Blog #12 Saudi Arabian women tracked by text messages

Saudi Arabian women tracked by text messages

Women in Saudi Arabia are prohibited to leave the country without authorization from a male overseer. Now to add injure to injury, a new system run by the immigration authorities alerts men via text message when their charges cross the border. A distinguished Saudi women’s right activist by the name of Manal al-Sharif, tweeted information about the new system just last week when a holidaying Saudi couple notified her. The husband was not aware of the new system and did not elect for the alerts . He was aware of anything until a text message came in from immigration that his wife was passing through there. Saudi Arabia is a very religious country and have a strict interpretation of the Sharia, in Islam religious law and moral code. According the Human Rights Watch,  guardians have total control over a woman and can be husband, father, brother, or son. Regardless of age, women are required to have one and the “masters” approve or disapprove of what is does which includes: healthcare, official business, marriages, work, education, and travel. Wajeha Al Huwaidar, a Women’s rights campaigner states that, "Ownership of the woman is passed from the father or the brother to another man, the husband. The woman is merely a piece of merchandise, which is passed over to someone else - her guardian. How do you recognize a maid or a slave? The decision making is out of her hands. Yet there are mixed options, some women look to their guardians as being protectors and that people forget the aspect of love, they do not mistreat them. There was even a facebook page put up called “My guardian Knows Whats Best for Me” that showed support towards the guardians and had a petition rejecting the request of inciting liberty. Equal rights for man and women or the genders mixing  is considered unacceptable behavior.

This new embracing of technology is really nothing new to them because the system was already in place for men to have control over the women. As shocking as it maybe, most women are accustomed to this so they do not want change because this is in their religion. So how can a person judge them on what they believe is right and moral in the eyes of their creator and what Islam teaches? No one can argue with that because none of us have ever been in that situation. 

Here is the article