Political science

Posted: December 10th, 2013

edit the whole paper, there are a few points I added my comments on them in the paper in RED!Arab Spring, Women’s Rights and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

INTRODUCTION (make it stronger, put the results of the Gender Gap report in a better way)

The Arab Spring began in late 2010. The effects of it are spreading all over the Arab world in different countries, and people of different genders are attempting to fight for their democratic freedoms. The influences of it are also being felt in Saudi Arabia- a country known for using a strict form of Sharia law. The focal point of this paper is to write an analysis on an issue that will shape a different kind of future for the Saudi Arabian people and the issue in discussion is the affect of the Arab Spring events on the rights of women in the conservative Kingdom.

In 2009, the Global Gender Gap Index found that Saudi Arabia ranked 130 out of 132 countries in the world.  The winds of change are sweeping over Saudi Arabia though and there are changes taking place, although they are incremental.

(Global, 1)

The Gender Gap Report examines 135 countries which contain over 90% of the world’s population. The reporters look at economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment. Economic participation and opportunity covers wage equality, female labor force participation, and the percentage of women in decision making positions. Educational attainment examines female literacy and the percentage of women enrolled in higher education establishments. Health and survival rates compares male and female life mortality rates and life expectancy, while political empowerment studies the number of females holding political positions and how many women heads of state over the last 50 years. So if Saudi Arabia ranked from the bottom 5 in the list, that is not a good predictor.

THE EXPECTED CULTURAL ROLE OF SAUDI WOMEN WITHIN THEIR SOCIETY (this section needs to be rewritten and probably change the sub-title into something that more fits the content)

Women in Saudi Arabia have to overcome cultural barriers to equality that have taken years to construct. Unfortunately, even though Islam treats both sexes in the same fair and equitable fashion, centuries of religious scholars in Saudi Arabia interpreted Quran and Al-Sunna in a very conservative fashion.  Saudi Arabia’s definition of rights for women is confusing. It is an amalgamation of undefined laws, outdated customs, and extreme traditions. Women make up half of the population, which is a great resource for the country only if it was well utilized. They are socially segregated with less authority and power than men are, which make them remain “unused power”. (You can add extra information here)

Part I – THE BEGINNING (fix this)

The tumultuous changes that are occurring in the Arab world started in December 2010. A young market vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi, set fire to himself to protest the confiscation of the fruit and vegetables that he was selling from his stall. He was a Tunisian man who burned himself in protest at his treatment at the hands of a female police officer. The horrific death began a series of protests that spread across the countries of the Middle East. Under-employed young people all over the Middle East rioted. They wanted change. They wanted some choice in their political system and an opportunity to earn gainful employment. The influences of the Arab Spring moved implacably across the countries of the Middle East. The government in Egypt fell, and people rioted in Libya and overthrew Gaddafi, their dictator. The rebels in Syria are now suffering as a result of their struggles that began during their Arab Spring.

Women in Saudi Arabia have historically been treated differently than they have been treated in any other Middle Eastern country.  (this feels incomplete) (please add a few line but relative information and be positive)

Part II – THE FUTURE

The issues that Saudi women are fighting for have attracted international attention.  People are realizing the issues that Saudi women have to overcome if they are going to a achieve equality. Top diplomats from around the world are making comment. The United States Government’s last Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, and one of the European Union’s top leaders, Catherine Ashton, have both commented on the situation. Even female members of the Saudi royal family are becoming involved in the issue of women’s rights. Saudi women are being inspired by the Arab Spring to pursue their own dreams of freedom.

There have been some surprising changes since the Arab Spring.  In September, 2011, in an astonishing move, the King of Saudi Arabia gave women there the right to vote.  They will be able not only vote, but also hold office. Women will be allowed to vote and stand as candidates in municipal elections, but not until the 2013 elections. The King is trying to balance the demands of the conservative clerics with the demands of a modern world.

The last two years in the Middle East have demonstrated how quickly well-established leaders can be ousted by a nation galvanized by the need to obtain their democratic rights. The Saudi King has to balance all of the competing political agendas. He has to consider his allies in the West that have helped bring great wealth and modernization to his country while at the same time considering  the conservative sectors of the population, Saudi Arabian conservatives interpret women’s rights in a manner that  is more restrictive than any other country in the Middle East.  The king has to think of the young people in his country, men and women, who are the future of Saudi Arabia. The centuries old traditions of Saudi Arabia will not change overnight, but the Arab Spring is making it very difficult for the Saudi Arabian establishment to continue denying women’s basic rights.

Under the influence of the Arab Spring, the position of the average Saudi woman in Saudi Arabia is undergoing great changes characterized by challenges and religious resistance from the clerics. The image of these women that is depicted in the media does not provide a realistic picture of Saudi women. Those images of a female covered in black from head to toe with no legal rights no longer represent Saudi women. This representation of Saudi women is changing because of a sincere desire for reform from the Saudi women themselves.

The Saudi people need to accept a few changes within their society in order to correct the misunderstood image of Saudi women. Change can begin by trying to understand the correct Islamic teachings and making efforts to distinguish the difference between ancient tribal customs and traditions that have been handed down over the years and the words of God and his Prophet Mohammad. There are many news stories of Saudi women being successful in multiple fields. Saudi women are getting involved in education, the social services, business, media, and health.  These stories of success make other Saudi women feel that they can be successful as well. In addition, raising the level of awareness of education is the key for any nation’s development. Saudi women are succeeding because of education. They are entering universities and earing high level degrees that allow them to compete on equal basis with people from all over the world.

(make sure you put the next paragraph in other words but still get the same meaning)

The abuse of women in Saudi Arabia is being confronted by people on all levels of society. It is one of the greatest challenges to our society, and the greatest threat to Islam is to try to stop the misguided efforts to mislabel old cultural taboos that pass for religious tenets. Women need to be aware that they do have a choice — they do not have to accept a life of abuse in silence.  The attitudes of men who view women as inferior beings need to change.  Religious scholars, educators, and politicians need to be outspoken in condemning men who abuse and manipulate women. The media also has an important role to play in helping to free women from abuse and societal restrictions. The media needs to expose the self-styled pious men who advocate the marginalization of women and use their imaginary superiority as a justification to dictate how women should live. (make the following paragraphs more coherent)

The “New Arab Spring” has inspired many people all over Saudi Arabia to voice their support for women. They were a few demonstrations in the capital, Riyadh, and in Mecca, the religious center of Islam. Women and men are uniting to have freedom for all.  In that same month,  King Abdullah also appointed females to the country’s advisory council. While it is an unelected council, it is a brave step to redress the rights of the marginalized Saudi women.

Encouraged by the events of the Arab spring, women in Saudi Arabia are becoming more aggressive about pursuing their rights.  They have organized high-profile activities that are encouraging the reformists in the royal family to make changes. Women are making their presence known on Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter. They are using social media to make their voices heard to the rest of the world. They have organized driving campaigns where they actually drive – women cannot drive in Saudi Arabia even though there is no written law barring them from driving.

Ever since King Abdullah ascended the throne in 2005, he has been trying to keep the ultraconservative majority in Saudi Arabia happy while granting women more rights. He is trying to keep those ultraconservative Saudi Arabian clerics quiet. They are the ones who oppose giving women the right to drive, work or go to school.

The Arab Spring has brought about huge changes in the role of women in the Middle East. In Tunis, women have fought for and won a new electoral code guaranteeing that women will make up half of candidates’ lists for offices. In Egypt women have demanded that be appointed to half of the ministerial posts. In Saudi Arabia, women still have longer way of struggle to get to the point where they ask for their political empowerment. They are quietly forcing a revolution in an era when Islamist movements in the Middle East are on the rise. For the first time in Saudi Arabia’s history, women participated in the Summer Olympics in London. Saudi Crown Prince Nayef said that participating in Olympic sports met the standards of “women’s decency and didn’t contradict Islamic laws”   ( Miller,1).   Reema Abdullah, a well-known Saudi woman who has launched a women’s soccer team, and hosts a sports radio show was the first Saudi woman to carry an Olympic torch.  Physical education is becoming a required part of the curriculum at girls’ schools in Saudi Arabia. This is a huge victory for women’s health. The Saudi Ministry of Health has appointed a woman as the first assistant undersecretary.

Saudi women have been agitating for the right to work for years. They have had an unemployment rate of 80%. Since the activities of the Arab spring, King Abdullah has issued a decree allowing women to work in lingerie and cosmetics shops. Thus eliminating an awkward situation, which forced  Muslim women to consult with male clerks about their underwear size. Women are being allowed to vote and interact with some government departments without a male guardian. Women are being appointed to positions in the Shura council. (add positive information about the king’s decision of including women in the Shura council)

CONCLUSION (make it better and stronger) (ask at the end of it whether things will change even more especially because the Arab Spring is still ongoing)

Change is coming to Saudi Arabia. The Arab Spring has stimulated Saudi Arabians desire to have fair, equitable, and consistent treatment of their citizens. Women, especially have been feeling the need to express themselves and demand fair treatment. They want the ability to drive, vote, and hold down jobs. They want to have the right to defend themselves against abusive husbands, and the right to have a good education and study whatever they want. The royal family, with its strong ties to the west, is a key figure in this fight for equal rights. King Abdullah has already demonstrated his support for women and their struggle for independence, with his decisions to allow women to vote and including them in the Shura. The fight for women’s rights will not be soon, however. King Abdullah and the women who wrote The Shadow Report have a long way to go before they overcome the opposition of the conservative religious clerics.

Both courts and government departments must address women’s rights.  Such social issues cry out for immediate resolution. Negative attitudes toward women must be changed and old customs and traditions that discriminate against women must be rejected. Women must be allowed to attain the skills necessary to earn a living. Saudi women can do great things and compete in the open market only if they are given a chance.

Works Cited

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Allam, A. “Women Appointed to Saudi Arabian Council.” Politics and Society. 11 Jan. 2013. Web. 4 Mar. <http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/9736a8be-5c0d-11e2-ab38-00144feab49a.html>.

Currey, Nancy Elizabeth. “Getting God’s Ear: Women, Islam, and Healing in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf.” Domes 13.1 (2004): 45-. ProQuest. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.

Forbes, Moira. “Is It Time for An Arab Spring for Saudi Women.” Forbes. 28 Sept. 2011. Web. 1 Jan. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/moiraforbes/2011/09/28/is-it-time-for-an-arab-spring-for-saudi-women/

The Global Gender Gap Report. World Economic Forum, 2012. Web. 13 Feb. 9. <http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_GenderGap_Report_2012.pdf>.

Goldfeder, Mark. “Rights, Reservations, and Religion: International  Human Rights Law and the Status  of Women.” A Critical Legal Studies Journal 6.1 Web. 9 Feb. 2013

Kechichian, , Joseph A. Legal and political reforms in Saudi Arabia . London: Routledge, 2012. Web. 4 Mar. 2012.

Lemmon, Gayle. “Arab Spring Benefits Saudi Women.” The Daily Beast. 26 Sept. 2011. Web. 4 Mar. 2013. <http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2011/09/26/saudi-women-win-voting-rights-thanks-to-arab-spring.ht

Moghadam, Val. “Women in Saudi Arabia Today / Reconstructed Lives: Women and Iran’s Islamic Revolution.” Contemporary Sociology 27.4 (1998): 358-60. ProQuest. Web. 15 Mar. 2013.

Saudi Women and the Muslim State in the Twenty-First Century.” Sex Roles 51.5/6 (2004): n. pag. Ebsco. Web. 1 Feb 2013.

Saudi Arabian Women in Business, Culture, and Travel. Petaluma: World Trade Press, 2010. Web. 1 Jan.

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Stenslie , Stig. Regime Stability in Saudi Arabia. London: Hoboken, Tayloir and Francis, 2011. Web. 4 Mar. 2012.

Sullivan, Kevin. “Saudi Arabia’s Secret Arab Spring.” The Independent. 23 Oct. 2012. Web. 4 Mar. 2013. http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/saudi-arabias-secret-arab-spring-8223550.html