Critical Analysis Of Womens Rights In Saudi Arabia

Student’s nameProfessor’s nameCourseDateWomen’s Rights in Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia is sometimes portrayed in the Western press as a poster child of the abuse of women. It is a country where women are forced to cover their heads and bodies in black clothing and are forbidden to drive vehicles. While Saudi Arabia has ratified many human rights treaties, including the Un Convention on the Abolition of All Kinds of Violence towards Women (CEDAW), there are several legal limitations on Saudi women's freedom in the name of Sharia. Since the Sharia rule, as applied by the Saudi courts, is uncodified and since the judicial tradition does not bind judges, the nature and substance of the law is unclear (Nielsen, 200). Thus, Saudi Arabia poses itself as an especially daunting political climate for women's rights campaigners to seek legal change. Besides, civil society organizations, including women's groups, are not permitted to work in Saudi Arabia. However, amid these restrictions, women's rights activists are involved both within and outside the world. In recent years, Saudi Arabia has seen several changes, including, though not limited to, a ban on domestic abuse in 2013 (Alsuwaida, 111-118).<span