Discriminatory System of Guardianship in Saudi Arabia

In June 2009, the United Nations Human Rights Council reviewed the human rights record of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government was asked to put an end to the legal guardianship system, which it duly accepted. However, it did not do anything to put it into effect as promised. 

It is a regrettable fact that there is no panel code in Saudi Arabia cataloguing actions that should be deemed criminal activities. Judges have the freedom to treat any action they find improper as a criminal activity. At their own discretion they punish the perpetrators the way they see suitable. This is especially true in case of women who are suffering from the cruel discriminatory system of guardianship widespread in the country.

On January, 2010, a woman named Sawsan Salim was sentenced to 300 lashes and one and a half years in prison by the verdict of a court. According to the judge, Salim was found guilty of filing harassment complaints that were considered spurious, against government officials. She was also charged for not accompanying a male guardian with her during her visits to the court. The prosecutor has also asked the judge to strip Salim of her nationality as she originally belongs to Sudan.

The ruthless verdict has brought to fore Saudi Arabia’s discriminatory system of male guardianship. Under this system women are not allowed to carry out their legitimate business activities without the consent as well as company of a male guardian. The male guardian could be any family member i.e. father, brother, husband or a son.