Women rights starting to get better

Finally, King Abdullah  is dealing with women in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah has dismissed the hard-line chief of the country’s religious morality police, replacing him with a more liberal cleric who supports women’s rights, named Sheik Abdulatif al-Sheikh. He publicly argued that Islamic law neither bans the mixing of men and women nor excludes women from doing any job in Saudi society. But is this true?  

Some of these moves have provided benefits and greater freedoms for women, although women still do not have the right to drive and are subject to male guardianship. Many of the reforms reflect his desire to promote a more tolerant interpretation of Islam than that mandated by the ultra-conservative Wahhabi version previously enforced by the morality police. Last September, King Abdullah granted women the right to vote in local elections and to serve as members of the country’s top advisory board. A few weeks ago, a royal decree took effect banning men from selling women’s goods, such as lingerie, opening such jobs to women. A similar decree concerning cosmetics shops is due to take effect in July. I think that there is definitely progress happening. What do you think?