Saudi women continue to complain of many hardships in their daily life. Women continue to suffer throughout the Arab world where simply being female relegates the person to second-class citizenship.
The problems and frustrations facing women are the direct result of their sex.
A Saudi woman at a business forum once complained of the restrictions and discrimination businesswomen regulary face. She said although women may hold legal identity cards issued by the government, they are still required to appoint a male agent to run their business for them.
The worst part of her story was that none of the audience did anything to help her apart from expressing regret. Not one of them offered a concrete solution.
Issuing clear instructions to government departments to accept women’s identity cards as a valid document will help eliminate many problems for women who go to government — or any other — offices to take care of business.
The question is why women are not treated the same as men when it comes to the rights of citizens. I know there are always those who come up with ready answers, saying women’s rights are enshrined in the country’s laws which come from Islamic Shariah.
They tell us women have every right to own property and dispose of their wealth as they wish. This of course is something well-known, so why then deny women the means which will allow them to enjoy the rights? Islam treats men and women equally in regard to religious duties and responsibilities. Men and women will receive the same degree of reward in the hereafter, based on their commitment to Divine laws and how well the individuals have followed them. Why then deny a fellow human being her rights they are entitled to and allow them to be manipulated in this way? The sad condition of women is the product of very old and primitive traditions that in many cases have been confused with religious beliefs, especially when it comes to equal treatment.
Hadeeth and Sunnah speak volumes of the high position of women in Islam. Despite these clear teachings, which direct Muslims how to treat one other, the place of women in Muslim society continues to be surrounded by distortions and erroneous ideas. Women are told they are partners in the building of the country. To prove we are fair to women, words must be translated into actions.
