Progress Amid Resistance

SAUDI ARABIA 431AUTONOMY, SECURITY, AND FREEDOM OF THE PERSONAutonomy, security, and freedom of the person are areas much in needof improvement for all Saudi residents, especially for women, and mostespecially for foreign women who come to the kingdom as domestic workers.Whether the issue is religious freedom, freedom to choose one’s marriagepartner, lack of access to public accommodations, lack of freedom ofmovement, or gender-based violence, a rising public awareness has yet toproduce legal protections.Freedom of religion is highly restricted in Saudi Arabia for both menand women. Saudi public schools, religious spokespersons, and mediapresent Islam as one monolithic faith to which all citizens must adhere.All variant Muslim schools of thought, ritual practices, and sectarian differencesare ignored or openly disparaged and considered illicit, while inthe textbooks of public schools Shiite and Sufi practices are singled outas signals of apostasy. The public practice or preaching of religions otherthan Islam is forbidden and subject to punishment, and Saudi citizens whodisagree with the official version of Islam lack a safe way to express theirdissent or advocate for alternative interpretations. Despite the pivotal roleof women historically in the foundations of Islam, women are excludedfrom leadership positions within the country’s religious institutions andare encouraged to pray at home even though prayer, as described in Saudischool books and standard prayer manuals, is considered best when performedin congregation in the mosque.Freedom of movement for women in Saudi Arabia is limited by overlappinglegal constraints and social controls, and as a result women maynot drive cars, travel on airplanes, work, or be outside their own homewithout a guardian’s permission. 18 In 2007 and 2008, renewed pressuremounted to allow women to drive, and an ad hoc Committee for Women’sRight to Drive organized a petition addressed to the king. 19 In January2008, days after Saudi Arabia faced criticism by the CEDAW committeefor restricting “virtually every aspect of a woman’s life,” 20 the governmentan nounced that a royal decree allowing women to drive would be issued “atthe end of the year.” 21 In March, the Consultative Council recommendedthat women be allowed to drive during the daylight hours of weekdays ifthey get permission from their guardians, undergo drivers’ education, wearmodest dress, and carry a cell phone. To allay concerns about women’s