Saudi Arabia: Saudi activists renew calls for setting up women's clubs

Clash continues between conservative and liberal elements as doctor warns of rising obesity and heart ailments in the absence of such facilities in the country.

By Abdul Rahman Shaheen, Correspondent, Gulf News

Riyadh: A number of Saudi cultural figures and members of the Shoura Council renewed their demand to the General Presidency for Youth Welfare to set up women's clubs supervised by women.

"The Presidency should be compelled to set up women's clubs across the Kingdom in full compliance with a Shoura Council decision taken several years ago but never implemented," they said.

Speaking to Gulf News, they lamented that recommendations of the council were not binding to the executing authority.

While urging the Ministry of Education to introduce physical education at girls' schools, they called for steps to silence the hardliners, who want to take society backward.

Absence

Noting the absence of any woman representative in the General Presidency for Youth Welfare, Dr Abdullah Al Feefi, a member of the Shoura Council, said the Presidency was not paying any heed to the directives made by the Council to set up women's clubs under the supervision of women and in full compliance with Sharia.

"It should be made obligatory for the Presidency to introduce a wide variety of cultural activities for women," he said.

On his part, Abdul Rahman Al Shalash, a prominent Saudi writer, noted that there are some people, who are fighting against practising of sports by women even at home.

They think any sports activity by woman is the beginning of evil and disintegration as well as stripping off their modesty and morality.

"All these were based not on any substantial evidence either from the Quran or Sunnah [Tradition of the Prophet]," he said.

"They should be bold enough to come forward with proof, if any, to the effect that Islam has prohibited sports for women," he said.

According to Al Shalash, the increased moves to clampdown on women's sports have resulted in a sharp decline in the number of sports centres in major Saudi cities.

"This has prompted many women to go for a stroll, either in the company of other women or alone, at the major pedestrian paths or at commercial markets," he noted.

Sulaiman Al Zayidi, another member of the Shoura Council, said several women are seen strolling on pedestrian paths every evening in full public view.

"Is it not strange to allow women to continue this practice and at the same time, preventing them from doing the same inside the premises of their schools and universities under the supervision of their female teachers as part of a health education curriculum, and not allowing them to set up women's clubs?" he asked.

Warning

It is noteworthy that three senior Islamic scholars — Shaikh Abdul Rahman Al Barak, Abdul Aziz Al Rajhi and Abdullah Al Jabreen — issued a statement earlier, slamming those who call for setting up of women's clubs.

"Allah will punish such offenders. Setting up of such clubs will lead to spreading immorality and perversion," they warned.

On the other hand, the lone woman minister of Saudi Arabia, Noura Al Fayez, who is in charge of the girl's education portfolio under the Ministry of Education, gave hints in an earlier press statement about introducing sports at girls' schools.

"A decision is yet to be taken on the matter," she said.

Meanwhile, health experts warned against a huge rise in cases of obesity among women in the absence of facilities for physical exercise.

Dr Hani Najm, president of Saudi Cardiology Society, said that the average cases of obesity among Saudi women reached between 50 and 74 per cent in 2005 and it would reach more than 75 per cent by 2015 in the absence of providing outlets for women to exercise.