7 ridiculous restrictions on women’s rights around the world

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**Ouze**

7 ridiculous restrictions on women’s rights around the world

With Saudi Arabian women behind the wheel since Saturday to protest their country's refusal to grant driver's licenses to women, they’re challenging not only long-standing restriction, but also a the larger system of Saudi Arabian gender-based laws, some of the harshest in the world.

According to one measurement, though, there are actually several countries that rank lower on women;s rights than Saudi Arabia. The World Economic Forum, which publishes the preeminent ranking on gender gap issues, ranked Saudi Arabia 10th from the bottom in its 2013 report -- ahead of Mali, Morocco, Iran, Cote d’Ivoire, Mauritania, Syria, Chad, Pakistan and Yemen. Women’s rights abuses are by no means limited to North Africa, West Africa or the Middle East, though that’s where we tend to hear such stories most frequently.

“A lot of the most severe stuff comes out of legal or de facto guardianship systems,” said Rothna Begum, a researcher who tracks women’s rights in the Middle East and North Africa for the advocacy group Human Rights Watch.
But she adds that, especially in Saudi Arabia, “things are modernizing.”

Here are nine other remarkable legal restrictions against women, from Asia to Latin America:

1. India (some parts): Road safety rules don’t apply to women. In some states of India, women are excepted from safety rules that mandate motorcycle passengers wear helmets -- an exemption that kills or injures thousands each year. Women’s rights advocates have argued the exemption springs from a culture-wide devaluation of women’s lives. Supporters of the ban say they’re just trying to preserve women’s carefully styled hair and make-up -- which isn’t exactly a feminist response.

2. Yemen: A woman is considered only half a witness. That’s the policy on legal testimony in Yemen, where a woman is not, to quote a 2005 Freedom House report, “recognized as a full person before the court.” In general, a single woman’s testimony isn’t taken seriously unless it’s backed by a man’s testimony or concerns a place or situation where a man would not be. And women can’t testify at all in cases of adultery, libel, theft or sodomy.

3. Saudi Arabia and Vatican City: Women can’t vote... still. This is amazingly the case in Saudi Arabia, though a royal decree, issued in 2011, will let women vote in Saudi elections in 2015. Vatican City is the only other country that allows men, but not women, to vote.

4. Ecuador: Abortion is illegal, unless you’re an “idiot.” Begum says this is the policy in Ecuador, where abortions have long been outlawed for everyone but “idiots” and the “demented.” Politicians are considering a policy with the more politely worded term “mentally ill,” but that won’t change abortion’s legal status in Ecuador -- or, more importantly, the fact that the law is frequently used to criminalize miscarriages.

5. Saudi Arabia and Morocco: Rape victims can be charged with crimes. Many, many countries fail to protect the victims of rape, but some go a step further -- punishing women for leaving the house without a male companion, for being alone with an unrelated man, or for getting pregnant afterwards. The most infamous case may be Saudi Arabia’s “Qatif girl,” but a recent suicide in Morocco also made headlines -- 16-year-old Amina Filali killed herself after a judge forced her to marry her alleged rapist, in keeping with a policy that invalidates statutory rape charges if the parties marry.

6. Yemen: Women can’t leave the house without their husbands’ permission. Yemen, where this law remains in force, does allow for a few emergency exceptions, Begum says: if the woman must rush out to care for her ailing parents, for instance.

7. Saudi Arabia: Women can't drive. Read more about the ban and how women are challenging it here.

The good news? According to the World Economic Forum’s most recent gender gap report, equality has made “modest” gains in the Middle East. And Begum, of Human Rights Watch, says there’s lots of agitation for more change.

“Women in Saudi Arabia are highly educated and qualified,” she said. “They don’t want to be left in the dark.”

source

**LordofHats**

1. India (some parts): Road safety rules don’t apply to women. In some states of India, women are excepted from safety rules that mandate motorcycle passengers wear helmets -- an exemption that kills or injures thousands each year. Women’s rights advocates have argued the exemption springs from a culture-wide devaluation of women’s lives. Supporters of the ban say they’re just trying to preserve women’s carefully styled hair and make-up -- which isn’t exactly a feminist response.

That last sentence is just.... wtf? They couldn't think of anything better to use as a 'support argument' for that silly law other than protecting a woman's hair? You'd think they could be a little more creative.

**Hybrid Son Of Oxayotl**

I've never been in Saudi Arabia, but from what I've heard of it, I can't really figure any way why it would be ahead of Iran in any way. I've been to Iran twice and I have a lot of Iranian friends.
- In Iran, women can and do vote, in Saudi Arabia they can't. Current Iranian government even includes some women, even though the “supreme leader” (lol) and it's council never let any women run for presidency.
- In Iran, women can and do a lot of things by themselves. Let's illustrate that simply : they can and do drive a lot. In Saudi Arabia, women can't drive, and can't be driven by a male that's not one of their close relative. How can you be independent if you can't even drive by yourself ?
- Women in Saudi Arabia are “highly educated and qualified” ? Well, Iran started some time ago to launch some “affirmative action” in some of the some advanced courses at the university. For men. Because women clearly outnumbers men at the university.
- Even just by looking at the clothing, even in the most conservative settings in Iran, women don't cover their face. In Saudi Arabia, you'll get black ghosts where even the eyes are hidden ! I actually saw some Arab (no idea if Saudi or not) tourists in Iran dressed that way in a restaurant, the woman was taking her fork at mouth level, slightly moving up the veil to be able to get the food in her mouth, and then lowering the veil again while getting more food in the fork.

Maybe it's more related to the judicial system, but I'm quite puzzled here.

**LordofHats**

It's cause Saudi Arabia is on our side

**-Shrike-**

Yeah, I'm still struggling to see how Saudi Arabia is ahead of Iran in terms of gender equality.

**Kilkrazy**

It isn't.

Saudi Arabia is gradually modernising and has quite a way to go.

**Relapse**

Clearly these videos are the guide in the countries indentified:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=LS37SNYjg8w

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=mXzqAC_7Vxg

Harry Enfield has the right of it!

**Hybrid Son Of Oxayotl**

LordofHats wrote:
It's cause Saudi Arabia is on our side

Seems the only plausible answer. Our hypocrisy never stops to amaze me !

Also, Monster Rain, I'm pretty sure I see what the “theme” when reading “ranked Saudi Arabia 10th from the bottom in its 2013 report -- ahead of Mali, Morocco, Iran, Cote d’Ivoire, Mauritania, Syria, Chad, Pakistan and Yemen”.

By the way, found the report :
http://reports.weforum.org/global-gender-gap-report-2013/
So, women can and do vote in Iran, and can't vote in Saudi Arabia, but Saudi Arabia is listed higher on “POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT” than Iran. Yeah, make sense, thanks World Economic Forum ! That's definitely a good metric that you are using here !

**Relapse**

Of course, not letting women drive is minor campared to the fire that happened in a Medina girl's school and how that was handled:

http://www.islamawareness.net/MiddleEast/Saudi/fire.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Mecca_girls'_school_fire

**azazel the cat**

I'm honestly surprised this thread has gone this long without someone mentioning the strange gap between the rights of the mother and the rights of the foetus in some US states.

**cadbren**

How ridiculous that the Vatican City is mentioned. It has a population of around 800 mostly male clergy and Swiss Guards.
Non clergy, such as those attached to the Swiss Guard and some workers live there along with their families. The females amongst this group number less than 50. No they don't have voting rights, but neither do the men. The only voting that even takes place in the Vatican is the election of the Pope and only Cardinals get to vote.

Again, ridiculous that the Vatican is put in there alongside nations like Saudi Arabia.

**Hybrid Son Of Oxayotl**

Not sure we should stop at Islam. There's plenty of other religions around here, let's be inclusive !

**Kilkrazy**

Let's include men. They are often the ones who do the oppressing.

**AlexHolker**

5. Saudi Arabia and Morocco: Rape victims can be charged with crimes.

You left out the US military from that list.

azazel the cat wrote:
I'm honestly surprised this thread has gone this long without someone mentioning the strange gap between the rights of the mother and the rights of the foetus in some US states.

What gap would that be? The mother isn't allowed to have fetus killed, and the fetus isn't allowed to have their mother killed. If you're pro-choice, at least say things that aren't complete nonsense.

**Seaward**

AlexHolker wrote:
You left out the US military from that list.

And Australia.

**motyak**

Seaward wrote:
AlexHolker wrote:
You left out the US military from that list.

And Australia.

Really? All of Australia or just Queensland? Because we are pretty damn backwards in a lot of regards... Queenslanders, that is.

**sebster**

motyak wrote:
Really?

He's not genuinely suggesting Australia punishes rape victims. Seaward is former military, so he's just doing a "we're rapists? no you are!" thing.

I have no idea what AlexHolker was getting at with his claim that the US military punishes rape victims, by the way.

**LordofHats**

I have no idea what AlexHolker was getting at with his claim that the US military punishes rape victims, by the way.

I assume he's referencing the perception that the US military sweeps rape cases under the rug and that women who step forward to name their attackers are persecuted by their peers.

Of course, that's not really the same thing as prosecuting rape victims for committing a crime. That's just nanners.

**SilverMK2**

It is pretty horrific that women are marginalised all over the world still. At least most of the "worst" countries on that list dont practice female genital mutilation on a widespread basis... so at least they could be considered marginally civilised.

**Da krimson barun**

Relapse wrote:
Of course, not letting women drive is minor campared to the fire that happened in a Medina girl's school and how that was handled:

http://www.islamawareness.net/MiddleEast/Saudi/fire.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Mecca_girls'_school_fire

why do they keep putting question marks every?where?

**Hybrid Son Of Oxayotl**

Kilkrazy wrote:
Let's include men. They are often the ones who do the oppressing.

Women do, too. Really, it's quite usual for women to propagate the same practices their suffered from. Including, for instance, FGM.

Da krimson barun wrote:
why do they keep putting question marks every?where?

Because character encoding failure somewhere when they copy-pasted the text, I guess. Those question marks go where other signs, like apostrophe, should go.

**Bromsy**

I think this thread has been going long enough for someone to make a 'woman drivers' joke... right? Anyone?

**Hybrid Son Of Oxayotl**

Let me try :
Women drivers are actually making the road safer for everybody. Don't believe it ? Just check what happens when women are forbidden to drive !

(I hope it was suitably funny, I tried my best !)

**Dreadclaw69**

azazel the cat wrote:
I'm honestly surprised this thread has gone this long without someone mentioning the strange gap between the rights of the mother and the rights of the foetus in some US states.

Good thing that you tried to inject it then

**AlexHolker**

LordofHats wrote:
I assume he's referencing the perception that the US military sweeps rape cases under the rug and that women who step forward to name their attackers are persecuted by their peers.

I was referring to rape victims being threatened with court martials to silence them, or being diagnosed with a "preexisting personality disorder" so that they can be kicked out.

CNN wrote:Military records show the personality disorder diagnosis is being used disproportionately on women, according to military records obtained by Yale Law School's Veterans Legal Services Clinic under a Freedom of Information Act request.
--In the Army, 16% of all soldiers are women, but females constitute 24% of all personality disorder discharges.
--Air Force: women make up 21% of the ranks and 35% of personality disorder discharges.
--Navy: 17% of sailors are women and 26% of personality disorder discharges
--Marines: 7% of the Corps and 14% of personality disorder discharges

**Relapse**

Da krimson barun wrote:
Relapse wrote:
Of course, not letting women drive is minor campared to the fire that happened in a Medina girl's school and how that was handled:

http://www.islamawareness.net/MiddleEast/Saudi/fire.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2002_Mecca_girls'_school_fire
why do they keep putting question marks every?where?

I wondered the same thing myself. Maybe it's a translation thing. I do remember this when it first came out on the news several years back.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

Bromsy wrote:
I think this thread has been going long enough for someone to make a 'woman drivers' joke... right? Anyone?

Check out the vids I posted links to.

**azazel the cat**

Dreadclaw69 wrote:
azazel the cat wrote:
I'm honestly surprised this thread has gone this long without someone mentioning the strange gap between the rights of the mother and the rights of the foetus in some US states.

Good thing that you tried to inject it then

Not even close.

**LordofHats**

AlexHolker wrote:

I was referring to rape victims being threatened with court martials to silence them, or being diagnosed with a "preexisting personality disorder" so that they can be kicked out.

CNN wrote:Military records show the personality disorder diagnosis is being used disproportionately on women, according to military records obtained by Yale Law School's Veterans Legal Services Clinic under a Freedom of Information Act request.
--In the Army, 16% of all soldiers are women, but females constitute 24% of all personality disorder discharges.
--Air Force: women make up 21% of the ranks and 35% of personality disorder discharges.
--Navy: 17% of sailors are women and 26% of personality disorder discharges
--Marines: 7% of the Corps and 14% of personality disorder discharges

Evidence B doesn't really support statement A...

**sebster**

LordofHats wrote:
I assume he's referencing the perception that the US military sweeps rape cases under the rug and that women who step forward to name their attackers are persecuted by their peers.

Of course, that's not really the same thing as prosecuting rape victims for committing a crime. That's just nanners.

Yeah, and if it was the first, it'd be just weird to single out the US military, given the Australian Defence Force's very recent, very gak efforts in this regard.

So I figured there might be some incredible story that's more like the latter... which it appears there isn't.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

LordofHats wrote:
AlexHolker wrote:

I was referring to rape victims being threatened with court martials to silence them, or being diagnosed with a "preexisting personality disorder" so that they can be kicked out.

CNN wrote:Military records show the personality disorder diagnosis is being used disproportionately on women, according to military records obtained by Yale Law School's Veterans Legal Services Clinic under a Freedom of Information Act request.
--In the Army, 16% of all soldiers are women, but females constitute 24% of all personality disorder discharges.
--Air Force: women make up 21% of the ranks and 35% of personality disorder discharges.
--Navy: 17% of sailors are women and 26% of personality disorder discharges
--Marines: 7% of the Corps and 14% of personality disorder discharges

Evidence B doesn't really support statement A...

In the Army, women are 16% of soldiers, but 24% of personality disorders... therefore the additional 8% are rape cover ups?

**Seaward**

LordofHats wrote:
Evidence B doesn't really support statement A...

I think you just coined OT's new slogan.