User:Tarafa15/Saudi Arabia Culture section

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Culture

Arabic: كَـعـبَـة, lit.'Cube', Kaaba
) is the cubic building in front of the pilgrim.

Saudi Arabia has centuries-old attitudes and traditions, often derived from Arab civilization. This culture has been heavily influenced by the austerely puritanical

Wahhabi form of Islam, which arose in the eighteenth century and now predominates in the country. Wahhabi Islam has been called "the predominant feature of Saudi culture."[1]

Religion in society

The Hejazi region, where the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina are located, is the destination of the Ḥajj pilgrimage, and often deemed to be the cradle of Islam.[2][a]

Islam is the state religion of Saudi Arabia and its law

Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi ambassador to the United States, stated: "The time is not far off in the Middle East when it will be literally 'God help the Shia'. More than a billion Sunnis have simply had enough of them."[18]

Saudi Arabia is one of the few countries that have "

salat) five times each day, the ban on alcohol, and other aspects of Sharia (Islamic law). (In the privacy of the home behavior can be far looser, and reports from the Daily Mail and WikiLeaks indicate that the ruling Saudi Royal family applies a different moral code to itself, indulging in parties, drugs and sex.[19]
)

Until 2016, the kingdom used the lunar Islamic calendar, not the international Gregorian calendar,[20] but in 2016 the kingdom announced its switch to the Gregorian calendar for civil purposes.[21][22]

Daily life is dominated by Islamic observance. Businesses are closed three or four times a day

ʿĪd al-Aḍḥā. (ʿĪd al-Fiṭr is "the biggest" holiday, a three-day period of "feasting, gift-giving and general letting go".[27]
)

As of 2004[update] approximately half of the broadcast airtime of Saudi state television was devoted to religious issues.[28] 90% of books published in the kingdom were on religious subjects, and most of the doctorates awarded by its universities were in Islamic studies.[29] In the state school system, about half of the material taught is religious. In contrast, assigned readings over twelve years of primary and secondary schooling devoted to covering the history, literature, and cultures of the non-Muslim world comes to a total of about 40 pages.[28]

Non-Muslims are prohibited from entering the Islamic holy city of Mecca

"Fierce religious resistance" had to be overcome to permit such innovations as paper money (in 1951), female education (1964), and television (1965) and the abolition of slavery (1962).[30] Public support for the traditional political/religious structure of the kingdom is so strong that one researcher interviewing Saudis found virtually no support for reforms to secularize the state.[31]

Because of religious restrictions, Saudi culture lacks any diversity of religious expression, buildings, annual festivals and public events.

Diyya) non-Muslim are awarded less than Muslims.[39] Atheists are legally designated as terrorists.[42] And at least one religious minority, the Ahmadiyya Muslims, had its adherents deported,[43] as they are legally banned from entering the country.[44]

In 2016 the Saudi government stripped the religious police of the power to pursue, arrest or detain members of the public.[45]

In 2017 Crown Prince

Iranian revolution.[46] A new center, the King Salman Complex for the Prophet's Hadith, was established that year to monitor interpretations of the Prophet Muhammad's hadiths to prevent them being used to justify terrorism.[47]

In March 2018 the Crown Prince met the

Islamic heritage sites

Mosque of the Prophet in Medina containing the tomb of Muhammad

Saudi

Salman al-Farsi (another of Muhammad's companions).[52]

Four cultural sites in Saudi Arabia are designated as

Ha'il Region. Ten other sites submitted requests for recognition to UNESCO in 2015.[53]

In June 2014, the Council of Ministers approved a law that gives the

Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage the means to protect Saudi Arabia's ancient relics and historic sites. Within the framework of the 2016 National Transformation Program, also known as Saudi Vision 2030, the kingdom allocated 900 million euros to preserve its historical and cultural heritage.[54] Saudi Arabia also participates in the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH), created in March 2017, with a contribution of 18.5 million euros.[55]

Dress

File:Traditional dress of Madinah, Hijaz.jpg
A local Hijazi man wearing a traditional dress of Madinah

Saudi Arabian dress strictly follows the principles of hijab (the Islamic principle of modesty, especially in dress). The predominantly loose and flowing, but covering, garments are suited to Saudi Arabia's desert climate. Traditionally, men usually wear a white ankle length garment woven from wool or cotton (known as a thawb), with a keffiyeh (a large checkered square of cotton held in place by an agal) or a ghutra (a plain white square made of finer cotton, also held in place by an agal) worn on the head. For rare chilly days, Saudi men wear a camel-hair cloak (bisht) over the top. In public women are required to wear a black abaya or other black clothing that covers everything under the neck with the exception of their hands and feet, although most women cover their head in respect for their religion. This requirement applies to non-Muslim women too and failure to abide can result in police action, particularly in more conservative areas of the country. Women's clothes are often decorated with tribal motifs, coins, sequins, metallic thread, and appliques.

Arts and entertainment

King Abdullah practising falconry, a traditional pursuit in the country

During the 1970s, cinemas were numerous in the Kingdom although they were seen as contrary to Wahhabi norms.

seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the government closed all cinemas and theaters. However, with King Abdullah's reforms from 2005, some cinemas have re-opened,[58] including one in KAUST
.

From the 18th century onward,

floral, and abstract designs and by calligraphy. With the advent of oil-wealth in the 20th century came exposure to outside influences, such as Western housing styles, furnishings, and clothes. Music and dance have always been part of Saudi life. Traditional music is generally associated with poetry and is sung collectively. Instruments include the rabābah, an instrument not unlike a three-string fiddle, and various types of percussion instruments, such as the ṭabl (drum) and the ṭār (tambourine). Of the native dances, the most popular is a martial line dance known as the ʿarḍah, which includes lines of men, frequently armed with swords or rifles, dancing to the beat of drums and tambourines. Bedouin poetry, known as nabaṭī, is still very popular.[25]

Censorship has limited the development of Saudi literature, although several Saudi novelists and poets have achieved critical and popular acclaim in the Arab world-albeit generating official hostility in their home country. These include

In 2016, the

General Entertainment Authority (GEA) was formed to oversee the expansion of the Saudi entertainment sector.[61]
The first concerts in Riyadh for 25 years took place the following year.[62] Other events since the GEA's creation have included comedy shows, professional wrestling events and monster truck rallies.[63] In 2018 the first public cinema opened after a ban of 35 years, with plans to have more than 2,000 screens running by 2030.[64]

Developments in the arts in 2018 included Saudi Arabia's debut appearances at the Cannes Film Festival and the Venice Biennale.[65][66]

Sport


Football is the national sport in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Arabia national football team is considered as one of Asia's most successful national teams, having reached a joint record 6 AFC Asian Cup finals, winning three of those finals (1984, 1988, and 1996) and having qualified for the World Cup four consecutive times ever since debuting at the 1994 tournament. In the

final, losing 1-3 to Argentina. Saudi Arabia qualified for the FIFA World Cup for a fifth time in 2018.[67]

In September 2018, the

More traditional sports such as horse racing and camel racing are also popular. A stadium in Riyadh holds races in the winter. The annual King's Camel Race, begun in 1974, is one of the sport's most important contests and attracts animals and riders from throughout the region. Falconry, another traditional pursuit, is still practiced.[25]

Women's sport is controversial due to the suppression of female participation in sport by conservative Islamic religious authorities[70], however this restriction has eased slightly in recent years.[71][72][73] Until 2018 women were not permitted in sport stadiums. Segregated seating, allowing women to enter, has been developed in three stadiums across major cities.[74]

Cuisine

Arabic coffee is a traditional beverage in Arabian cuisine

Arabia
.

Women

Women do not have equal rights to men in the kingdom. The

US State Department considers Saudi government's discrimination against women a "significant problem" in Saudi Arabia and notes that women have few political rights due to the government's discriminatory policies.[75] The World Economic Forum 2010 Global Gender Gap Report ranked Saudi Arabia 129th out of 134 countries for gender parity.[76] Other sources had complained of an absence of laws criminalizing violence against women.[75]

Under Saudi law, every adult female must have a male relative as her "guardian" (wali),[75] As of 2008, a woman was required to have permission from her male guardian in order to travel, study, or work.[75][77] A royal decree passed in May 2017 allowed them to avail government services such as education and healthcare without the need of a consent of a male guardian. The order however also stated that it should only be allowed if it doesn't contradict the Sharia system.[78][79]

Saudi woman wearing a niqāb in Riyadh. Under Saudi law, women are required to wear a abaya but niqab and hijab is optional.

According to a leading Saudi feminist and journalist, Wajeha al-Huwaider, "Saudi women are weak, no matter how high their status, even the 'pampered' ones among them, because they have no law to protect them from attack by anyone."[80]

Women face discrimination in the courts, where the testimony of one man equals that of two women

talaq) without needing any legal justification.[82] A woman can only obtain a divorce with the consent of her husband or judicially if her husband has harmed her.[83] In practice, it is very difficult for a Saudi woman to obtain a judicial divorce.[83] With regard to the law of inheritance, the Quran specifies that fixed portions of the deceased's estate must be left to the Qur'anic heirs[84] and generally, female heirs receive half the portion of male heirs.[84]

The average

age at first marriage among Saudi females is 25 years in Saudi Arabia,[85] with child marriage no longer common.[86] As of 2015, Saudi women constitute 13% of the country's native workforce despite being 51% of all university graduates.[87] Female literacy is estimated to be 81%, lower than male literacy.[88][89]

Obesity is a problem among middle and upper class Saudis who have domestic servants to do traditional work but, until 2018, were forbidden to drive and so are limited in their ability to leave their home.[90] As of April 2014, Saudi authorities in the education ministry have been asked by the Shoura Council to consider lifting a state school ban on sports for girls with the proviso that any sports conform to Sharia rules on dress and gender segregation, according to the official SPA news agency.[91]

The religious police, known as the mutawa, impose many restrictions on women in public in Saudi Arabia.[75][92] The restrictions include forcing women to sit in separate specially designated family sections in restaurants, to wear an abaya and to cover their hair.[75]

Although Saudi Arabia imposes a strict dress code on women throughout the country by using

Prince Abdulaziz, the son of the late King Fahad, are prohibited from wearing a veil and are encouraged to adopt a Western dress code.[93]

A few Saudi women have risen to the top of the medical profession; for example, Dr. Ghada Al-Mutairi heads a medical research center in California

In February 2017, Saudi Arabia appointed its first woman to head the

Saudi Stock Exchange.[96] As of 2018, two women hold cabinet positions in the Saudi government: Dr Tamadur bint Youssef Al Ramah, who was appointed deputy labor minister that year; and Norah bint Abdallah Al Faiz, who became deputy minister of education in charge of women's affairs in 2009.[97]

Reforms

A number of reforms have aimed to improve the position of women in Saudi society.

On 25 September 2011,

municipal elections of December 2015, when 978 women also registered as the kingdom's first female candidates.[99]

In 2013 a law was passed that criminalized domestic violence against women, carrying a 12-month jail sentence and fines of up to 50,000 riyals ($13,000).[100] This was followed in 2018 by law criminalizing sexual harassment.[101]

In December 2017 the country's first ever concert by a female performer took place in Riyadh.[102] The following month Saudi women were allowed to enter sports stadiums for the first time.[103]

In March 2018 a law was passed allowing Saudi mothers to retain custody of their children after divorce without having to file any lawsuits.[104]

In June 2018, King Salman issued a decree allowing women to drive, lifting the world's only ban on women drivers.[105]

The Saudi Vision 2030 program includes a commitment to increase female participation in the workforce from 22% to 30% by 2030.[106] As of 2018 Saudi women can open their own businesses without a male's permission.[107] Also as of 2018 Saudi women can apply for work in the Public Prosecution Office and the General Directorate of Passports, and as notaries in the Ministry of Justice.[108][109][110] In February 2018 the first applications were opened for women to join the Saudi military.[111]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference HT2003: 14 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ a b Arabia: the Cradle of Islam, 1900, S.M.Zwemmer
  3. ^ Quran 2:7–286
  4. ^ Quran 3:96 (Translated by Yusuf Ali)
  5. ^ Quran 22:25–37
  6. .
  7. ^ Esposito (2002b), pp. 4-5.
  8. .
  9. ISBN 978-1456613075. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help
    )
  10. .
  11. ^ Mustafa Abu Sway. "The Holy Land, Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Qur'an, Sunnah and other Islamic Literary Source" (PDF). Central Conference of American Rabbis. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 July 2011.
  12. .
  13. ^ a b "International Religious Freedom Report 2004". US Department of State. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference The Daily Star was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ 'The Islamic Traditions of Wahhabism and Salafiyya', US Congressional Research Service Report, 2008, by Christopher M. Blanchard available from the Federation of American Scientists website
  16. ^ "You Can't Understand ISIS If You Don't Know the History of Wahhabism in Saudi Arabia". HuffPost.
  17. ^ syedjaffar. "The Persecution of Shia Muslims in Saudi Arabia". 4 August 2013. CNN Report. Retrieved 1 May 2014.
  18. ^ "Iraq crisis: How Saudi Arabia helped Isis take over the north of the country," The Independent, 13 July 2014.
  19. ^ WikiLeaks cables: Saudi princes throw parties boasting drink, drugs and sex | World news. The Guardian (7 December 2010). Retrieved on 9 May 2012. quote: "Royals flout puritanical laws to throw parties for young elite while religious police are forced to turn a blind eye."
  20. ^ the start of each lunar month determined not ahead of time by astronomical calculation, but only after the crescent moon is sighted by the proper religious authorities. (source: Tripp, Culture Shock, 2009: pp. 154-5)
  21. ^ Rasooldeen, Mohammed and Hassan, Rashid (3 October 2016). "KSA switches to Gregorian calendar".{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  22. ^ "Saudi Arabia adopts the Gregorian calendar". The Economist. 15 December 2016.
  23. ^ the time varying according to sunrise and sunset times
  24. ^ Tripp, Culture Shock, 2009: p. 214
  25. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Britannica was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  26. ^
    • Sulaiman, Tosin. Bahrain changes the weekend in efficiency drive, The Times, 2 August 2006. Retrieved 25 June 2008. Turkey has a weekend on Saturday and Sunday
    • Prior to 29 June 2013, the weekend was Thursday-Friday, but was shifted to better serve the Saudi economy and its international commitments. (source: "Weekend shift: A welcome change", SaudiGazette.com.sa, 24 June 2013 "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 29 October 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link))
  27. ^ Tripp, Culture Shock, 2009: p. 35
  28. ^ a b Rodenbeck, Max (21 October 2004). "Unloved in Arabia (Book Review)". The New York Review of Books. 51 (16). Almost half of Saudi state television's airtime is devoted to religious issues, as is about half the material taught in state schools" (source: By the estimate of an elementary schoolteacher in Riyadh, Islamic studies make up 30 percent of the actual curriculum. But another 20 percent creeps into textbooks on history, science, Arabic, and so forth. In contrast, by one unofficial count the entire syllabus for twelve years of Saudi schooling contains a total of just thirty-eight pages covering the history, literature, and cultures of the non-Muslim world.)
  29. ^ Rodenbeck, Max (21 October 2004). "Unloved in Arabia (Book Review)". The New York Review of Books. 51 (16). Nine out of ten titles published in the kingdom are on religious subjects, and most of the doctorates its universities awards are in Islamic studies.
  30. ^ Review. "Unloved in Arabia" By Max Rodenbeck. The New York Review of Books, Volume 51, Number 16 · 21 October 2004.
  31. ^ from p.195 of a review by Joshua Teitelbum, Middle East Studies, Vol. 38, No. 4, Oct. 2002, of Changed Identities: The Challenge of the New Generation in Saudi Arabia by anthropologist Mai Yamani, quoting p.116 |quote=Saudis of all stripes interviewed expressed a desire for the kingdom to remain a Muslim society ruled by an overtly Muslim state. Secularist are simply not to be found. [Both traditional and somewhat westernized Saudis she talked to mediate their concerns] though the certainties of religion.
  32. ^ "Saudi Arabia". U.S. Department of State.
  33. ^ "Saudi Arabia: International Religious Freedom Report 2013". U.S. State Department. 17 November 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2014.
  34. ^ Cite error: The named reference PF2009 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  35. ^ Cite error: The named reference bbc-shia was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  36. ^ Cite error: The named reference cfr-shiite was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  37. ^ "Saudi Arabia - Culture". Country Stats. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  38. ^
  39. ^ a b c Owen, Richard (17 March 2008). "Saudi Arabia extends hand of friendship to Pope". The Times. London. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  40. ^ a b "Saudi Arabia: International Religious Freedom Report 2010". U.S. State Department. 17 November 2010. Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  41. ^ Samuel Smith (18 December 2014) "Saudi Arabia's New Law Imposes Death Sentence for Bible Smugglers?". Christian Post.
    "Saudi Arabia Imposes Death Sentence for Bible Smuggling" Archived 8 April 2016 at the Wayback Machine. handsoffcain.info. 28 November 2014.
  42. ^ Saudi Arabia declares all atheists are terrorists in new law to crack down on political dissidents, The Independent, 4 March 2014
  43. ^ "Saudi Arabia: 2 Years Behind Bars on Apostasy Accusation". Human Rights Watch. 15 May 2014. Retrieved 4 June 2014.
  44. . Retrieved 19 March 2015.
  45. New York Times
    . Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  46. ^ Chulov, Marin (24 October 2017). "I will return Saudi Arabia to moderate Islam, says crown prince". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  47. ^ Al Wasmi, Naser (20 June 2018). "Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's dynamic year of reform". The National. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  48. ^ "Catholic cardinal meets Saudi King in historic visit to Riyadh". Reuters. 18 April 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  49. ^ 'The destruction of Mecca: Saudi hardliners are wiping out their own heritage', The Independent, 6 August 2005. Retrieved 17 January 2011
  50. ^ 'Islamic heritage lost as Makkah modernises' Center for Islamic Pluralism
  51. ^ 'Shame of the House of Saud: Shadows over Mecca', The Independent, 19 April 2006
  52. ^ Destruction of Islamic Architectural Heritage in Saudi Arabia: A Wake-up Call, The American Muslim. Retrieved 17 January 2011 Other historic buildings that have been destroyed include the house of
    Hilton hotel; the house of Ali-Oraid, the grandson of Muhammad, and the Mosque of abu-Qubais, now the location of the King's palace in Mecca. (source: 'Shame of the House of Saud: Shadows over Mecca'
    , The Independent, 19 April 2006)
  53. ^ KSA Properties inscribed on the World Heritage List (4), Unesco, 2017
  54. ^ SAUDI ARABIA TO SPEND $1BN ON CULTURAL HERITAGE, KSA Mission EU, 30 June 2016
  55. ^ Destruction du patrimoine : une résolution historique du Conseil de Sécurité, Sciences et Avenir, 28 March 2017
  56. ^ "Traditional dress of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia". 29 September 2015. Archived from the original on 18 October 2015.
  57. ^ World Focus. 5 January 2009
  58. ^ "Babylon & Beyond". Los Angeles Times. 23 December 2008.
  59. ^ Trevor Mostyn (24 August 2010). "Ghazi al-Gosaibi obituary". The Guardian. London.
  60. ^
  61. ^ "Saudi Arabia allows concerts-even country music". The Economist. 1 June 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  62. ^ "Mohammed Abdu to perform live in Riyadh". Arab News. 2 September 2016. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  63. New York Times
    . Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  64. ^ Reid, David (11 December 2011). "Saudi Arabia to reopen public cinemas for the first time in 35 years". CNBC. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  65. ^ Nick, Vivarelli (9 April 2018). "Saudi Arabia to Debut at Cannes With Its First National Pavilion". Variety. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  66. ^ Ghanem, Khaoula (24 May 2018). "Saudi Arabia and Lebanon are Set to Make Their Venice Biennale Debut". Vogue Arabia. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  67. ^ McAuley, John (5 September 2017). "World Cup qualifiers: Saudi Arabia beat Japan to book place in finals". The National. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  68. ^
  69. ^ "Callum Smith knocks out George Groves to land super-middleweight crown". The Guardian. 28 September. Retrieved 8 October 2018. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  70. ^ "Saudi women push for right to play sports - Sport". ArabianBusiness.com. 1 March 2012.
  71. ^ "Saudi Arabia opens first sports centre for women". GulfNews.com. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 28 June 2013.
  72. ^ "Saudi government sanctions sports in some girls' schools". CNN.com. 5 May 2013.
  73. ^ "Saudi Arabia: No women on Asian Games Team". Human Rights Watch. Human Rights Watch.
  74. ^ Grinberg and Hallam, Emanuella and Jonny. "Saudi Arabia to let women into sports stadiums". www.cnn.com/2017/10/29/middleeast/saudi-arabia-women-sports-arenas/index.html. CNN. Retrieved 11 December 2017.
  75. ^ a b c d e f g "2010 Human Rights Report: Saudi Arabia". U.S. State Department. 8 April 2011. Retrieved 11 July 2011.
  76. ISBN 978-92-95044-89-0. Archived from the original
    (PDF) on 8 November 2010.
  77. ^ Human Rights Watch (2008). Perpetual Minors: human rights abuses from male guardianship and sex segregation in Saudi Arabia. p. 2.
  78. ^ "Saudi women no longer need male guardian consents to receive services". Al Arbiya. 4 May 2017. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  79. ^ Jon Sharman (4 May 2017). "Saudi Arabia to let women work and study without man's permission". The Independent. Retrieved 10 May 2017.
  80. MEMRI
    .
  81. ^ Long, p. 66
  82. ^ Otto, p. 164
  83. ^ a b Otto, p. 163
  84. ^ a b Otto, p. 165
  85. ^
  86. ^
  87. ^ "Women constitute 13% of Saudi workforce: stats agency". Al Arabiya. 10 February 2015.
  88. ^ Cite error: The named reference CIA World Factbook was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  89. ^ "Statistics 2012". unicef.org. UNICEF. Retrieved 18 October 2014. * Youth (15-24 years) literacy rate (%) 2008-2012*, male 99 *Youth (15-24 years) literacy rate (%) 2008-2012*, female 97
  90. PMID 22523673
    . the prevalence of sedentary lifestyle-related obesity has been escalating among Saudi females
  91. ^ Cite error: The named reference McDowall was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  92. .
  93. ^
  94. ^ "Saudi women rise up after years of absence". Alarabiya.net. 21 November 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2011.
  95. ^ "Professor Selwa Al-hazzaa". Selwaalhazzaa.com. 11 January 2013. Archived from the original on 28 September 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2017.
  96. ^ "Saudi stock exchange appoints first female chair". Reuters. 26 February 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  97. ^ Day, Emma (27 February 2018). "Saudi Arabia just appointed a female deputy minister". Emirates Woman. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  98. ^ "Women in Saudi Arabia to vote and run in elections". BBC. 25 September 2011. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  99. ^ "Saudi Arabia's women vote in election for first time". BBC. 12 December 2015. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  100. ^ Usher, Sebastian (28 August 2013). "Saudi Arabia cabinet approves domestic abuse ban". BBC. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  101. ^ Harrison, Paul; El Aassar, Mohamed (29 May 2018). "Saudi Arabia to criminalise sexual harassment". BBC. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  102. ^ Smith, Lydia (9 December 2017). "Saudi Arabia hosts first-ever concert by female performer". The Independent. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  103. ^ "Saudi Arabia to allow women to enter stadiums to watch soccer". New York Post. 12 January 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  104. ^ Qiblawi, Tamara (12 March 2018). "Divorced Saudi women win right to get custody of children". CNN. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  105. ^ Sirgany, Sarah; Smith-Spark, Laura (24 June 2018). "Landmark day for Saudi women as kingdom's controversial driving ban ends". CNN. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  106. ^ Al Omran, Ahmed (1 September 2017). "Saudi Arabia edges more women into work". Financial Times. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  107. ^ "Saudi women to start own business without male permission". Al Arabiya. 18 February 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  108. ^ Bridge, Sam (14 July 2018). "Saudi Attorney General set to appoint first female investigators". Arabian Business. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  109. ^ "Saudi's passport authority to recruit women for the first time". The National. 25 January 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  110. ^ "Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Justice grants 12 women 'verification' license". Arab News. 10 July 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  111. ^ "Saudi Arabia allows women to join military". BBC. 26 February 2018. Retrieved 24 September 2018.


Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).