Saudi Arabia: Women’s advocacy group decides to wind down

Najah Alosaimi | Arab News

RIYADH: A proposal to establish a first-of-its-kind organization to support women’s rights in Saudi Arabia has been dropped shattering the hopes of Saudi women for an official organization that would fight for their rights.

“We failed to obtain official approval to operate legally,” said Sulaiman Al-Salman, the man who came up with the idea to establish the society, Ansar Al-Mar’ah (Supporters of Women).

Al-Salman said he has been in constant conflict with the Ministry of Social Affairs to gain approval, adding that the ministry’s rejection has frustrated the group’s determination and that group members have, as a result, lost interest.

“I recently called members for a meeting, but no one showed up apart from one member who said he would be willing to join again once the society gets approved,” he said. “I realized that I was the only one working for this goal, all alone. So I decided to break it up,” he said.

Al-Salman said that the proposed group, which initially comprised nine men and 13 women, was not given any financial or moral support and that he had been using his own money (SR3,000) to finance the group’s activities. These included sending 10,000 SMS messages promoting the group last year, as well as publishing brochures and booklets about women’s rights that were distributed at Riyadh’s recent book fair.

Al-Salman said despite many businessmen and companies pledging support, none have offered financial support, as the organization did not receive official authorization.

Ansar Al-Mar’ah was planned in 2007 to create institutional and individual change to improve the lives of Saudi women. The Ministry of Social Affairs has refused to approve the society, claiming authorizing such bodies are not its responsibility.

Al-Salman said that while the proposal for his organization was rejected, tens of other charities providing humanitarian support have been approved and that none of these are dedicated to serving women’s rights.

“Why we are not considered a body that would provide humanitarian assistance to women who need specialist help with complicated issues?” said Al-Salman.

He added that Ansar Al-Mar’ah does not enjoy support in some official circles because it includes members of both genders.