RIYADH: UN Special Rapporteur on Discrimination Against Women Yakin Erturk presented recently a report about her last visit to a number of countries including the Kingdom. The report was presented during the Human Rights Council 11th session last week.
Erturk started by commending the Kingdom for its cooperation and providing a chance for her to meet with representatives from non-governmental groups. She praised the governmental Human Rights Commission’s for enabling her to fulfill her mission.
In reference to the Kingdom’s collaboration with the UN in the field of human rights, the Erturk presented her report to the committee designated to eliminate all forms of discrimination against women. Erturk also pointed out that although Saudi society has sex discrimination, the Kingdom had witnessed many positive developments in a very short period of time. Women’s education, she added, has played a role in empowering women in the Kingdom.
Erturk’s report was discussed during an active dialogue framework where HRC Vice President Zaid Al-Husaini elaborated on some points in it. In response to the Erturk’s indication that a certain legal sect overwhelms decisions in the Kingdom, Al-Husaini clarified that the Kingdom follows a moderate policy based on the justice and fairness of Islam, and that the religious scholars’ opinion is based on the consent of all various Fiqh sects and does not abide by one.
Al-Husaini also pointed out that the religious police (the Commi-ssion for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice) is a government body and has its specified role according to specialized regulations.
Calling Erturk’s description of the commission as a “horrifying threat to women” as “inaccurate,” Al-Husaini said commission members practice their roles according to regulations specified by government bodies of concern, he added.
