Such cases, the HRC said, take inordinate amounts of time to resolve in the courts, often because the men who must appear simply ignore court orders with impunity.

The commission said this in a statement issued on Thursday on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The HRC reiterated its commitment to observing and following up on abuse cases against women involving some members of society, stressing that Shariah gives women the right to be free of physical or emotional abuse.

The HRC urged society to continue working on spreading the message of human rights, and praised Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah for his support to and care of Saudi women. This support and care has been proven, the organization said, by Saudi Arabia's recent ascension to a new United Nations agency on women empowerment.

Women's progress in the Kingdom is consistent with the international agreements, such as the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, which the Kingdom is a signatory of.