In Saudi Arabia women have more restrictions than rights.
They can’t drive, get out of the house without a male escort and to attend sporting events. The majority of bans are not officially prescribed no secular or religious laws, they exist simply at the level of tradition. But the punishment for breaking these traditions are often killed.
To do anything without the consent of a male guardian
Male guardian — usually the husband, father or brother — the man who fully controls the life of every woman in Saudi Arabia. Without his permission a woman may not make or break a marriage, to education, to work, to go anywhere abroad or within the country and even make a scheduled surgery. Every step, every action requires the consent or direct participation of a male guardian. Even just to chat with a male neoucom is strictly prohibited.
To do something that might reflect on the honor of men-the guardian
The man is a guardian that protects and takes care of woman, has the right to demand from her prudent behavior. It is believed that if the Trustee loses control over women, you will lose honor in the eyes of society. And this is very serious. If a woman, their behavior spoils the honor of the male guardian, he has the right to punish her, and in extreme cases even kill. This is not just some outdated dogma. The practice of honour killing happens in Saudi Arabia every day. In 2007, a father killed a young girl when she found out that she was talking to a young man on Facebook. The most conservative citizens called on the government to ban Facebook, because he, according to them, incites lust and causes social strife by encouraging sexual confusion. For women in Saudi Arabia is the shame of the arrest of the religious police. And they can arrest for anything. So in 2009, two young girls after his arrest as a result of communication with other men publicly shot the brothers in the presence of the father.
To appear on the street with exposed parts of the body
According to the Sharia, to an outsider, the man not tempted by a woman, she is bound in a public place to cover all parts of the body, except for the oval of the face, hands and feet. But in some provinces of the country women are obliged to cover all the face except the eyes, and leave exposed only the hands. However, since 2011, religious police began to ask women to close eyes as well, referring to the fact that sometimes they can be too “sexy”.
To leave a special “women’s” areas in public places
In Saudi Arabia there is pronounced sexual segregation. It affects as many women as men are guardians try to limit the surrounding society and any contact with strange men. Special events are held with the division of men and women. Most of the houses in the country have separate entrances. Moreover, any man but the owner are allowed to enter the female part of the house. Split all public places: shopping malls, amusement parks, beaches, public transport, educational institutions. And quite often the two sexes students learn not just in different buildings but in different times, so they in any case do not overlap with each other. Violation of the principles of sex segregation, especially by women, is equated to a crime.
To work where she likes
Let’s start with the fact that women in Saudi Arabia are generally not encouraged any mercenary work. From early childhood girls are taught that their main role is to bear and raise children, maintain the family home, take care of the family. The woman, of course, can work, but only in designated Smoking by women in all spheres of activity. You can work as a doctor, nurse, teacher. But this is only if you have managed before to obtain a good education, what to do is also extremely difficult. Besides, any job a woman in Saudi Arabia can get only with permission of a male guardian.
To outdoor sporting events
Despite the fact that there are women sports teams, in any more or less important sports events they participate it is impossible. Until 2008, Saudi Arabia was the only country in the world that did not represent women at the Olympic games. In the schools of Saudi girls do not get any sports education, and to the rest of the sports facilities have extremely limited access. But to attend an outdoor sports event, women are strictly prohibited.
To drive
The movement of women across the country and so is very limited. Without a male escort-the guardian they’re not allowed even to leave the house, not to mention any journeys or travel. Driving is forbidden to women, they do not issue state licenses to drive, even if they have a foreign law. Most Saudi scholars and religious figures consider driving a woman to sin. For example, Professor Kamal Subhi claims that if women in the country be allowed to drive cars, in ten years there will not remain virgins. And another influential Sheikh Saleh, Lohaidan once said that if a woman is driving, she can have a baby with birth defects. In fairness, it should be noted that the ban on driving cars by women is violated everywhere in rural areas of the country.
Use of public transport
As a rule, women in Saudi Arabia are unable to use public transport. First, because it is not safe from the point of view of contacts with foreign men. Secondly, many transport companies in principle do not carry women. Although, some trains have a special section with a separate entrance, located at the end of compounds, especially for women.
To choose a spouse
Despite the fact that in 2005 the religious Committee officially banned the practice of forced marriage, a contract between the groom and the bride’s father is still considered mandatory. The situation is complicated by the fact that there is no minimum age for marriage. Most of the higher religious figures believe that the girl suitable for marriage to 9 years old and the boy 15. They also believe that a girl must marry before puberty. About any conscious choice of a spouse there can be no question. This practice also negatively affects women’s education. Girls entered into early marriage (under 16) then usually do not get a full education and therefore can’t work. Do not forget that the country is officially permitted polygamy. Man is allowed to have up to four wives.
To get out of prison early
And here begins the most interesting. In Saudi Arabia the religious police can arrest a woman for literally anything. For example, for the “wrong clothes”, for communication with a foreign man. And even if a woman was the victim of rape, she can be punished with a prison term for being insufficiently covers the body or were familiar with the future rapist. In this country there is a tradition that a prisoner can be released early, if you memorize the Quran, or even get a pardon from the king on the occasion or the coronation. But women prisoners are deprived of such privileges. Moreover, even after full term of imprisonment, the woman can be released from prison only with the permission of a male guardian. And it often happens that the guardians insist on increase in term of punishment, or even altogether abandoning the women. And then they are forced to sit in prison for years. Wide publicity was an incident that occurred in 2015, when a woman caught her husband cheating with the maid secretly filmed kissing couple on video and then published on the Internet. The woman now faces a prison sentence and a fine of 87.6 thousand euros for “insulting the honor and dignity of man.”
