Latest


No marriage? 23 Saudi women sue guardians

  •   Fri, Jul 04 2014 05:07:02 PM

Riyadh, July 4 (IANS): Twenty-three Saudi women sued their parents last year for not letting them get married, a source at the National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) said.

Riyadh had 11 cases, followed by Madinah with four, and two each in Dammam, Makkah, Jeddah and Jazan, the Arab News reported citing the source. 

These cases are known in Arabic as "adhl".

Suhaila Zain Al-Abideen Hammad, a rights activist and member of the NSHR, has called on the government to introduce a law to protect women from "adhl".

"It is imperative to introduce legislation that would give women the power to marry once they reach a certain age, without getting approval from their guardians," the activist was quoted as saying.

She said women are now at the mercy of their guardians.

The NSHR recently dealt with several cases where guardians refused to allow women under their care to marry because they disapproved of the suitors' tribe, or wanted to live on the women's salaries, she said.

Hammad said "adhl" could cause severe psychological trauma for women, including depression, suicidal tendencies and drug addiction.
  

Top Stories

Comment on this article

  • Don, Mangalore

    Wed, Jul 09 2014

    Em, Kundapur/UAE

    If you are talking abut respect then he should respect her for 3 reasons.
    1. She was much older to him, and he is her younger brother.
    2. She is much more literate and hence can make more informed decision, unlike any illiterate man who can't read and write his name in English.
    3. She is also his benefactor and she literally feeds this him.

    Lastly, why does she need his permission at all? What if he says NO? I would emphatically say she does not need to take his permission for all of the above. But the only reason why she is forced to take his permission is he is a male and she is a female. So much for an illiterate male who controls his benefactor.

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Don, Mangalore

    Fri, Jul 04 2014

    Apparently Saudi woman are not aware that they are totally 100% under the guardians and they cannot go even to the grocery store without the permission of their guardian. Before a woman is married her father, brother (younger or older, literate or illiterate it does not matter is her guardian or "walli" in Arabic.

    So whom are they going to sue? It is Saudi law taken directly from their constitution and very strictly enforced by the State as well as the religious police, that it is an absolute must for each and every Saudi woman to have a guardian. As long as the guardian does not violate any Islamic laws, he cannot be sued.

    I knew of an unmarried female medical doctor in her middle ages who had to go abroad as an official representation of her country to an international conference, required her illiterate younger brother's (who worked as a labourer) permission to leave the country, as her father had died and he was her guardian.

    Good luck, you’ll need lot’s of it.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • Em, Kundapur/UAE

    Sun, Jul 06 2014

    Don,Mangalore
    So called "illiterate younger brother's (who worked as a laborer)permission to leave the country" is a caretaker of her, i dont think she jus became doctor with his dad's wealth. So its a kind of respect which she have for her brother. which you wont understand.
    If u have ever gone to school, do you remember asking permission with teacher, or in your childhood asking wit your parents.
    Think what you post.
    good day.

    DisAgree [10] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Sampath, Mangalore/USA

    Mon, Jul 07 2014

    She is over 18. That should let her to act independently as an adult. She can decide whether or not she would like to respect her family or not. The dependency that you are describing is relevant only she was a child or mentally challenged.

    DisAgree [1] Agree [5] Reply Report Abuse


Leave a Comment

Title: No marriage? 23 Saudi women sue guardians



You have 2000 characters left.

Disclaimer:

Please write your correct name and email address. Kindly do not post any personal, abusive, defamatory, infringing, obscene, indecent, discriminatory or unlawful or similar comments. Daijiworld.com will not be responsible for any defamatory message posted under this article.

Please note that sending false messages to insult, defame, intimidate, mislead or deceive people or to intentionally cause public disorder is punishable under law. It is obligatory on Daijiworld to provide the IP address and other details of senders of such comments, to the authority concerned upon request.

Hence, sending offensive comments using daijiworld will be purely at your own risk, and in no way will Daijiworld.com be held responsible.

You might also like