Developing Nations

Sex segregation: the poor treatment of women in Saudi Arabia

The country of Saudi Arabia is one in which there has been a poor record of human rights. The patriarchic government there is criticized for its treatment of minority groups, such as homosexuals, atheists, and especially women. The treatment of women is especially abusive and oppressive, as women are not allowed to drive, leave the house without male companionship, and are required to veil themselves when in public (Le Renard 7). The abusive treatment is one of the reasons Saudi Arabia is considered a nation still in the process of developing, because the mistreatment of any gender, ethnic, or religious groups is considered a crime against humanity. What the West and the United Nations generally perceive as mistreatment is often thought to be a part of a fair, strict and moral rule by the government in Saudi Arabia. The government and clerics in charge maintain a ‘separate but equal’ principle in all accommodations for men and women. Although they may consider this fair, it leads to unequal opportunities for women and to women being perceived as weak subordinates.

The constitution of Saudi Arabia is the Sharia, which is the Islamic guide to government and a devout, moral lifestyle. The Sharia is cited as the justification for the suppressive treatment of woman, because within the Qu’ran, there are several passages referring to the male’s responsibility as a guardian of the female. The Qu’ran also tells the stories of the wives of Muhammad, which included powerful businesswoman Khadijah and commander of the army Ayesha, and due to this, the Saudi government states that women have opportunities in business, entrepreneurship, trade, and economic exchange, but the jobs that women often apply for do not pay salaries as high as those of men, and there are not many spheres of jobs available for women as there are for men, such as TV, Internet, banking, retail, small businesses, etc (Le Renard 12).

The...