The topic of this paper will focus on the women in Saudi Arabia. This topic is not only interesting and timely; it shows that even the countries whose economy is highly developed, can still have problems within the country. Saudi Arabia may be a paradise and an attraction for many people to live in because of its economic stability and its high living standards, it is also a nightmare for many of the women who live there with no rights. Saudi Arabia is a prime example of how some countries still deprive women of their basic rights, and treat them in a way that is inferior to men. Although Saudi Arabia is being run on the basis of the Islamic Shariaa law, it goes beyond what Islam says and it deprives women of their autonomy. The injustice ranges from the way women are forced to dress to the roles they are forced to play in society. In Saudi Arabia women’s voices are muted and they have almost no freedom to express themselves in any fashion. It is a country which clearly holds the roles of men as being much higher than those of women. The preconceptions that men in Saudi Arabia have about women are old fashioned and deprive women from becoming autonomous. However, recently women are beginning to realize their rights and more women are beginning to speak out against the injustice that they are living in. It is my hypothesis that the treatment of women in Saudi Arabia is not only outdated and contradictory to basic human rights, but also if women were able to develop their capacities the country would benefit.
Role of Women Despite some of the improvements that Saudi Arabia has made in the area of gender roles, it still lags behind in allowing women freedom in many areas. It is a general viewpoint in Saudi Arabia that women belong inside the home and that employment outside of the home is the role of a man. This viewpoint is expressed by many important male figures. Sheikh Salah Bin Fawzan Al-Fawzan was quoted as saying “Allah created man and