Today marks the 100th anniversary of international women’s day and I can’t help but reflect, sitting here in my black, oversized abaya and hijab, about all of the incredible women around the world, from the female CEO in the boardroom to the mother in the one room shack with a second grade education. The mothers, the wives, the sisters, the daughters, who every day bear the brunt of poverty, disease, and war; whose voices are left unheard because the ones who have the power are not listening.
“Only a man can bail a woman out of jail regardless of time served or paid fines.
Only a man can speak to and be seen by a judge.
Only a man can practice law.
Only a man can sell women’s lingerie.
Only a man can open a bank account for his child.
Only a man can check into a beach resort (regardless if the fact that women can check into hotels).
Only a man can rent a boat (ride) or jet-ski (in person or on paper).
Only a man can facilitate a woman’s traveling (in person or on paper).” http://arabnews.com/opinion/columns/article306202.ece
It was interesting to hear from a woman’s perspective the frustration regarding the inequalities that are embedded within Saudi law and society and point out how much farther reforms need to go before women are regarded remotely equal to men.
On the other hand, you have an article in the very same paper which opens up with,
“Being a workingwoman is considered a problem that threatens a couple’s marital life.
Some women prefer to stay at home to take care of their husbands and children. They believe that taking care of the home should be their first and only mission.
Arab News spoke to a number of women who admitted that working impacted their family life, encouraging them to quit their jobs.
Statistics revealed by Dr. Ibrahim Mubarak Al-Jowair, a Saudi social researcher, confirm the theory that some Saudi women feel guilty for leaving their children at home and investing most of their time and effort in their careers.” http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/women_day/article306339.ece
While I am believer in hearing from both sides of the table, I resent the portrayal of women as betraying their families if they choose to have a career instead of staying at home.
So where does the Kingdom go from here? All signs point up. According to Dr. Khalid S. Al-Sultan, rector of King Faud University which we visited this afternoon, in 1970 there were 7 Saudi women in university. Today, women comprise 62% of the student body in Saudi universities. Education brings choices and education brings empowerment. With an increasing recognition in the importance of women’s contribution to the workforce and to the nation, changes have to be made. There is no way a nation can prosper if half of its population is denied basic rights to work and to travel.
“Let us celebrate International Women's Day with a renewed hope that our decision-makers accelerate women's full participation and stand up to those extremist elements among us who are perverting our society, distorting our image abroad and hindering the potential progress and development of our country.” http://arabnews.com/opinion/article307298.ece
The Georgetown ladies outside of Saudi Aramco on International Women's Day
As a woman here in Saudi, it is impossible not to see everything through a gendered lens. Women are not equal to men, not in the US, and particularly not in the Kingdom. But things are changing for the better for the women in Saudi, but I wonder if they are changing fast enough. What we have experienced and heard over the last several days is that there is a constant push and pull between the desire to reform and to give women more rights and the belief that Saudi Arabia needs to uphold ‘traditional cultural values’, not to push reforms faster than the population is willing to accept.
I opened up the English Arab newspaper this morning, and I was surprised, both in a positive and negative way. There were numerous articles in honor of international women’s day that echoed my perceptions of gender in Saudi society. One the one side, you had an opinion piece that was dealing with the issue of women not being allowed to drive. In this article, it pointed out that not only could women in Saudi not drive but, “Only a man can bail a woman out of jail regardless of time served or paid fines.
Only a man can speak to and be seen by a judge.
Only a man can practice law.
Only a man can sell women’s lingerie.
Only a man can open a bank account for his child.
Only a man can check into a beach resort (regardless if the fact that women can check into hotels).
Only a man can rent a boat (ride) or jet-ski (in person or on paper).
Only a man can facilitate a woman’s traveling (in person or on paper).” http://arabnews.com/opinion/columns/article306202.ece
It was interesting to hear from a woman’s perspective the frustration regarding the inequalities that are embedded within Saudi law and society and point out how much farther reforms need to go before women are regarded remotely equal to men.
On the other hand, you have an article in the very same paper which opens up with,
“Being a workingwoman is considered a problem that threatens a couple’s marital life.
Some women prefer to stay at home to take care of their husbands and children. They believe that taking care of the home should be their first and only mission.
Arab News spoke to a number of women who admitted that working impacted their family life, encouraging them to quit their jobs.
Statistics revealed by Dr. Ibrahim Mubarak Al-Jowair, a Saudi social researcher, confirm the theory that some Saudi women feel guilty for leaving their children at home and investing most of their time and effort in their careers.” http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/women_day/article306339.ece
While I am believer in hearing from both sides of the table, I resent the portrayal of women as betraying their families if they choose to have a career instead of staying at home.
So where does the Kingdom go from here? All signs point up. According to Dr. Khalid S. Al-Sultan, rector of King Faud University which we visited this afternoon, in 1970 there were 7 Saudi women in university. Today, women comprise 62% of the student body in Saudi universities. Education brings choices and education brings empowerment. With an increasing recognition in the importance of women’s contribution to the workforce and to the nation, changes have to be made. There is no way a nation can prosper if half of its population is denied basic rights to work and to travel.
“Let us celebrate International Women's Day with a renewed hope that our decision-makers accelerate women's full participation and stand up to those extremist elements among us who are perverting our society, distorting our image abroad and hindering the potential progress and development of our country.” http://arabnews.com/opinion/article307298.ece
Overlooking the campus at King Faud Petroleum University
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