Saudi Women Fighting Against Patriarchy: It's Worse Than a Prison Sentence

An Arabic Twitter hashtag which translates as “Saudi women want to abolish the guardianship system” went viral after a Human Rights Watch report was published in July on the issue. Saudi women tweeted comments, videos and drawings saying “I Am My Own Guardian,” calling for abolishment of the archaic law.

In Saudi Arabia, the law provides for the right of ownership of men over women. Even if the woman is older than the man or has a higher education, she cannot go abroad without a male’s permission. She cannot rent an apartment, start a lawsuit, drive a car or even undergo a hospital treatment.

Many workplaces and universities also demand guardian consent for female employees and students, although it is not legally required.

A large number of Saudi youth who use social networks such as Facebook and Twitter backed up the campaign. Last December, about 14,000 people signed a petition to recognize a woman over 21 years as an “independent person,” over which no man can dominate.

This is the story of Saudi women…#TogetherToEndMaleGuardianship #StopEnslavingSaudiWomen #IAmMyOwnGuardian pic.twitter.com/w1tnvDlfci

— Dee.♓️ (@dana_533) January 6, 2017

​This petition was the result of a multi-year campaign, which was launched five years ago, for the abolition of the law with respect to Saudi women, who, according to many are living in legitimized slavery. The Saudi Kingdom however has ignored such initiatives.

During the last two days the campaign has been making fun of the rationale behind why such a law actually exists.

"We cannot succeed when half of us are held back"#StopEnslavingSaudiWomen#TogetherToEndMaleGuardianship #Iammyownguardian #womensrights pic.twitter.com/UrHxG1czTV

— Dee.♓️ (@dana_533) January 7, 2017

​One of the participants of the campaign, named Maha Abdullah photographed a page from a Saudi book in which there was a statement which validates this law according to the Saudi kingdom.

The statement read, “Girls, stop arguing because the answer is: girls are dominated by men due to their lack of life experience.”

Another participant of the campaign Noori said that the state system in the kingdom is worse than prison. In prison people are behind bars temporary and sooner or later there comes freedom. But Saudi women are denied the right to choose for life.

Saudi feminists are finding more creative ways to demand gender equality: https://t.co/sPvBwE4nm3 #IAmMyOwnGuardian pic.twitter.com/r3xi5VI6KK

— i-D (@i_D) January 7, 2017

​Amna wrote that this law makes Saudi women second-class citizens. “It turns out that to be a woman in it is a sin for which one needs to pay.”

Men have also spoken regarding this controversial law. For example, al-Shadjaa Dusri said that all the efforts of the participants of the campaign are useless as the kingdom’s laws are not easily changed. In addition, the law corresponds to the fact that woman was created from a man's rib.