Women in the Family in Saudi Arabia - Research Paper Example

Women in the Family in Saudi Arabia Women’s position in the Islamic in general and Saudi Arabia is a complex matter and is often misunderstood. Saudi Arabia has been a source of numerous reports of women being denied their naturally guaranteed human rights. These reports are based on the western interpretation of the human rights. However, taking the matter in a nation’s unique cultural and traditional perspective the reports appear incorrect. A country’s traditional, social and cultural values are the determining factors of the rights and responsibilities given to the citizens; men and women alike. To determine the situation of women in Saudi Arabia one has to analyze these factors first. This paper aims at understanding the role and position women are given in the Saudi society. It will examine the culturally defined position of women in the family, marriage, health, education, religion, politics and the economy. Culture and tradition in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia is a big nation covering almost the entire Arabian Peninsula. The kingdom dwarfs neighboring countries like Kuwait, Iraq, Yemen, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, and Jordan. Thanks to its vast oil deposits, the country is cash rich with modern cities, advanced technologies, and sleek homes. However, the Saudi Arabia’s culture and beliefs are strongly influenced by the Islamic religion. Members of its society learn the various traditional and cultural values from their families and schools at a young age. The kingdom takes religious functions and calendar very seriously. The highlights of the nation’s calendar are the Ramadan and the national holidays that come after it (Zuhur 345). The Saudi Arabian way of life is also hugely influenced by the old age Arabic traditions. They include the values of hospitality and generosity that every family offers to friends, strangers, and family. Religion and the tradition Arabic culture determine the position of women in the Saudi Arabian society. Women in the Saudi are viewed as inferior to men. The rules that govern their general behavior show their inferiority. For example, women in the nation regardless of marital status or age are required to be in the company of a male guardian when they leave their home and they are not permitted to drive. It is evident that the culture and the Islamic religion of the Saudi Arabian people determine how various institutions of the society are structured and the role women paly in those institutions. Family and Marriage The Saudi family and marriage system is also significantly influenced by the country’s culture and traditions. Traditionally, marriage in the Saudi was between close cousins or other patrilineal related kin. Unions were organized by the mothers and fathers of the partners. It was a tradition that the two partners not to have met before the marriage. Marriage in the Saudi is an essential means of creating new bonds with other families. It also serves as a significant stage that the lives of family members change. Research show that although there are exceptions, a majority of all marriages in the Saudi are arranged. According to the country’s laws, a marriage is a civil contract. Islamic Civil Ceremony is the name of the actual wedding. Men are required to pay dowry in the form of Saudi currency ranging from twenty-five thousand to forty thousand mehr for their brides. The father is the head of the family, and its identity is tied to him. Should the question of the custody of the children arise, the father based on his position as head of the family is the primary custodian of all the children. Although not widely practiced, men are allowed to a maximum of four wives. According to the Islamic religion, polygamy is allowed for men who can adequately and equitably provide for all his wives and children. The women and children live in separate homes. From a young age, women are taught to take up roles within the family concerned with the raising the children and managing the home. However, women in Saudi Arabia are not restricted to the above family role alone. Statistics shows that there is an increased number of successful business women in the country. However, women are only permitted to work in culturally accepted occupations like medicine and teaching. According to the nation’s culture and traditions, women play an important role in protecting and maintaining the structure of the family and, therefore, play the same role in the society. Typically, women in the kingdom are controlled by men. Hence, it is the men that ensure that women keep their chastity and in the process protect the family honor that in turn keeps the family and society bonds tight. Life expectancy According to statistics by WHO, Saudi Arabia has a life expectancy ranking of fifty-seven. Life expectancy is defined as the expected number of years a person can live from the time of birth if the mortality patterns are held constant. Based on this definition, the life expectancy of men in Saudi Arabia is 73.7. Women’s life expectancy in the country is at 77.3. The above statistics are based on the 2011 World health Organization’s life expectancy data for nations around the world. Statistics also show that the lowest life expectancy of women in the Saudi was at 46.56 in 1960, and that of men was 44.87 the same year. Over the years, statistics show that over the years women have been having a longer life span than men. Women and political participation. Traditionally, women in Saudi Arabia were completely deterred from participation in politics. This included voting or vying for any political position in the state. However, significant reform have been made since King Abdulla bin Aziz rose to power in 2005. The decisions made by the king resulted to a lot of ripples in the previously still waters of women’s rights in the Saudi. It was during King Abdulla’s reign that women were issued identity cards, legislations and policies were passed with women’s interest in mind, job opportunities in civil defense, passport administration, Ministry of Trade and Industry, and in human rights commissions opened up. Additionally, women were allowed to run for elections in the journalists and engineers unions as well as in the Chambers of Commerce (Niblock, and Malik 243). It is also during King Abdulla’s reign that the first woman to hold the position of minister of education was appointed and another woman was also appointed to head the first women’s university in Saudi Arabia. Analysts argue that women were allowed to participate in the state politics because of three main factors. The first one was Saudi Arabia’s image globally. The nation had to make this reforms after it was allowed to be a member of the World Trade Organization because it signed the Conversion for Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination against Women. (CEDAW). The second factor was the increased feminist and cultural efforts in the country. Feminist movements voiced their disapproval of the continuous discrimination against women. The third and final but the most significant factor was the challenges women faced that slowed down the country’s steps towards development. However, these reforms are not enough to change the political and social reality of women in Saudi Arabia. Political analysts argue that the decision to involve women in the politics of the land was only agreed upon because it came directly from the king. Reforms that are aimed at changing the political situation of women are usually met with strong oppositions from religious establishments. An example of this is the determent of the ministry of labor’s proposal to allow women work in supply stores. Also, the Council of Senior Ulama once made efforts to ban women from working as cashiers in shopping malls on the basis of a fatwa that deters women from getting employed in mixed spaces (Zuhur 456). Women and Health in Saudi Arabia There is a common understanding that women in Saudi Arabia are not guaranteed full rights. The misconception is also found in the way people understand women’s rights towards their health and medical decisions. The shocking fact is that this misunderstanding is not only common in the western countries but also among Saudi Arabians. Health service providers are also included in these statistics. It is common to see nurse ask for permission from husbands whose wives need a caesarean section in order to deliver. However, a comprehensive look at the Sharia laws concerning health and medical decisions, women are not required to seek permission from men before making these decisions. In fact the Senior Ulama in 1984 declared that a consent is required from a legally proved competent person, either male or female before a treatment or operative procedure is conducted (Toebes, Ferguson, Markovic, and Nnamuchi 367). Despite the existence of these laws and the ministry of health’s efforts to ensure these rules are adhered to, a majority of women and health providers are unaware of them. The result of this is women being denied their rights to consent for medical assistance which presents a risk to their lives as a lot of time is wasted seeking approval from their male counterparts. Women and Education Only fifteen percent of women who have attained a working age in Saudi Arabia are employed, and ninety-five percent of women in the country are housewives (Maslak 267). The primary reason for women to be educated is that education makes women more attractive for marriage. However, there is a common belief that too much of the education will have an opposite effect on the same subject. Male guardians who can include the father, brother, husband, or uncle are usually thanked for allowing the girl to get an education. The reason for this is that education in Saudi Arabia is not yet legally recognized as a right to women. Although the government freely provides training, it is not compulsory to all members of the society. Women’s education in Saudi Arabia is only fifty years old. Before the 1960’s there was no form of formal education for women and girls. Education was restricted to only their male counterparts. However, over the years this has changed, and women have been allowed to attend schools just like men. Women education was faced with a lot of resistances during its early stages. As the education sector evolved, there were increased concerns about the impacts of educating women in the society. Therefore, the government has maintained a curriculum that clearly depicts the various roles that women and men are allowed to play in the Islamic Arab nation. The curriculum is aimed at ensuring that women know their place as subordinates to men despite their educational status. Also, there are inequalities in the provision of education to men and women. For example, all education levels for women were under the religious guidance department until 2002 unlike those of men that were under the ministry of education. Women education in Saudi Arabia has improved. More and more women are getting formal education. Recently, statistics shows that in the number of women who graduate from the nation’s university is higher than that of men. According to a report by the planning and information department of the nation’s ministry of higher education, more women than men were awarded tuition scholarships for master’s education (Maslak 278). Women and political economy According to statistics out of the eight and a half million women who are at a working age only fifteen percent are formerly employed. In 2013, statistics shows that ninety percent of the Saudi’s workforce were nationals. Eighty-five percent of these were men. Additionally, women unemployment rate in the country was at 33.2 percent that was more than four times that of men. Only sixty percent of men in formal employment have attained either secondary, or university qualification compared to ninety percent of the women in the workforce (Niblock, and Malik 652). The increasing number of women completing college education has had a positive effect on the number of women in the workforce. However, despite their high qualifications there are political and social factors that deter women participation in the Saudi Arabian economy. One of them is the ban on women drivers. Denying them their mobility limits their participation in the workforce. Another reason is that women are traditionally recognized as wives and mothers but not breadwinners. Additionally, women are required to seek approval from a male guardian before getting employed. Finally, the government’s unemployment benefits programs have resulted to the unemployed to seeking employment. A majority of these are women (Niblock, and Malik 562). In conclusion, the culture, traditions and religion of the Saudi Arabian society plays a significant role in determining the various roles women play. Although the nation is significantly developed, it still lags behind in the provision of equal rights and opportunities for men and women. However, the kingdom has made several steps in ensuring the position of women is improved. The primary reason for this is that for the country to develop it has to empower both the male and female citizens. Work Cited Maslak, Mary, A. The Structure and Agency of Womens Education. New York: State University Of New York Press, 2008. Print. Niblock, Tim, and Malik, Monica. The Political Economy of Saudi Arabia. New York: Routledge, 2007. Print. Toebes, Brigit, Ferguson, Rhonda, Markovic, Milan M., and Nnamuchi, Obiajulu. The Right to Health: A Multi-Country Study of Law, Policy and Practice. Berlin: T. M. C Accer press, 2014. Print. Zuhur, Sherifa. Saudi Arabia. California: ABC-CLIO, LLC, 2011. Print. Read More