Table of Contents. 2 Gender Profile Saudi Arabia 1

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2 Table of Contents Saudi Arabia: Quick Facts 2 Background 2 1. Gender Policies, Institutional and Legal Framework 2 3. Gender and Politics 4 4. Gender and Economy 5 5. Gender and Education 5 6. Gender and Health 6 7. Gender and Human Rights 7 9. Gender-Based Violence Gender and Infrastructure Gender and Agriculture Gender and Media 9 Sources

3 SAUDI ARABIA: QUICK FACTS 1 Population size: million (2014) Overall population sex ratio (male/female): 1.21 male(s)/ female (2014) GDP (US $ billions): $753.8 Billion (2014) Currency: Saudi Riyal Religions: Islam Languages: Arabic Life expectancy at birth: (M)/ (F) Fertility rate: 2.8 children born per woman (2014) Percentage of population under 15 years: 27.6% Mortality rate, under 5 (per 1,000 live births): 15/1000 live births Maternal mortality rate (per 100,000 live births): 12/100,000 live births Gender Gap Index 2015 : 134 out of BACKGROUND The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) lies in the southernmost part of Western Asia. It is the birthplace of Islam and home to the two holiest places in Islam. Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932 by King Abd-Al- Aziz Al Saud and is one of the wealthiest nations in the Arab World, due to its vast oil reserves (22% of the world s petroleum reserves). 2 Sunni Islam is the religion of the majority. Due to diversity of regions and populations, the culture and traditions vary widely. Saudi Arabia is a monarchy where all the power lies with the King, who rules under the title Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The Shura Council is the formal body that was established in 1992, to help support the King with issues related to governance, policies and decision making. There is very little available research that addresses the different sectors at work in Saudi Arabia. Women constitute about 45% of the total population, of which 21% are migrants. 3 Saudi Arabia has a strictly hierarchical society where men take precedence over women, and the elite over common people. Up-to-date gender-specific data on the role of women in all the major sectors within Saudi Arabia is not available. King Abdullah made some progress on women s rights under his reign ( ), by improving access to employment, education and political rights for women. King Salman came into power after King Abdullah passed away in Saudi Arabia is considered to have a conservative society. Religious institutions and a patriarchal culture determine the State s choice on political and social governance of people. The 2011 Arab Uprising in the region helped spur the movement for change in Saudi Arabia, and recently many positive steps on the road to women s full participation in the society have taken place. 2. GENDER POLICIES, CONSTITUTIONAL AND LEGAL FRAMEWORK National Policies and Programs All the policies and programs within Saudi Arabia are formulated and implemented by the government, dominated by the Monarch. All gender policies, whether public or private, are based around Sharia (Islamic law) and revolve around a sex-segregated society. Women are not treated as equals and many laws discriminate against them. This inequality is structured within the society. A commission responsible for the Promotion 2 3

4 of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, is run by the religious police. In 2016, the Cabinet of Ministers issued a law, stating that the commission was only allowed to report the cases to the police and did not have the power to arrest or litigate. There is a dire need for national laws, policies and programs that work in favor of women. Saudi Arabia has ratified several of the international human rights conventions including the Convention on the Rights of the Child in 1996 and the Convention on the Elimination of all form of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) in 2000, but with the reservation that they do not contradict the Sharia Law. Constitutional and Legal Framework Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy with a constitution governed by the Islamic laws and the 1992 Basic Law. The Basic Law sets out the system of governance, rights of citizens, and duties of the government. There are two legislative councils, the Council of Ministers and the Consultative Council that are responsible for passing laws. Religious institutions play an important role, and Hanbalism (a branch of Sunni Islam) has been Saudi Arabia s dominant faith since its establishment. There is no codified penal code which means that the interpretation and application of the laws are according to the competency of the ruling courts. The absence of a penal code also means that both men and women are subject to arbitrary court decisions. The judges determine punishment in accordance with their understanding of Sharia Law. The personal status laws favor men in matters related to marriage, adoption, inheritance, child custody and divorce. A Saudi man can apply for divorce without a valid reason and in absentia, whereas a Saudi woman has to provide a valid reason for her petition. Women rarely gain custody of their children after divorce. Occasionally they might be granted the custody of daughters till they reach the age of nine and sons till they reach the age of seven. Women are considered legal minors under the control of their mahram (male family members). Also there is no clearly defined legal age of marriage. In 2004, a royal decree was passed to provide equality to men and women in matters related to Saudi nationality, but Saudi women married to non- Saudi husbands are still not allowed to pass their nationality to their children and/or spouses. However, amendments to the law allow the foreign spouse to apply for nationality if they have lived in Saudi Arabia for at least ten years. 4 It also allows the sons to apply for citizenship once they reach the age of 18. Daughters can only obtain citizenship by marrying a Saudi citizen. Non-Saudi women can only get Saudi citizenship by marrying a Saudi and relinquishing any other citizenship. According to Islamic law men can take up to four wives provided they are all treated equally, however, there is no legal procedure to monitor it. Women are allowed a share in inheritance, but this is half the share allocated to men. Women only obtained the right to apply for their own legal identity cards in According to the Labor Code of 2006, women are only allowed to work in fields suitable to their nature. Women still need permission from their guardian to be able to work. The 2006 Labor Code has abolished the segregation at the workplace law; however, it is still in practice. In 2011 a law was passed to abolish the need of a male attorney or business manager for businesses owned by women. However, in practice this regulation is far from being implemented. Working women are entitled to 10 weeks of paid maternity leave and organizations that have more than 50 women working for them are obliged to have childcare facilities. Recent changes have been made to the labor law which if enforced, will help protect the rights of the migrant workers. However, they still exclude foreign domestic workers. Legally women are allowed to own land and non-land assets and they have the right to retain control of their property after marriage. Gender Policy Framework Saudi Arabia has had to make several changes to its 1979 policies on gender which permitted social and religious conservatism. In fact, changes to the gender policies started a few years before the accession of King Abdullah to the throne in King Salman is attempting to create an institutional framework which is modern yet at the same time respects tradition and religious values. The government started a National Program for Family Safety (NPFS) in 2005 to provide advocacy services and to prevent violence against women. It was started in partnership with public, private, and international organizations. So far Saudi Arabia has issued 10 five-year development plans since The Ninth Development Plan included objectives and 4 3

5 policies that address women s issues in education, health, employment and social care. Furthermore it also contained a chapter on women and the family. The most recent Tenth National Development Plan ( ) has twenty-four objectives, which include empowering women and increasing their contributions in various sectors, and enhancing the social safety networks and family and child care. Key Actors Many government institutions lack women s units. The national machineries working on women issues are located under the Ministry of Social Affairs in Saudi Arabia. Ministry of Social Affairs (MOSA) No exclusive institutions pertaining to women and gender equality exist in Saudi Arabia. A unit within the Ministry of Social Affairs (MOSA) acted as the national women s machinery. 6 However, this ministry was merged with the Ministry of Labor in 2015 and became the Ministry of Labor and Social Development (MLSD). In 2016, a new council, the Council of Family Affairs was created under the leadership of the MLSD minister, which is in charge of handling women and family affairs. The Ministry is also responsible for gathering statistics on reported cases of domestic violence. Civil Society Most of the civil society organizations working in Saudi Arabia operate within limited mandates. A new law for civil organizations was released by the government which offers a stringent regulatory process for civil society and only allows for government sanctioned NGOs. Many women are also lobbying for the need for a civil society law. Around 950 non-profit organizations exist in Saudi Arabia. 7 However, independent NGOs working for women s issues have not been established yet. Women can only be members of the state s human rights organizations. 3. GENDER AND POLITICS No legal political parties exist in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. However, some form of political coordination does exist. Since 1990, there have been several demands for political reform. Women are highly excluded from all decision-making positions in all institutions, whether political, economic, or religious. Currently there are no female ministers within the cabinet. In 2009, the first female deputy minister was appointed. 8 In September 2011, a royal decree granted women the political rights to participate in both the Shura Council and municipal councils. 9 A royal decree issued in 2013, gave women a 20% quota for representation in the Shura Council. 10 All representatives are chosen by royal decree appointment. Women in the Council have been very active in areas such as human rights, civil society, unemployment, women s rights, etc. Women s representation in the lower chamber of the National Parliament was 19.9% in Women were not allowed to vote or participate in the municipal elections that were held first in 2005 and then again in They were given the permission to vote and stand in the municipal elections for the first time in December 2015, where 979 women ran for office and 20 won seats GENDER AND ECONOMY Saudi Arabia has the highest number of barriers to women s economic opportunities in the Arab world. Women in Saudi Arabia are forbidden to drive, which further decreases their chances of employment opportunities, especially if the work is from home. Also, traditional beliefs relegate women to the private sphere rather than the workplace. Many women s sections are opening up in government and private agencies but they lack real power. Women s current participation in the labor force is 21%. 12 As in many other Arab countries, men continue to have better opportunities than women. Women are mostly considered for non-strategic jobs and rarely for decision-making or management positions. Employment The female employment rate in Saudi Arabia is among the lowest in the world. Women s employment rate stood at 20.1% in According to reports, 78% of unemployed women have graduate degrees. 14 Many new jobs were created for women after a law was passed in 2011 and implemented in 2012 banning men from working in lingerie shops. 15 A number of financial incentives have been put in place to help unemployed men and women and increase the employment rates. 4 5

6 One such initiative is the Female Employment in the Retail Sector Policy. 16 Informal Sector The informal sector in Saudi Arabia is relatively small. According to a World Bank study, only 18.4% people in Saudi Arabia work in the informal sector. The huge number of domestic workers comprise most of the informal economy. 17 Women-Owned Businesses Restrictions on transportation make it very difficult for females to access banks and other financial services. The laws that required women to obtain permission from their male guardians to start a business or get a bank loan were annulled in However, the practice still continues in the absence of a monitoring mechanism and because many women still do not have complete information regarding their rights. Many Saudi women run their own businesses or may participate in family businesses. Saudi business women are estimated to have SAR 45 billion in cash, according to statistics provided by the Chamber of Commerce in Jeddah. 18 In major cities like Jeddah,business women have served on the Chambers of Commerce and Industry. The number of women-owned commercial businesses was 47,400 by the end of Microfinance There is much scope for microfinance in Saudi Arabia. Schemes to finance projects for divorced and widowed women are set in place. In 2005, a fund was established to assist small businesses and young entrepreneurs, especially in the rural areas. The Ministry of Labor arranges support programs for many businesses. 20 Many women also come together to support one another with microfinance initiatives. 5. GENDER AND EDUCATION Women s right to education is strictly controlled by their guardians. The school curriculum differs for boys and girls for many subjects. 21 The curriculum does not prepare women for work, but focuses on household duties and Islamic studies. Many subjects like sports, engineering, architecture, archaeology etc. are only offered to males unless they are undertaken at a private university or at a postgraduate level. Furthermore, males are not allowed to work at girls schools and vice versa. Education provided for girls through the public sector is not of high quality. Early Childhood Education Saudi children are enrolled in kindergarten between the ages of 3-5 years. Pre-school education is not a prerequisite for entry into primary education. According to the World Bank the gross enrolment rate in 2014 for both sexes was 17%. 22 Primary Education Education is sex-segregated at all levels in Saudi Arabia. In 2004, a royal decree made primary education compulsory for children. UNESCO reported the enrolment rate at 97.8% for females and 95.3% for males ( ). 24 Saudi Arabia is on its way to achieving the target for universal primary education for all. Secondary Education Secondary education lasts for three years. Girls have a choice between sciences and arts whereas the boys have many options (religious sciences, social sciences, natural sciences, and applied sciences). According to UNESCO, the net enrolment rate for females was 100% and for males was 99.3% ( ). 24 Tertiary Education University education in Saudi Arabia has helped women move forward in society. Women have outperformed men when it comes to higher education, with more women earning PhD degrees. 25 The first co-education university, King Abdullah Science and Technology University (KAUST), opened in It was the first university in the Kingdom where women were allowed to drive and be unveiled within the guarded campus. The world s largest university for women (Princess Nora bint Abdulrahman University) is based in Riyadh. According to the Ministry of Education, by 2015, 51.8% women were enrolled in universities across Saudi Arabia. 26 Women are now also studying engineering and law, courses that were previously closed to them. Teaching women by men professors in governmental universities is done through CCTV system. Non-formal Education There are some people in Saudi Arabia who have no access to formal education. The Ministry of Education 6 5

7 has launched a community-based literacy program for adults called Learning Neighborhood which offers educational and vocational trainings. The program has been supporting many underprivileged and vulnerable women since GENDER AND HEALTH Health care services are mainly provided by the Ministry of Health (MOH). These are supported by the government with the aim to provide free medical care to all Saudi citizens and millions that perform pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. 28 The government also plans to adopt a health insurance policy to reduce its financial burden. Access to Health Care Services Access to health care facilities and hospitals is limited for those who live in rural areas. MOH statistics indicate that health care professionals and health services are not evenly distributed across the country and people experience long waiting periods. Additionally, women need to be accompanied by or need the permission of their mahram for operations (such as caesarian delivery etc.) or if traveling to the city for treatment, which further hinders their timely access to healthcare services. Maternal and Child Health Abortion is forbidden in Saudi Arabia and is only allowed if the medical committee decides there is a threat to the mother or child. Due to a high prevalence of consanguineous marriages there is a high chance of genetic disorders, child deaths, and recurrent abortions, which many Saudi Arabian women are unaware of. 29 Due to a high number of hereditary hemoglobin disorders, Saudi Arabia made pre-wedding blood tests (pre-marital screening) compulsory in The inaccessibility of contraception increases the risk of these women giving birth at a later age which further increases the chances of birth defects. World Bank statistics from 2015 show that the under-five mortality rate for boys is 15.5 and for girls 13.6 per 1000 live births. 31 Early marriage is also a contributing factor to maternal mortality. Communicable Diseases Communicable diseases are no longer the leading cause of mortality in Saudi Arabia. 32 Cases of malaria and tuberculosis are almost negligible. A national tuberculosis control program is present. Coronavirus, an infectious respiratory disease, was first identified in 2012 in Saudi Arabia. Since then the virus has been a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the country. 33 Nonetheless, millions of people come to Saudi Arabia every year for holy pilgrimage (Hajj) when the risk of infectious diseases such as respiratory, food-borne, skin, and diarrheal infections, and injuries increase considerably. The prevention and treatment of HIV & AIDS has become a priority in Saudi Arabia. Higher rates of infection are seen in men than in women. Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health Cultural and social norms act as barriers to providing adolescents with information regarding sexual and reproductive health. Young women, particularly if they are single, are at a risk of negative backlash if they try to seek contraceptives or sexual and reproductive health services. In 2014, the adolescent fertility rate (15-19) was 9 births per 1000 women GENDER AND HUMAN RIGHTS Saudi Arabia is known all over the world for carrying out harsh and brutal punishments. Freedom of religion, expression and association are highly restricted in Saudi Arabia. Women are banned from driving and strict rules of gender segregation apply. There is a lot of debate regarding the issue of women driving, with many Islamic experts in favor of allowing women to do so. Many customary practices also limit women s rights and are discriminatory against women in Saudi Arabia. Women are prohibited from renting apartments or entering police stations, and most ministry buildings by themselves. Men and women are not allowed to access public spaces (parks, zoos, libraries etc.) at the same time. Saudi Arabia is the only nation in the world that requires female citizens to live under the supervision of a legalized male guardian. Progress for Saudi women is further hindered by the practice of polygamy. There is no legal minimum age for marriage and girls can be forced to marry under the age of 16. Women cannot register their children in school or travel with them without permission from their father. When it comes to education, women have been allowed to study law since 2006 but it was only in 2013 that they were given the permission to practice 6 7

8 as lawyers in courts. Women s access to justice is further hampered by their reliance on a male relative for everything. Furthermore, foreign domestic workers are particularly vulnerable as their passports are taken by their employers on arrival, restricting their movement. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a destination for persons trafficked for the purpose of domestic work. During the 2013 round-up of illegal workers, many reported being raped by the police and vigilantes. 35 No specialized shelters exist for victims of sexual trafficking. However, The Ministry of Social Affairs operates one support center in Riyadh for domestic workers. Religious minorities such as Shiites, often face political, religious and economic discrimination. One of the biggest problems women in Saudi Arabia face, is a lack of knowledge of their rights. 8. SOGIE- SEXUAL ORIENTATION, GENDER IDENTITY AND EXPRESSION Individuals with diverse sexual orientations, gender identities and expressions (SOGIE) continue to experience discrimination and violence all over the world. Under Saudi Arabia s interpretation of Sharia law, a married man engaging in same-sex relationships may be stoned to death. 36 Saudi Arabia criminalizes Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex (LGBTI) individuals and punishes homosexuality with death or capital punishment from chemical castration and jail to public executions. Due to social rejection, fear of violence, and prospective acts of discrimination and harassment, LGBTI organizations do not operate publicly in Saudi Arabia. Acts of societal discrimination, harassment, physical abuse and violence due to sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing and access to education or health care were also reported in the country. 37 A report released in April 2012 stated that Saudi Arabia asked its Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, the most feared law enforcement authority, to enforce and implement laws that prohibit homosexuals and tomboy students from their right to education in public schools and universities in an attempt to impede homosexuality in the country. 38 In 2010, a group of homosexual Saudi men was sentenced to 14,200 lashes and arrested for two years for dancing and «acting like women» after the police raided a party in Jeddah. 39 As per the Saudi newspaper Okaz, during the year 2011, the religious police arrested 260 homosexual individuals for crossdressing, men wearing makeup or men trying to pick up other men. 40 Saudi Arabia, in collaboration with other Gulf countries, worked on a «test» that can detect an individual s sexual orientation in 2013 in order to ban homosexual expatriates who wish to enter the country. 41 In January 2016, the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice warranted the arrest of four homosexual men because they were living together as couples GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE Women in Saudi Arabia have no legal protection against gender-based violence. Sexual exploitation and abuse of female domestic workers is common. However, they rarely complain about the abuses they face to the authorities, for fear of being wrongly prosecuted and losing their jobs. There are no specific laws that address sexual harassment. Rape still remains a taboo and issues related to it are not discussed openly. The prevalence of domestic violence is considered to be high. In 2011, the Ministry of Social Affairs (MOSA) reported 931 cases of domestic violence against women. 43 A law adopted in 2013, criminalizes domestic violence, 44 but it has not been implemented yet. In 2015, Saudi Arabia s Ministry of Justice reported receiving 1498 cases of domestic violence. 45 Often women are prevented from reporting, because the authorities believe they need permission of their mahram to do so. However, in many cases the mahram is the perpetrator. Cases of honor crimes are also reported to occur and the perpetrators are rarely punished. Rapists may be severely punished, but many cases have been reported where the victim is also punished or killed for being alone with a man or for being accused of adultery. Marital rape is not considered a crime. Female genital mutilation (FGM) is still practiced in some parts of Saudi Arabia, although the numbers are low. In 2005, the practice of early and forced marriages was banned. 46 However, the degree of women s involvement in making decisions about their marriage varies between families. Although domestic violence and forced marriages are illegal, they are still widespread and husbands can lock up their wives, 8 7

9 deny them food, etc. Another related matter is forced divorce practiced by the female s relatives to separate the wife from her husband for reasons of genealogical and tribal authenticity GENDER AND INFRASTRUCTURE Transport Limited mobility prevents women from actively participating in most of the daily activities. Women are not permitted to drive cars, although in rural areas women can be seen driving. There is no written law that prohibits women from driving; the government refuses to issue driving licenses and women who drive are arrested by police and they can be imprisoned and their cars confiscated, 48 even if they have valid GCC or international driving licenses. Protests against this are becoming more and more vocal but it is yet to be seen if they will be given the permission to obtain driving licenses in the future. Households The cost of living and lack of affordable housing is considered a big problem in Saudi Arabia. Women in Saudi Arabia assume the role of the head of the household when they are divorced, widowed, the husband is imprisoned, has abandoned his family or is unemployed. A study on female-headed households (FHH) in Jeddah city showed that majority of FHHs are either uneducated or have only a basic level of education. 49 Water and Sanitation Due to water scarcity, Saudi Arabia has made significant investments in desalination, water distribution, and sewerage and wastewater treatment. No reliable and up-to-date information exists on women s access to water and sanitation in the country. Women employees are not present in the Ministry of Water and Electricity in Saudi Arabia. 11. GENDER AND AGRICULTURE Agricultural work played an important role in rural women s lives in the 1980s. However, the agricultural sector contributes very little to the country s economy now and without the support of the government it would be even smaller. Women s participation in the agricultural sector is considerably low. According to World Bank gender statistics in 2012, only 0.2% of women were employed in the agricultural sector. 50 Gendered Division of Labor Women support men in animal husbandry and are mostly responsible for planting, weeding, harvesting and storing food, whereas men are responsible for animal breeding, off-farm work, irrigation, and marketing. 12. GENDER AND MEDIA All media content is tightly controlled by the government. Any violation or publishing of articles that are offensive to the government or religious establishments can result in punishment. A survey done in 2006 showed that women employees accounted for less than 8% in newspapers and around 5% in radio and television. 51 Mostly women work part-time, and for women s departments in either the newspaper or magazine industry. Many female journalists work for low salaries and often without contracts. Historically, degrees in journalism and media were off-limits to girls. This changed in 2005 when the first undergraduate course in mass communication opened for girls at King Abdel-Aziz University. Women in media are objectified in specific ways- what they wear, how they smile and so on. Women are often categorized into a homogenized category of Saudi women - ignoring the fact that not all Saudi women are alike. Social media has played a key role in recent changes that have been seen in Saudi Arabia related to 8 9

10 women rights. Social media usage (Facebook, Twitter etc.) has also increased in recent years. Many believe that AUTHOR social media is a source for liberalization. Dr. Nida Latif Dr. Latif is a dentist by training and has a postgraduate degree in Public Health. She has extensive experience working with various UN agencies, local NGOs and with refugees and displaced populations in a variety of settings. Her work focuses on gender, gender-based violence and public health. She was also a part of peer reviewers of the national curriculum on GBV Case Management, Lebanon. COUNTRY EXPERT REVIEWER Dr. Hatoon Al-Fassi Dr. Al-Fassi is a Saudi historian specialist in women s history, Associate Professor (King Saud University, Riyadh). She received her Ph.D. from the University of Manchester, UK. Her interest, devotion, research and action cover Women s history: ancient and Islamic, Saudi and Gulf women s issues and Islamic rights, Gender studies, Women s religious rights, Islamic feminism, female writers, History of the Arabian Peninsula & Human Rights. Dr. Al-Fassi has published books and peer reviewed articles in Arabic and English in her areas of interest. At Qatar University, she teaches gender and Gulf studies. A special thanks to Gender & Sexuality Resource Center (GSRC) for their input on SOGIE- Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression 10 9

11 SOURCES Russian Energy Security and Foreign Policy- Edited by Adrian Dellecker, Thomas Gomart Women s Rights in the Middle East and North Africa: Progress Amid Resistance-edited by Sanja Kelly, Julia Breslin Employment Plan 2014, Saudi Arabia; english.alarabiya.net/en/perspective/features/2015/05/08/more-women-than-men-in-saudi-universities-says-ministry-html Gender inequity in Saudi Arabia and its role in public health- A.E.H. Mobaraki1 and B. Söderfeldt int/emhj/v16/01/16_1_2010_0113_0118.pdf Social policies and programmes for the eradication of poverty among poor female-headed households in Saudi society (Jeddah City) Maha Akeel, Empowering women in Saudi Arabia, Arab News, January 6,

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