Saudi Arabia

picture from: Susie's Big Adventure

Population: 24,573,000

Capital: Riyadh;

Language: Arabic

Religion: Muslim

Life Expectancy: 72

GDP per Capita: U.S. $11,400

So here in Saudi Arabia is where I officially begin. In researching it appears that Saudi Arabia is one of the farthest countries behind when it comes to the rights and equality of women. Here a few facts that stood out to me;

• Women are denied the vote, thus also meaning there are no women in government

• Women are required to have a male guardian

• Women are not allowed to drive

• Only 18% of women work for pay

• State law restricts women’s movements and dress

• Homosexual Women are criminalized in national law and subject to the death penalty

• One of three countries to have a strictly all-male Olympic team

• Is a destination country for sex trafficking, and is a major selected trafficking flow.

• Discrimination exists against women inheriting, owning or controlling property, land and wealth.

Here is an article I found while researching, It has a very different perspective of what it is like to be a women in Saudi Arabia, the most interesting thing is that it is written by a Saudi Arabian woman, Maha Akeel, Check it out: HERE 

I have to admit that I definitely have what Akeel calls the ‘western view’ of what it would be like to be a woman in Saudi Arabia, quite frankly I can’t even begin to imagine what it would be like, and its hard for me not to look at it in a very negative way. Many of the laws against women in Saudi Arabia are said to be justified because they are religious practices. I respect their religion, but it gets me questioning what would this country would be like if it did not follow such strict religious laws? I wonder how the women really feel about it. What if you were forced to follow laws of a religion you might not even believe in? I can’t imagine what it would be like being forced to believe in something you don’t. But then again this is coming from my very westernized view of life; maybe they don’t see it in that way. However, being a person who really doesn’t like people telling me what do to it’s just so hard for me to understand. It is such a different life. I’ve heard both points of view, some women like to stay covered; others just do it because they have to. So do we as naïve westerners really have the right to go into this country and tell them what they are doing is wrong? It’s easy to think that we have all the answers when we come from such a privileged place, but truly we have no idea what this culture and religion really means to these women and these people. So what can we do? To be honest I have no idea, I want these women to have a voice and freedom but I don’t want to destroy their culture and religion. So where do we find the balance?

WAG-Women Around the Globe