Jas Elmer
Professor Craig
SIS 105-001H
September 11, 2011
Saudi Arabian Women Suffrage: A Step towards Women’s
Rights or International Recognition?
In a country where women are viewed
as inferior citizens it was officially decided that they will now have the
right to vote. King Abdullah announced that Saudi
women will have the right to join the consultative Shura Council as full
members. They will be able to participate in future municipal elections (the
only public polls in Saudi Arabia), run as candidates in the elections and vote
(Al Jazeera). However, the right to vote is in part a bitter sweet victory.
This is because although it gives the illusion of improved women’s rights in
Saudi Arabia this event is most likely an attempt to please international
powers. Furthermore, it will not actually improve the status of Saudi Arabian
women, at least not in the short term.
Immediate
improvement of women’s rights in Saudi Arabia is impossible because these women
are denied many rights due to societal norms and a strict interpretation of
Sharia law. Driving and the ability to leave the country or their houses
without male guardians are just a few of the many rights which are denied to
women (BBC News). Without being able to drive, many women will not be able to
make it to the polls. Furthermore, Saudi Arabia has strict guardianship laws
and women are required to be accompanied by a male guardian at all times. Under
this law women must obtain permission from their guardian (usually a husband,
father, brother or uncle) to “work, travel, study, marry, or even access
certain types of healthcare” (BBC News). Due to the lack of support this law
has received from many males, it is likely that many women will not be able to
vote because their guardian does not want to take them or does not approve of
them voting. With these extreme laws and the fact that they lack a voice in
society, women in Saudi Arabia will not gain rights quickly. Furthermore, these
laws were not primarily set in place to benefit women but to improve Saudi
Arabia’s international image.
The first indicator
that this measure was not actually put into place to benefit women is that
although Saudi Arabian women now have the right to vote they will not be able
to until 2015. Due to the late announcement women were not able to participate
in the recent municipal poll which took place on Thursday September 26. The
next poll will be held in four years (Al Jazeera). The postponed effect of this
new law has outraged activists and intellectuals who attribute the postponing
of this law not to the time constraints but to the King’s unwillingness to
mandate change too quickly. However, if the country did not want women to vote,
why would they pass this law?
Passing this law
could be Saudi Arabia trying to improve their international status. Because so
many world powers have granted voting rights to women, it is possible that
Saudi Arabia decided that by allowing women to vote they would gain more
influence on an international scale. Also with the current “Arab Spring” many
outside nations have been encouraging countries in the Middle East to establish
democracies, improve humanitarian efforts and grant equal rights to their
citizens. In doing so the international community has also been encouraging
women suffrage, this is because it can be argued that if women across the region
were allowed to vote states would act in a more peaceful matter. According to
polls, “women are about ten percentage points lower than men on average for
their support of military actions” (Goldstein). Also due to the differences
between how men and women think and act, “an international system based on
feminine principles might give greater importance to the interdependence of
states than to their autonomy” (Goldstein). This would encourage people, “to
care for each other with less regards for states or borders” (Goldstein).
Furthermore, if women had more power within national and international
relations, “human rights would receive priority” (Goldstein). Therefore the
international community is becoming increasingly adamant about women’s rights.
Granting women the right to vote in Saudi Arabia was an important decision in
order to demonstrate their dedication to international cooperation. However,
the benefits associated with women suffrage and involvement in international
affairs will not have a positive influence upon the women of Saudi Arabia.
On the contrary this law could work against
women. Many people in the Middle East have anti-American sentiment and do not
improve of the expansion of Western ideology. Because so many people are
against this law it is possible that people will view it as Western society
forcing their views upon the Middle East and will be less susceptible to
accepting this law. Furthermore, the reason why women previously haven’t been
allowed to vote is there are strong societal norms put in place to hold back
women. Without removing these other laws subjugating women, including the
driving laws and guardianship laws, they will not be able to vote and will not
be able to have an impact upon their communities, their country or the
international scene. Also they will not become closer to being recognized as
equals because the extreme gender roles and sexism in this country are still
present.
The effectiveness of this new law is still yet to be seen. Whether or
not Saudi Arabian women will be given the opportunity to vote by their
guardians is still uncertain. It is also uncertain whether or not other
measures of women’s rights will follow in Saudi Arabia or in other countries.
Also if women do have more political influence it may or may not change our
current political system and help achieve peace in the Middle East. However,
the strength of the subjugating societal norms currently in place in Saudi
Arabia will prevent this law from providing immediate change for the women of
Saudi Arabia. That being said, having a state where women are able to vote and
run for elections but are not able to drive or travel on their own will provide
an odd atmosphere which will become more suited to accommodating further
improvements (USA Today). Hopefully this
atmosphere will accelerate the progress of women’s not only in Saudi Arabia but
throughout the Middle East and these women can become equals who play a crucial
role in their own communities and in the world.
Works
Cited
Goldstein, Joshua, and
Jon Pevehouse. International Relations Tenth Edition. Boston: Longman,
2012. Print.
"Saudi Arabian woman
challenges male guardianship laws." bbc.co.uk. BBC News, 29 June.
2011. Web. 25 Sept. 2011.
"Saudi king: Women
can vote in 2015 local elections.” usatoday.com. USA Today, 25 Sept.
2011. Web. 25 Sept. 2011.
"Saudi women given
voting rights.” english.aljazeera.net. Al Jazeera, 25 Sept. 2011. Web. 25
Sept. 2011.
"The Saudi women
taking small steps for change.” bbc.co.uk. BBC News, 28 Mar. 2011.
Web.
25 Sept. 2011.
"Women in Saudi Arabia to vote and run in
elections." bbc.co.uk. BBC News, 25 Sept. 2011.
Web. 25 Sept. 2011.
There is an element of the Arab Spring, an element of Saudi women not staying silent, and an element of the social media, that has led to this right to vote in place. Saudi Arabia now has its first female Cabinet minister in the form of deputy minister for education and a law on domestic violence has been enacted. I think these are all baby steps in a long process and it will take Saudi women many years to achieve any form of equality comparable to other places around the world, but in any case, for a country so enthralled with Sharia Law, the right to vote is definitely un-Islamic. It is interesting to predict how many women will be able to vote in 2015 (or if new laws will come into play to benefit women). Seeing all of the progress that has happened since 2001, when Saudi women were first allowed to have their own national ID cards, do you believe in the foreseeable future that more rights for women will come up in Saudi Arabia?
ReplyDeleteI think you made an interesting point about how the driving law and guardianship law will make the women's right to vote relatively inconsequential. I also thought the ulterior motives you presented for King Abdullah making this law were interesting. I can't help but wonder, even if he does not anticipate a substantial turnout of female voters, if this law has opened the floodgates. The female activists might be able to use this law to make further headway, though, due to other laws, it would not be an easy process.
ReplyDeleteI thought this paper was very well written, Jas! I thought the structure of the paper helped the idea flow well. I agree that female activists will be able to use this as a jumping point. Jas, when do you think the supplemental rights will be implemented?
ReplyDeleteThis is directed at all three of you being all of you asked about when or if this would lead to other women's rights.
ReplyDeleteI think it will be difficult to know how soon other rights will develop. However, I do think this will lead to further rights. Groups working towards equal rights are becoming more and more active, many groups were even calling for a boycott of the recent vote because women were not allowed to vote. Also many women have begun to defy some of the laws in place, such as the ban against women driving. Although defying these laws are dangerous I think the fact that more women are pushing for equal rights and refusing to continue living with these new laws shows improvement. I'm not sure how much change will come in the next four years however I think that progress will accelerate after the next vote, especially if the social environment improves before that time which would allow more women to vote.
Interesting paper, Jas! What do you think the role of the international community is here? How can the rest of the world, specifically the west, move for the acceleration of these rights without setting off even more negative sentiment? Is there really even a place at all, if the ideas at the core of the issue are deeply rooted in culture and religion? Do you think taking a liberalist approach and utilizing international institutions can further social ideas, or is there a better way?
ReplyDeleteI found this paper particularly interesting because just this week I had to read and present on a chapter about Saudi Arabian culture in my Cross Cultural Communications class. The chapter talked a little about the role of women in Saudi Arabia, and made a claim that I found quite surprising: that “Saudi females do not necessarily see themselves as repressed. Many think of themselves as protected [and] neither men nor women want to subject females to the stress, temptations, and indignities of the outside world” (Gannon and Pillai, Understanding Global Cultures). The chapter does then go on to talk about Saudi women pressing for greater rights, and the barriers that still have to be overcome.
ReplyDeleteI don’t know how accurate my Cross Cultural textbook is with regards to how Saudi women view themselves, and I definitely think that progress towards equal rights is of high importance. However, it seemed like an interesting point to bring up. What do you think? Do you think this textbook might be right, and that, in some ways, many Saudi women might not see themselves as repressed?
I found this paper really interesting. First of all, because I think that women getting the right to vote is an exciting indication of progress for women in Saudi Arabia and other Muslim countries. As Mollie said, the progress will probably come little by little, but the future looks bright since we can trace the steps that have been taken toward women's rights, such as the issuing of their ID cards ten years ago, and now this. Secondly, I thought you had good analysis when you pointed out the underhanded way King Abdullah passed the law, timing it so that the rights wouldn't really have a chance to be exercised for another four years. It seems sneaky of Saudi Arabia to create the illusion of progress in order to improve its international image. Do you think Saudi Arabia will achieve this goal of fooling - or at least swaying - Western countries because of this new law?
ReplyDeleteCaroline, you also pose great questions! I think that what would be most important to accelerate the movement for these rights is the demand from the people, not international pressure. As Jas has pointed out in her thought-provoking paper, this helps to a certain degree but really only creates a kind of artificial progress that doesn't make a significant difference. The attainment of these rights relies on the willingness of women as well as male supporters of women's rights to be bold and protest, defy the laws, and raise awareness for their cause in both the domestic and global population.
Caroline, contrary to liberalist theory I think the international community would be most effective working not through international organizations but at a grassroots level. Because women's rights are so dependent upon both culture and religion I think local movements would be more effective because it would feel more like their communities were in a process of change. With international pressure it could feel more like their communities were being changed by others.
ReplyDeleteMeg, that is definitely an interesting point and I'm glad you brought it up. Honestly I haven't looked extensively into this issue but I would definitely agree with that statement. I think probably a great deal of women do believe they are not being repressed. However, it can be argued that this idea is an indicator of just how oppressed they are. These laws are so entrenched in their daily lives and cultures that they believe this is proper. If you grow up being told that you will not be allowed to venture outside, to vote, to work or to engage in other activities. Many people will learn to accept this as correct or others might convince themselves this is acceptable as a coping mechanism so they can be happier in their current lives. Also there may be women who are generally happy living in this manner. Also the data in the book could be skewed. Many women in these situations might not have felt safe saying they were suppressed due to their current situation. However whether some women enjoy this lifestyle or not, I think that Saudi Arabia should work towards equal women's rights because there are women activists who do want rights. If women choose to remain inside, to not vote and to not drive that is their choice. However women who are not content with this should have the right to live a more fulfilling life.
Alana, I think that international powers will be pleased with the progress they have made in allowing women suffrage. However, I think that other states will not be heavily swayed by Saudi Arabia as long as they still have other oppressive laws such as the guardianship laws and the ban on women driving.