The right of women to choose their own futures
The Canada-Saudi Arabia diplomatic dispute appears to have calmed – for now – but the issue at the heart of the dispute remains.
The dispute peaked in August after Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland tweeted her support for women’s rights activist Samar Badawi. That prompted Saudi Arabia to pull its students from Canadian colleges and universities (with a temporary exception for medical students).
But while the spat made headlines, sadly, mistreatment of women in the kingdom – and other countries around the world, particularly in the Middle East and Africa – is nothing new. Saudi officials arrested Badawi and fellow activist Nassima al-Sada on July 30. It was one of several recent cases of female human rights activists being detained in Saudi Arabia.
Most of these activists oppose Saudi Arabia’s guardianship system. It legally requires women to have a male guardian – a husband, father or other male relative – who controls their major life choices. For example, Saudi women must obtain permission from their guardians before they travel, go to university, get a job and even marry.