This week, Saudi government officials have been asked to review a ban on girls’ sports in state schools — a response to rising women obesity rates. Girls in many private schools are currently permitted to play sports while also adhering the Sharia law dress code. This request for review is part of a pattern of human rights concessions made by Saudi Arabia in the past few years. The concessions, however, lack the weight of real change. The international negligence toward Saudi Arabia’s human rights record has gone on long enough.
The situation reached a new low last year when Saudi Arabia was admitted to the U.N. Human Rights Council. The Human Rights Council, which also added Cuba, Vietnam, Russia and China to the 47-seat council in the same year, is clearly not afraid of revealing itself as an absurd farce. The hypocrisy of Saudi Arabia’s entrance into a council meant to censure human rights violations can hardly be lost on any world leaders or U.N. officials. Yet it seems a collective decision has been made to turn the other cheek. Saudi Arabia conceded to 180 out of 225 demands made by the Human Rights Council before being admitted, among them were promises to allow non-governmental organizations to operate freely and acknowledgement that freedom of speech needs to be extended to meet international standards.
Obama paid a visit to Saudi Arabia at the end of March to reassure the king, Abdullah, of their enduring alliance after tension due to the ongoing disagreements between the United States and both Syria and Iran. During their two-hour meeting he failed to bring up the issue of human rights even once, despite calls by various human rights groups for him to acknowledge broad violations perpetrated by one of the few U.S. allies in the Middle East. One day after making no effort to broach the subject of the shameful state of women’s rights with Abdullah. Obama presented Muha Al-Muheef with the International Women of Courage award for her fight to end domestic violence in her country.
Piecemeal and trivial changes may seem like steps forward, but they may hurt women’s rights in the long run if foreign officials do not stay alert. Neither government officials nor advisory boards like the Shura Council have made any moves to review the laws banning Saudi women from driving, getting a job or opening a bank account, as well as laws setting a minimum age of consent for marriage and requiring women to gain permission from a male relative to leave the country. These are the issues that need to be addressed. Foreign officials should realize that small concessions like allowing girls to play sports should not lead to international complacency.
Nina Golshan is a staff columnist. Looking Left is published every Friday. Email her at [email protected].
