Some Saudi women are refusing to stay in marriages with sexist husbands who prevent them from traveling alone and driving, new statistics recently revealed.
According to data published by the kingdom's Ministry of Justice, 31,131 cases of separation or divorce were registered across the country since the beginning of 2019. While most filings were the result of "common marital disputes," several had to do with traveling and driving — two rights women were granted in recent months. In other instances, husbands are not allowing their wives to work.
These cases point towards the fact that women in the country continue to fight for their most basic of rights on all levels. News of such separations comes at a time when the concept of a "male guardian" is slowly disappearing from laws previously applied in the kingdom.
In August, Saudi women won their right to apply for passports and travel outside the kingdom without male approval. In June of last year, a heavily-criticized ban on women driving was officially lifted. But this hasn't made things easier for all women in the country as some continue to struggle due to societal norms.
Speaking to StepFeed, Noura, a women's rights activist based in Jeddah, explained how millions of women are yet to benefit from rights recently granted to them by the Saudi government.
"So many women are eager to hit the roads but are being prevented from doing so by either their fathers, brothers or husbands," she said.
"What we need to understand about Saudi Arabia is that even if laws change, some men refuse to let go of the superior hand they were given over women at some point in our history. It's going to take a fight to change the social norms that most families are holding on to. This is not only when it comes to driving but also in regards to allowing women to travel abroad alone and issue their own passports," Noura explained.
Saudi Arabia continues to loosen laws related to the male guardianship system
Despite societal obstacles, the country is slowly loosening its male guardianship system but has yet to completely abolish it.
The system is a legal code influenced by a fundamentalist interpretation of Sharia law. Under it, a woman's father, brother, or husband is granted full control over her life.
Thousands of men have abused the scheme, twisting it in their favor and using its rules to subject women to gross injustices. This includes situations where women are banned from traveling, driving, or even attending university.
In recent months, Saudi officials made moves to try to protect women from being victimized by the system. Though the country seems to be stripping male guardians of the total control they once had over women one legislation at a time, it still grants them rights to oversee several aspects of their lives. Therefore, Saudi women continue their fight towards abolishing the system in its entirety.