The empowerment of women – not in Saudi Arabia

We all know about women inequality in Saudi Arabia. There, in the male-dominated conservative society, the women have little say in anything, let alone in the political sphere.

In an austere interpretation of Islam, they are not allowed to drive or even go to public places unaccompanied by a male relative.

Thus, fed up with the male domination, last year five Saudi women underwent sex change surgeries abroad to overcome their psychological complex. Saudi officials say these women suffer from psychological defects. Read an Arabic perspective here.

The five have not been arrested but the state religious authorities have kept a close eye on this new development. A senior cleric wants a religious edict to ban such surgeries in the future.

How sad indeed for the women in this country. I can’t imagine their mental torment living in such a repressive society, to the extend of even undergoing sex change operations to enjoy the little joys of life such driving or going out shopping alone.

A few months ago noted Malaysia columnist Marina Mahathir said that the Malaysian Muslim women were second class citizens as Islamic laws in the country represent a step backwards for these women.

The situation in Malaysia is much better than in Saudi Arabia no doubt. In Malaysia women can drive and go out shopping on their own. They are also well represented politically and in the government.

However as Marina said, there is a problem for women, not just Muslim women, in Malaysia. This is largely due to some Muslim laws that affect these women in marriage, divorce and wealth matters.

Generally women in Malaysia have been known to have strong political convictions - hundreds of brave women had withstood police batons and water cannons during the odd street protests.

But unfortunately not many have achieved to change the government or its policies through these.

In India too, the women there have very strong political leanings. In fact at this very moment a leading environmentalist Medha Patkar is in a serious health condition after being on a hunger strike for seven days.

Ms Patkar (pix) and supporters are protesting in Delhi against the construction of a dam on the Narmada river which will submerge about 220 villages.

This environmentalist is willing to give her life for the sake of the villagers and wants the Indian government to relocate all affected villagers – as ruled by the Supreme Court in March – before it starts to work on the dam.

The problem is that the government wants to rush the construction of the dam which it says will irrigate two million hectares of land. For more background on this matter, read here.

The point to note is that while women in India, even Malaysia, and many other places in the world have freedom to do what they want, we still have places like Saudi Arabia which continues to restrict them.

How sad indeed.