The Male Guardian
(R2)(W1)(W2)(W5)(V1)
All women must have a male guardian (usually a father or a husband). The male guardian's purpose is to not only protect the woman from harm, but he also controls the woman's life. There have been many stories of male guardians' unfair use of power when controlling a woman's life. A good example of this unfair control is documented below.
Fatima's marriage to Mansour El Timani had been approved by her father in 2003; however, after her father's tragic death, Fatima's half-brothers declared that she and her husband should be divorced, citing tribal incompatibility with her husband. Fatima personally believes the main reason for the divorce was to enable her half brothers (through legal guardianship) to retain control over her inheritance from her father. Though the couple were completely happy in the marriage, they were forced to divorce and to live separately.
After hearing about this horrible event taking place, Equality Now issued Women's Action 31.1 and demanded that the Saudi Arabian government end the male guardianship over women and reunite Fatima, Mansour, and their children as family once more. In September 2009, after many complaints, King Abdullah ordered the Saudi Supreme Judiciary Council to look over the decision of the General Court of Jof, which had ordered the couple to be divorced. On 02/17/10 (after four years having been divorced) Fatima Bent Suleiman, Mansour El Timani, and their children were reunited as a family once again.
After this event many people began to wonder, "Has the male guardian abused his powers over the years?" The males guardians powers include the following:
Marriage
Education
Freedom of Movement.
Healthcare
Employment and agency
Access to justice
All women must have a male guardian (usually a father or a husband). The male guardian's purpose is to not only protect the woman from harm, but he also controls the woman's life. There have been many stories of male guardians' unfair use of power when controlling a woman's life. A good example of this unfair control is documented below.
Fatima's marriage to Mansour El Timani had been approved by her father in 2003; however, after her father's tragic death, Fatima's half-brothers declared that she and her husband should be divorced, citing tribal incompatibility with her husband. Fatima personally believes the main reason for the divorce was to enable her half brothers (through legal guardianship) to retain control over her inheritance from her father. Though the couple were completely happy in the marriage, they were forced to divorce and to live separately.
After hearing about this horrible event taking place, Equality Now issued Women's Action 31.1 and demanded that the Saudi Arabian government end the male guardianship over women and reunite Fatima, Mansour, and their children as family once more. In September 2009, after many complaints, King Abdullah ordered the Saudi Supreme Judiciary Council to look over the decision of the General Court of Jof, which had ordered the couple to be divorced. On 02/17/10 (after four years having been divorced) Fatima Bent Suleiman, Mansour El Timani, and their children were reunited as a family once again.
After this event many people began to wonder, "Has the male guardian abused his powers over the years?" The males guardians powers include the following:
Marriage
- A girl, not matter how old, can be forced into marriage by her male guardian
- A women requires permission from her male guardian to marry
- A women can be forced to divorce her husband, due to her husband's behavior
Education
- A girl cannot be educated until given permission to do so by her male guardian
- A women cannot continue her education (example: college) without the permission of her male guardian
Freedom of Movement.
- A woman cannot get a passport without the approval of her male guardian
- A woman is not allowed to travel, or take her children anywhere, without the approval of her male guardian
Healthcare
- A woman cannot be admitted to, or leave a government hospital without the permission of her male guardian
- A women cannot make decisions regarding medical care, including family planning, for herself or her children without the permission of her male guardian
Employment and agency
- Of the few jobs that women in Saudi Arabia are permitted work, a woman cannot be employed without the permission of her male guardian
- Regardless of age or education, a women cannot run a business unless it is in the name of her husband or male guardian and she has to have his permission to run it
Access to justice
- A women cannot enter a police station to file a complaint unless she is accompanied by her male guardian
- A woman cannot file a court case or even appear before a judge without the presence of her male guardian