The Washington Centre for Human Rights expresses grave concern over Saudi Arabia’s failure to adequately address women’s rights issues despite international scrutiny. The most recent review by the UN Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) highlighted numerous violations of women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, with critical recommendations for reform that the government has largely ignored. The Centre strongly condemns the ongoing discrimination against women and the failure of Saudi authorities to implement effective legal reforms to protect women’s rights.
The Committee’s observations focused on multiple areas of concern, including the continued existence of the male guardianship system, which severely restricts women’s autonomy in fundamental aspects of life, such as health services, marriage, and family decisions. Although recent changes have granted women the right to travel and obtain passports without male consent, significant restrictions remain, limiting their access to reproductive healthcare and legal protections in the domestic sphere. The Committee’s recommendation for the abolition of this system is yet to be fully addressed, and the center calls for immediate action to ensure that women can exercise their rights freely and independently, without the necessity of male approval.
Further, the Committee condemned the Saudi government’s use of arbitrary travel bans against women human rights defenders and activists, such as Loujain al-Hathloul, who continue to face restrictions despite having served their sentences. The lack of legal justification for these measures, which prevent activists from participating in international advocacy, reveals the government’s ongoing suppression of dissent and freedom of movement. The Centre emphasizes the need for Saudi authorities to lift these travel bans and allow women human rights defenders to work without fear of retaliation, harassment, or arbitrary arrest.
The lack of protection for migrant domestic workers, particularly women, is another critical issue raised in the review. Saudi Arabia’s exclusion of these workers from labor laws, including protections for working hours, pay, and healthcare, perpetuates a system of exploitation under the Kafala sponsorship system. This system ties migrant workers’ legal status to their employers, making them vulnerable to abuse, trafficking, and exploitation. The Centre urges Saudi authorities to extend full labor protections to all workers, regardless of nationality or gender, and to create independent channels for reporting abuse.
In addition, the Committee expressed concerns over the lack of legal frameworks to prevent gender-based violence, including domestic abuse and human trafficking. The Centre concurs with these findings, highlighting the failure of Saudi laws to protect women from physical and emotional harm. The Centre further urges Saudi Arabia to implement the Committee’s recommendation to halt the death penalty, particularly for women, and to take immediate steps to prevent the execution of female prisoners. The execution of at least 11 women between 2020 and 2024 underscores the urgent need for reform in this area.
The delegation sent by Saudi Arabia to the CEDAW review, led by the Saudi Human Rights Commission (SHRC), presented a false image of progress regarding women’s rights in the kingdom. The Centre notes that while the SHRC claims independence, its role as part of a governmental delegation undermines its impartiality and credibility. The Centre calls on Saudi Arabia to ensure that the SHRC operates independently from the government and complies with international standards for national human rights institutions, as outlined in the Paris Principles.
In conclusion, the Washington Centre for Human Rights strongly condemns Saudi Arabia’s ongoing violations of women’s rights and urges the international community to hold the government accountable for its failure to implement the recommendations of the CEDAW Committee. The Centre calls for immediate reforms to address the systemic discrimination against women, protect migrant workers, and guarantee the freedom and safety of human rights defenders in Saudi Arabia. Only through comprehensive legal and social reforms can Saudi Arabia hope to meet its international obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women and ensure the full and equal rights of all its citizens.