With the passing of King Abdullah Aziz, the future of women's rights
in Saudi Arabia has been called into question.
King Abdullah had received some praise for his
social reform policies for women, but with the recent public beheading of a woman in
Mecca,
human rights groups wonder if King Abdullah really did make a difference for women living
there
and they question what will come of the country now that he has passed.
It is worth mentioning at the top that Saudi Arabia doesn’t have the best human rights
track
record, particularly for women.
But although King Abdullah was a devout, conservative leader,
he also helped to slowly progress the country’s views on the rights of women and implemented
policies that allowed for more freedom of expression.
Perhaps one of the biggest triumphs during his reign was his decree that women would
be
allowed to vote and run in local elections starting in 2015.
King Abdullah also appointed Saudi
Arabia’s first female member to the Council of Ministers in 2009, when he stationed Norah
al- Faiz as Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Minister of
Women’s Education.4
4.
Female education was one of Abdullah’s hallmark advocacies.
In 2009, he opened the $12.5
billion King Abdullah University of Science and Technology which broke tradition by allowing
men and women to study side by side.
Other women’s reforms under King Abdullah’s rule
included the criminalization of domestic violence and women being permitted to work for the
first
time.
King Abdullah did push through many rights for women, though critics argue that he could
have achieved a lot more, saying that his scope for social reform was too limited.
Some reports
suggest that progress on Abdullah’s reforms were often halted by Saudi conservatives who
pushed for preserving the kingdom’s Sharia influenced laws.
One of the rights that alluded Abdullah was granting women the right to drive a car, which
is a
huge sign of independence in Saudi Arabia.
The ban still remains in place today.
So what becomes of social reforms like a woman's right to drive now that a new King has
already succeeded the throne?
Well, while the new king was selected for the throne by his predecessor, Salman is much
more conservative than Abdullah with stronger ties to the religious leadership in
Saudi Arabia.”
It is hoped that King Salman will hold true to the reforms that were made during King
Abdullah’s reign and he has alluded to as much, saying that he would “continue adhering
to the
correct policies which Saudi Arabia has followed since its establishment"
Still some skeptics say it is unlikely that we will see any further development made on
policies for women’s rights during King Salman’s reign.
Perhaps the biggest indication of the
new ruler’s intentions will arrive during this year’s municipal elections.
Will he honor his half- brother’s reforms and allow women to vote
and hold office?
or will he take the country in a
different direction?
Saudi Arabia is no stranger to controversy when it comes to human rights.
To learn about the
horrific punishment of a free speech activist, take a look at this video.