I’m one of the women who were invited, on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2013, by the Middle East Program at the Wilson Center to give their views on the challenges women face to their security. In about 300 words we were all asked to write on the topic: Challenges to Women’s Security in the MENA Region. This is what I wrote:
Things are looking up for women in Saudi Arabia. While they are still second-class citizens required to have a male guardian to grant them permission to travel and are banned from driving cars, women now make up 20 percent of the appointed advisory council and are allowed to fully participate in municipal elections. Women are also finally allowed to work openly in malls as sales clerks. Moreover, any day now, the Ministry of Justice plans to grant licenses to women lawyers and maybe even implement child protection laws. Thus, generally we’re on the right path. Yet that path could be derailed with the slightest sign of upheaval or war. When attempting to pacify or recruit ultra-conservatives on a particular cause, the first issue to be put on the negotiation table is women’s rights. To get Islamist sheikhs to endorse (or at least be silent over) arbitrary political detentions, a possible outbreak of war between Israel and Iran, or the use of drones by American forces in neighboring Muslim countries, all that has to be promised is the status quo on women’s issues such as maintaining the ban on women driving or agreeing that a legal age for marriage will not be assigned. In any national turmoil, women are usually the first to be sacrificed. Nowhere is that more true than in Saudi Arabia. Independent civil societies are outlawed. The only organizations outside of the government are those of Islamists who abuse their religious power, calling on men to attend a literary club meeting just to protest women being allowed to attend in the same hall. They also went in scores to the royal court to protest women being allowed on the advisory council. These incidents were at a time of relative stability; can you imagine what would happen to women’s rights if this stability were to be shaken?
Two other Saudi women, Muna Abu Sulayman and Hala Al Dosari, also wrote a piece for the publication. You can check theirs out HERE.
Saudiwoman's Weblog 
Calling the extremely conservative elements of Muslim societies “Islamists” is, in my opinion , very misleading. Why should we give them the benefit of the doubt by implying that they are acting islamically simple because these people claim that they speak in the name of Islam? It’s a question of interpretation. The implication would be that anyone who disagrees would thus be against Islam. Wrong. Islam came as a liberating force and gave women rights which were few or non existent at that time: Marriage rights,inheritance rights, divorce rights,rights for orphans, the right to own property and business… At that time women in much of the world were much less empowered. Having said that, the “right” to ride a horse or a camel was, even at THAT time, taken for granted. There are and always have been people everywhere who believe that the only way for a family or a society to function is through oppression and control. Many of these often self- appointed “‘alem”(“learned men”) have their own personal psychological reasons for their tendency toward an extreme and often baseless interpretation of Islam. Across the board there are Christians, Jews, Muslims, Hindus etc. who just happen to be ultra conservative.
H Khalawi@ Your interpretation of the Muslim “Islamist” is Ignorance beyond Sectarian Bias. How is any well meaning Arab supposed to carry on a progressive discussion of Muslim Society, in the light of such a corrupt medium ? And if Saudi Woman should come to the Saudi Riviera in a Lamborghini, would any of the Sociological concerns that beset Muslim Society, such as those here stated, be any closer to Solution ?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2013/mar/10/royals-women-endorse-saudi-arabia
The Saudis face a tough choice between Martial and Bourgeois Corruption of the Common Good; And Degenerates like the Titled Aristocracy are but Vultures on the Wing !
Yes. How about we just call them Patriarchists? That seems their true priority. It would be nice to completely disassociate Islam from what they do.
Hoy es día internacional de las mujeres y mis pensamientos primero son para Uds ,deseo exitoso en las reclamaciones y si de mi depende buscare solidaridad
KHALAWI CONCORDO plenamente con vc,su comentario es real ,profundo ,su pensamiento llega claro ,ha dicho todo.!!!
cuanto a Saint-martin ,tengo q decirle q urge cambiar o poner ley en la soc saudi,q defienda la integridad sicologica y fisica del ser humano ,porque
hasta q se debata y brote algo nuevo en la sociedad muchos saudies sufren,y mueren!! ,esto si es pecado pues la vida y la muerte no la decide un ser humano por motivos banales como pedir democracia y exigir el fin de la intromicion de la monarquia en desiciones marcantes . todos hombres, mujeres,ninos,extranjeros ,nativos,catolicos,musulmanos ,ateos tiene derecho a la vida .. los paises arabes son los mas intolerantes ,superan dictaduras como la de korea del norte.
yo me pregunto : se siente PIEDAD como minimo en arabia saudita ???
Cooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool!
“To get Islamist sheikhs to endorse (or at least be silent over) arbitrary political detentions, a possible outbreak of war between Israel and Iran, or the use of drones by American forces in neighboring Muslim countries, all that has to be promised is the status quo on women’s issues such as maintaining the ban on women driving or agreeing that a legal age for marriage will not be assigned.”
That is so pathetic!