Men welcome change
I reissued my wife’s passport, but I was stuck at work, so I told her to go pick it up herself since she was not working at the time. They refused to give her the passport and insisted that either her father or I, her husband, get it. I’m very happy this stupid rule was lifted.
— HAB, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
In the past, men had to bear all responsibilities and do everything, leaving them with little time to perform other tasks. As men, we are forced to dedicate a large part of our lifetime for things that women could do as well as men. The new changes certainly will give women strength and visibility to become really half of society.
— Badr al-Najim, Al-Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Some continue to support guardianship
All of the aspects of “guardianship” are good and should stay, but the problem is inside the people and how they apply it.
— Musaed, Saudi Arabia
As a Saudi woman who feels proud of her religion and tradition, I regarded this as a rebellion against religion and tradition, since we are all raised according to the Islamic religion, where the man is responsible for his mother, wife, sister and daughter, as he should take care of them and serve them.
Under the new decisions, a woman will be responsible for herself, regardless of the weakness she might pass through during all female and motherhood changes. For myself, I do not like the new decisions and wish that we went back to the old Saudi Arabia.
— Hanan, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
More reforms are needed
Of course, the government rules play a big part, but so do society and our culture. We need to change that. We need to stop the ideology that oppresses women in the name of religion or pride — not just in Saudi Arabia but around the world.
To me that is the hardest thing to achieve because I live in it and I face this on a daily basis. It can ruin lives and destroy hope for young girls when they’re raised to obey a certain idea and when their worth depends on social acceptance.
— Tala O., Saudi Arabia
