THE DEVELOPMENT OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS IN SAUDI ARABIA (Challenges and Achievements Since 2015)

Abstract

Saudi Arabia has taken many steps in recent years to support women's rights, gradually deconstructing the male guardianship system that curtailed gender equity. When King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud came to power in 2015, he brought with him a slew of reforms. For example, a 2016 order limited the authority of religious police, who were major perpetrators of female harassment and abuse.1 Subsequent to the appointment of Mohammad bin Salman (MBS) as Crown Prince in 2017, such reforms escalated. In 2017, the Kingdom approved a directive permitting women to use government services without the approval of their male guardians. Women were given the right to drive a year later. Women were also allowed to dress modestly without wearing a headscarf or black abaya in 2018. The Women in the Workplace program was launched in January 2019, requiring, among other things, equal remuneration for women. In response to this trend, the government approved three pieces of legislation relating to the male guardianship system in July 2019. The changes brought on by the new leadership are mostly in reaction to the continuous efforts of women’s rights activists that have brought international attention on the status of women in Saudi society. Also, the achievement of Vision 2030 includes women in its reforms because the leadership wishes to diversify the nation’s dependence on oil. Overall, women in Saudi Arabia have experienced positive changes in the past few years following much needed reforms in society.