المملكة: Saudi women experts for"today": An integrated legislative and protection system that consolidates women’s rights
Saudi female academics and experts confirmed that the Kingdom has achieved qualitative progress in Violence against women indicates that government efforts – represented by the Ministry of Justice, and The Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the Human Rights Commission, and the security and health authorities – have developed a strong national framework that guarantees the protection of women, facilitates reporting, and provides psychological, social, and legal support services, thus enhancing their status and role in national development.
He indicated that strengthening partnerships between the government and community sectors, developing economic and social empowerment programs, and intensifying specialized training for workers in the field of protection, constitute major steps towards achieving a society Saudi Arabia free of violence against women .
Violence against women
The Academy confirmed D. Maliha Al-Qahtani said that the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women represents an opportunity to emphasize the profound transformations that the Kingdom has witnessed in protecting women, indicating that efforts are no longer limited to dealing with individual cases, but rather have expanded to building an integrated national system concerned with prevention, empowerment and follow-up.
She said that modern legislation and government policies have laid clear foundations for protecting women from any harm, by developing reporting services, strengthening social support centers, and providing legal and psychological consultations, in addition to post-exposure support programs to ensure recovery and stability.
She added that national awareness campaigns have contributed to raising awareness of the danger of violence, especially on the family and development, noting that the partnership between governmental and community institutions represents an essential foundation for achieving a society free of violence.
Training and economic empowerment
Al-Qahtani explained that enhancing women’s role in community participation and decision-making is a pivotal element in confronting violence, stressing that empowering women cognitively and professionally helps them protect themselves and make decisions that preserve their stability.
She also pointed out that expanding training and economic empowerment programs and supporting women’s entrepreneurship contributed to creating a more just and balanced environment.
She indicated that the complementary work between family, education, and the media represents the basis for spreading a culture that respects women’s rights and criminalizes any violation of their rights, stressing that the sustainability of these efforts represents a foundation for achieving a society that preserves women’s dignity and supports their active presence in the national development process.
System for Protection from Abuse
D.Alia Malibari said that the Kingdom has witnessed a qualitative shift in the field of women’s protection through a broad system of legislation, most notably the system of protection from abuse and the anti-harassment system, in addition to fundamental amendments to the personal status system with regard to custody, guardianship, and spending.
She explained that these legislations established practical steps towards criminalizing violence and facilitating reporting, through safe channels and clear implementation paths that guarantee women’s access to justice without complication or hesitation.
She stressed that these regulations strengthened women’s status as a basic pillar of society, and responsible for raising generations, which makes their protection a national necessity and not an individual issue..
She added that government agencies launched broad awareness campaigns, during which the Ministry of Justice presented initiatives to facilitate litigation procedures, while the Ministry of Human Resources and Family Support provided effective protection programs, and the Human Rights Commission continued the responsibility of monitoring and follow-up.
National Values System
Millibari also indicated that these joint efforts raised the level of awareness among all groups, and consolidated the conviction that violence is unacceptable behavior that is not compatible with the value system. National.
She stressed that awareness of cases remains the most important step in prevention, noting that some victims still face fears related to social blame or psychological pressure, which, she said, requires expanding immediate support centers, increasing preventive and educational programs, and developing specialized training for practitioners.
She called for school curricula to include educational, psychological, and intellectual programs from the early years, to reinforce the principles of respect for others, awareness of rights, and building a more aware generation. And rejecting violence.
Legal protection for women
For her part, the internal medicine consultant at King Fahd University Hospital at Imam Abdul Rahman bin Faisal University, Dr.. Aisha Al-Aseel, the level of legal protection for women in the Kingdom is high thanks to clear and advanced systems that have contributed to reducing cases of violence and promoting women’s rights.
She emphasized that the system of protection from abuse and the system of combating harassment provided a solid framework that ensures the protection of women from various forms of abuse, and gives them an effective means of accessing support and protection.
Al-Aseel pointed to the important role of national awareness campaigns, explaining that the initiatives launched by the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Human Resources contributed to raising the level of awareness of women’s rights and the means of support available to them on the legal, social and psychological levels.
Regarding the most prominent challenges, she pointed out that weak awareness in some cases, and the absence of psychological support allocated to victims, represent obstacles that still need to be addressed.
She called for strengthening prevention by increasing awareness resources and activating psychological and community support programs, stressing the importance of partnerships between government agencies and civil society to build a comprehensive and sustainable protection system.
Guardianship, custody, and litigation
In a related context, clinical nutrition consultant D. Shouq Al-Ashmali said that the Kingdom has today become an advanced model in enhancing the protection of women, thanks to the continuous development of the justice systems and legislation that has reduced violence and raised the level of national awareness.
She pointed out that the system for protection from abuse and the anti-harassment system, in addition to updates to the systems related to guardianship, custody and litigation, gave women a greater sense of security and enabled them to carry out their societal and professional roles with confidence.
She stressed that the national awareness campaigns led by the competent authorities contributed to creating a general culture based on the principle of “violence is a crime,” whether physical, psychological, economic, or social.
She added that the biggest challenge lies in ensuring early reporting, as some women hesitate for fear of stigma or family pressures, stressing the importance of expanding comprehensive support paths that combine protection, guidance, and economic and social support.
Women in the labor market
While family and lifestyle medicine consultant Dr. Shorouk Ibrahim, said that the level of legal protection provided to women in the Kingdom witnessed a qualitative shift during the last decade, stressing that the regulatory framework today has become more integrated and broad.
She added that the greatest challenge is no longer the absence of texts or weak legislation, but rather the level of awareness, application and activation mechanisms on the ground.
She explained that the most important systems and tools that contributed to reducing violence are: the protection system from abuse, the anti-harassment system, and the personal status system, in addition to supporting legislation and programs in the areas of work and family, including amendments to the labor system, policies for empowering women in the labor market, prohibiting discrimination, and providing a safe work environment.
She pointed to the important role of the Family Affairs Council and the National Family Safety Program in developing policies and strategies related to preventing and following up on domestic violence. Implementation.
Domestic Violence Report Line
Ibrahim indicated that the protection and reporting channels clearly contributed to improving the speed of intervention, through the Family Protection Department in the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and the Domestic Violence Report Line (1919) available around the clock, supported by field teams and social and psychological workers to deal with cases professionally and quickly.
She stressed that national campaigns and programs played a pivotal role in transferring the issue of violence against women from the Department “Privacy and silence” is a societal, human rights and health issue, pointing to the initiatives of the Ministry of Justice that facilitated the procedures for filing lawsuits electronically, the establishment of specialized personal status courts, and projects such as the Alimony Fund, which reduced the burden of litigation on women and encouraged them to demand their rights.
Awareness messages about women’s rights – in alimony, custody, proof of custody, travel, etc. – also contributed to consolidating the concept that “knowing the truth” is the first step in confronting Violence.
Ministry of Human Resources
The family medicine consultant added that the initiatives launched by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the Human Rights Commission, and the National Family Safety Programme, which included training cadres working in the health, educational, and social sectors to monitor and deal with violence, helped move from reaction to a more preventive and organized approach.
Regarding the actual impact of these efforts, she explained that community awareness has risen significantly regarding the fact that violence is a systemic crime and not a “private matter.” “Family,” noting that the increase in reporting rates in recent years is mostly evidence of greater confidence in the system and not necessarily an increase in violence rates.
She added that families’ acceptance of the intervention of the competent authorities in cases of severe violence has become higher today than before, which reflects a positive change in the general culture and society’s view towards protecting women.
- For more: Follow Khaleejion 24 Arabic, Khaleejion 24 English, Khaleejion 24 Live, and for social media follow us on Facebook and Twitter
