Women's Rights
Saudi women face discrimination in many aspects of their lives, such as the justice system. Although they make up 70% of those enrolled in universities, for social reasons, women make up 5% of the workforce in Saudi Arabia, the lowest proportion in the world. The treatment of women has been referred to as "sex segregation" and "gender apartheid". Implementation of a government resolution supporting expanded employment opportunities for women met resistance from within the labor ministry, from the religious police, and from the male citizenry.
In many parts of Saudi Arabia, it is believed that a woman's place is in the home caring for her husband and family, yet there are some successful ladies and some even run the house instead of the husband himself. Moreover,there is also some type of segregation inside their own homes, mens entrance and women's entrance.
The driving ban for women was unofficial until 1990 when it was introduced as official legislation after 47 Saudi women drove cars through the streets of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. Even though illegal, women in rural areas and other areas outside cities do drive cars. Women are allowed to fly aircraft, though they must be chauffeured to the airport.
Women's rights are at the heart of calls for reform in Saudi Arabia - calls that are challenging the kingdom's political status quo. Local and international women's groups are also pushing governments to respond, taking advantage of the fact that some rulers are eager to project a more progressive image to the West.
The presence of powerful businesswomen—still a rare sight—in some of these groups helps get them heard. Prior to 2008, women were not allowed to enter hotels and furnished apartments without a chaperon or mahram. With a 2008 Royal Decree, however, the only requirement for a woman to be allowed to enter hotels is a national ID card, and the hotel must inform the nearest police station of their room reservation and length of stay; however, this happens with everybody staying in the hotel.
Many Saudis believe that allowing women the right to drive could lead to Western-style openness and an erosion of traditional values.
According to the CIA world factbook, 70.8% of females are literate, in comparison to 84.7% literacy rates in males.
Read more about this topic: Human Rights In Saudi Arabia
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