Women's rights

Women’s rights in Muslim countries vary but Saudi Arabia is considered one of the most liberal but in practice this is not the case. In 2018 there was much fanfare when the Saudis allowed women to drive cars but four years later only 2% of drivers, were women. Women’s lives are closely monitored and regulated through the implementation of Shaira law. Many women are in prison for not wearing the hijab or for dancing in public or tweeting their opinions. Two years ago, the government enacted the male guardianship system into law despite being one of the most deeply ingrained cultural mechanisms for oppressing women. Under the law, the husband’s financial support is expressly contingent on his wife’s obedience and she can lose her right to such support if she refuses to have sex with him without a “legitimate excuse”. This was enshrined into law in 2022 on International Women’s Day. The enforcement of dress codes like the hijab is an issue. Women who choose not to wear the hijab or wear it loosely risk facing fines, arrest, or even imprisonment. This past weekend many US women joined in the No Kings protest but many wonder if there will be any protest about the way women are treated in Iran. Prior to 1979 Iranian women experience legal and social advancements including the right to vote and expanded family rights under the 1975 Family Protection Law. This restricted polygamy and increased divorce/custody rights. Western style reforms in education and public office became more common. All that ended when the religious leaders took control in 1979 and the movement for women’s rights have been going backwards ever since. Men are allowed to have four wives in today’s Saudi Arabia and Iran.