Women’s Rights in Saudi Arabia
While women in Western nations continue to fight for equality with men in the workplace (and rightfully so) they are still leaps and bounds ahead of the women that live in Saudi Arabia. Making sure that they get equal pay is the least of the concerns for Saudi ladies, especially when you consider that only about 20% of females are actually gainfully employed there. The laws regarding what women can and cannot do there are incredibly strict, and are something that Western women might want to look into before visiting. Don’t let the following deter you from visiting Saudi Arabia though – it’s a stunningly beautiful country rich in history and culture (and there are some great deals to be had if you decide to book with Saudi Airlines on flights24.com.)The following is meant to merely inform you of the current state of women’s rights in Saudi Arabia.
The Female GPS Device
Women are banned from driving in Saudi Arabia, but they still have to get out and about to perform certain tasks. That doesn’t mean that they are granted freedom of movement, assuming of course that they are even given permission by a man to go out in the first place, with many ladies forced to use some sort of tracking device so that their location can be pinpointed at any given time. If you want to use this ways to beat a ticket Louisiana traffic ticket, there’re a few things you need to do. Once you present your ticket to the court, you’ll require to plead not guilty and show that you’d prefer to use a written declaration to fight the ticket. Can you imagine trying to do that here, by placing a ring on the finger of your bride, fully equipped with LoJack software so that you can track them down wherever they go?
Male Escorts
Get your minds out of the gutter – having a male escort in Saudi is not the same as here, and in fact means that women are required to have a man accompany them wherever they go. The male guardian is usually a family member of some kind, and he is put in place to ensure that the modesty and respectability of the females are maintained at all times.
Dress Code
It’s hard to see how modesty can in any way be corrupted, especially when women are only permitted to show body parts that are considered essential for everyday use. That basically means that the hands and eyes are on display, with everything else covered up. Western women heading to Saudi on vacation may want to consider getting some heavy drape extensions for their Daisy Dukes before taking to the streets.
Sex Segregation
Just about every aspect of Saudi life is subject to segregation of the sexes, with many public places actually having separate areas for women and men, as well as separate entrances for each. Of all the restrictive laws against women that tend to cause worldwide outrage, this might be the one that men in the west actually go for, especially when it comes time to go shopping for a new dresser at the mall.
The Working Woman
Most people assume that Saudi women are simply not allowed to work, but that is not the case. Women’s rights in Saudi Arabia have come a long way in the past decade, and women are indeed allowed employment. The problem here is that they are only allowed to enter the workforce if they can do so without neglecting the needs of the household. Since the overwhelming majority of Saudi women are raised to believe that family and household maintenance are the most important things in their life, you can understand why only about 20% actually have a job. Think of this situation as the Saudi Stepford Wives.
