Restricted: Life as a woman in Saudi Arabia

"In November 2007, Nazia flew to Saudi Arabia to visit her father, an
Indian citizen who worked there. But after she arrived, he wouldn't let her leave."

According to the Saudi Arabia guardianship system, men make all the decisions in the women's lives. Women cannot board planes, leave the country, have major surgeries, attend school, or marry without their male gaurdian's permission.

For Nazia, traveling to visit her father in Saudi Arabia would trap her in the country for three years. Her father confiscated her Canadian and Indian passports, license, and credit cards; prohibiting her from having any access to ways of leaving. Although back home in Canada Nazia's mother and brothers agree with her father's decision, it has not tainted her will to try and escape. Last October, Nazia applied for, and received, an emergency certificate from the Indian Embassy, but was told she still needed an exit visa to leave -- an exit visa that her father, or "guardian," would have to sign for. The Canadian embassy in Riyadh recently issued Nazia a temporary passport. But once again, in Saudi Arabia, a valid passport is not sufficient to allow a woman to leave the country.

In Saudi Arabia, other women have faced similar situations to Nazia's. Human Rights Watch reported about a 40 year old woman named Fatima A., who lived in Riyadh. She cannot board a plane without written permission from her son (23 years old), her legal guardian. They also interviewed another woman who said her sister needed permission from her guardian before she was permitted to have an IV done at the hospital. Women are not able to open bank accounts for their children, enroll their children in school, or even travel with their children without the appropriate permission.

Another issue for women in Saudi Arabia is domestic abuse. If their guardian is abusive towards them it is nearly impossible for there to be a removal of the guardian. For the women are not allowed to file a criminal complaint unless they have permission from their guardian to do so.

There has been hope, however, for Nazia. A few people have taken the role of Nazia's voice to speak out for her injustice. With pressure from Human Rights Watch, Saudi Human Rights Commission has taken up her case and tried to fight for her departure. However they have not been very successful in their fight. Also, three Canadian Veterans, who recieved medals from Saudi Arabia, have also stood up for Nazia. They have returned medals personally to the embassy in hopes to show their disapproval of the guardian system.

In June 2009, the Saudi Arabian government told the United Nations Human Rights Council that it would abolish the legal guardianship system. HOWEVER, there have been no steps to carry out this promise. Saudi officials continue to require women to obtain permission from male guardians to conduct their most basic affairs, like traveling or receiving medical care, despite government assertions that no such requirements exist.

Although, there is little movement in women's rights in Saudi Arabia, Nazia has been able to escape her life in Saudi Arabia but with certain constraints. Her mother and brothers came to Saudi Arabia and allowed her to travel to Canada with them however she was forced into marrying her current boyfriend, even though they disapproved of him from the beginning.

Sarah Whitson, Middle East director stated, "The Saudi government is saying one thing to the Human Rights Council in Geneva but doing another thing inside the kingdom...It needs to stop
requiring adult women to seek permission from men, not just pretend to stop it."