The Saudi feminist movement is winning more freedom for women.
After the ban on women driving was lifted last year, Saudi females gained another major win towards women’s rights. The authorities have announced that women can be granted passports and travel abroad without the consent of their male guardians as well as being able to register a birth, marriage or divorce. Male guardians are most likely going to be a father, brother or male relative of the female.
Women still cannot marry or leave a prison or domestic abuse shelter without their guardians permission. Having a male guardian is quite popular in Saudi Arabia and Arab countries because it implies that women are not allowed to be in a position of power and therefore have to be represented by males and they have to receive their permission to marry, study, and work.
The Saudi feminist movement has proved to be the most organised society in the country. There are multiple people who believe in the feminist movement and who silently help abused women, these include teachers, doctors and people who volunteer at charities.
There are also people who are vocal about these issues. While Saudi Arabia’s reputation is quite low, granting women the right to travel abroad has secured a feelgood factor, especially among potential foreign investors. Unemployed, educated women may now start seeking jobs abroad. There will be further relaxation of rules governing women’s lives, but several hurdles still remain.
As the Saudi centralised economy seeks liberalisation and privatisation, many men and women may not find jobs in their desired sector – and the right of women to leave the country legally will contribute to a brain-drain, leaving the field open for a reversal of the decision to let them go without the consent of a guardian.
