Male dominance is prevalent in Saudi Arabian society. Men are seen as superior to women and women's rights are limited under Islamic law. The male guardianship system requires women to have a male relative's consent for various life decisions. Women also face strict dress codes and domestic violence. However, some reforms have taken place in recent years such as allowing women to drive and participate in sports.

1. Male Dominance in Saudi
ArabiaShontae Looby

2. Men's Role in Saudi Arabia
• Men are often seen as
the superior gender
because they are the
breadwinners of the
household.
• Their safety is more
protected than women,
while women's rights are
limited by Islamic law.

3. Male Guardianship
• A women cannot make decisions without a
male guardian first.
• This law is based on the Kingdom’s
Guardianship System.
• Consent for:
• Traveling
• Passports
• Marriage/divorce
• Contracts
• On May 2017, some of the guardianship
laws changed.

4. Dress code
• Women have very few
dress code rights than
men, in which they have
to be fully covered using
an Abaya and show few
skin regarding the hands
and face under Sharia
Law. Women are seen as
inferior to men, while
men are superior.
• The men are covered as
well, but they don’t
have that much
restrictions such as
women.

6. Domestic Violence
• Domestic violence
happens when the male
guardian confuses the
disobedience of his wife
or defined as his
“property”.
• They use the Quran and
religious text as an
excuse for irrational
behavior towards
women.

7. ‘Violence Against Women'

10. Disfigured: A Saudi Woman's Story of Triumph
over Violence by Rania Al-Baz

12. Migrant workers
beaten and raped
(Salem News)

14. Women's Rights Are Human Rights: The Practice of the
United Nations Human Rights Committee and the
Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
(School of Human Rights Research)
by Fleur van Leeuwen (Author)

15. Women Movement Timeline
• Mar 19, 2018- Dress Code altered for Women.
• Dec 12, 2015- Saudi Women can vote
• June 24, 2018- Saudi Women were granted to drive and ban lift
• Dec 23, 2017- SWST for Women’s Sports

16. March 19, 2018- Dress Code altered for
Women

17. Voting for Women-December 12, 2015

18. December 23, 2017- Women’s sports (SWSF)

19. Nike Influence-Spring 2018

20. June 24, 2018 Driving for Woman -Manal al-Sharif

21. On June of 2018, women
started a campaign as a
result of giving women
permission to drive on their
own without a male
guardian. In 1990 a dozen
females drove cars and had
their passports confiscated
and they were also arrested.

22. Driving Ban Lift for Women
• On June 24th
2018, Women
were granted
the right to
drive in Saudi
Arabia.
• Females in
Saudi Arabia
started driving
as soon as the
ban was lifted.

23. When will we end the Male Guardianship
System?- Pending

25. hrw.org/endmaleguardianship

27. References
• Lucas, T. W., Wendorf, C. A., Imamoglu, E. O., Shen, J., Parkhill,
M. R., Weisfeld, C. C., & Weisfeld, G. E. (2004). Marital satisfaction in four cultures as a
function of homogamy, male dominance and female attractiveness. Sexualities, Evolution
& Gender, 6(2/3), 97–130. https://doi.org/10.1080/1461666041
2331327518
• Bossman, D. M. (2016). The Power of a Name. Biblical Theology Bulletin, 46(4), 170–171.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0146107916664050
• Boratyński, Z., Koskela, E., Mappes, T., Mills, S. C., Mokkonen, M., & Siepielski, A. (2018).
Maintenance costs of male dominance and sexually antagonistic selection in the wild.
Functional Ecology, 32(12), 2678–2688. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365-2435.13216