Riyadh (AsiaNews
/ Agencies) - The Saudi King is considering new reforms in favor of human
rights in the country, such as the possibility for women to use the car to
reach their place of work and giving citizenship to children born from
marriages between Saudi
citizens and foreigners. King
Abdullah ordered the Saudi authorities to investigate 72 proposals submitted by
the Human Rights Commission ( HRC ) on various social issues. The
decision comes after more than 400 complaints of serious violations of human
rights, especially for women, submitted in the last five years to the
commission.
Ibrahim
al- Sheddi , HRC spokesman , said that " the proposals relate primarily to
the problem of male relatives who commit violence by exploiting their authority
over women ." In
its report to King Abdullah, the HRC pointed out that many women suffer insults
and abuse by their husbands , fathers and brothers who also often attempt to
seize their assets . The
spokesman stressed that women's right to movement
and transport to meet their daily requirements and to reach places of work will also be taken into consideration. Al-
Sheddi adds that a law will also be implemented to prevent violence against
children.
Saudi
journalist Maha Akeel sees this "as a good move by the committee , as it
acknowledges the difficulties, obstacles and daily discrimination that women
face in their daily lives , the result of a system that protects only men
" . Akee
praises the courage of the HRC , which is facing these problems despite fierce
campaigns and criticism from the more conservative parts of society. For
men one of the most urgent problems is the one on the right of citizenship to
children born in mixed marriages where the mother is Saudi Arabian.
In
Saudi Arabia, women can not leave home alone to go abroad and they need their
husband's permission and a family escort. The
license for driving would be a defeat for the male world that could lead to the
"moral decay" of society. For
this reason, if a woman is caught in the act while driving, she is sentenced to
10 lashes .