipal elections. Although Saudi women cannot exercise this right before the next election in 2015, this move was hailed by them who do not enjoy the rights being exercised by women in many parts of the Muslim World. The King also announced that women will be appointed to the Consultative Council of Saudi Arabia which advises him on public policy matters. These recent measures were followed by King Abdullah’s another important move in annulling a court ruling sentencing a Saudi woman to 10 lashes for driving which is prohibited for women in the kingdom.
Many observers believe that these moves are stemmed from the Arab Spring which is sweeping across the Middle East. They hold that the Arab rulers have come to understand that the changes will be imposed on them if they do not change the way they run their countries. Furthermore, the role of information technology in the movement of Arab masses against dictatorship is undeniable, hence the need to reform even cosmetically. Others are of the opinion that Saudi women have changed considerably in that they are now prepared to break their silence and challenge the discriminatory rules and even pay for that.
Saudi women are being deprived of certain rights allowed by Islam. The strict interpretation of the religion by Saudi religious scholars has alienated many Saudi women who believe that Islam has nothing to do with unwarranted limitation of their daily activities such as driving. Islam is a religion of compassion and tolerance. Women like men are judged by God the Almighty, not by their gender, but by their deeds. The Holy Koran attests to the fact that both man and woman are created from one soul. And their rights and obligations are clearly stated in the Islamic jurisprudence.
King Abdullah’s decision to upgrade the situation of women in Saudi Arabia is a welcoming move, but definitely not sufficient. In today’s world, men and women alike should be able to exercise their God-given rights. They should not only be allowed to elect and be elected, they should also be given the opportunity to express themselves about every matter in the society including the system of governance.