Saudi Arabia: The country where women have diabetes but no freedom

Can Saudi Arabia to relax the restrictions imposed on women who wanted to travel, but the "guardianship" system which remains in force even allows men to restrict their movements or even close them in institutions like prisons .

In August, Riyadh announced that women over the age of 21 would now be able to travel abroad without the consent of their "guardian", usually their father, spouse or a close man.

They are arrested and sent to institutions because of ... absence

But this "lifting" of restrictions does not diminish the "male guardian's" power over women, as the Saudi authorities did not abolish the "tahayyub" (absence in Arabic), which allows a man to compel the violence of a woman returning to her home or putting her in an institution.

A 'guardian' may even report to police the absence of a relative 'which may lead to her being arrested and imprisoned in Dar al-Rayaya (women's shelter)', explains Saudi investigator Amman.

It is a "huge deficit" in this reform, a Western diplomat said.

"The Saudis cannot prevent their daughters from obtaining a passport, but they can report their disappearance to the police, who will be responsible for bringing them back home," he added.

Complaint for 'disobedience'

According to authorities, many Saudis have applied for a passport.

"Today I came to issue a passport for the first time in my life," said a 40-year-old woman. "I am very happy because this reform has given the Saudis a confidence," he added.

The reform made in the context of modernization efforts by Prince Mohammad bin Salman, was welcomed as a breakthrough, but without the ironic commentary on the internet.

So there were images of women flocking to the airports alone, but also a sketch showing women wearing hijabs slipping under a wire mesh and appearing on the other side dressed in very little clothes.

According to the Human Rights Observatory, a guardian may seek justice from a ruling banning a female relative from traveling but also making a complaint of "disobedience" to a female relative, which may lead to prison.

Women, who can drive from June 2018, still need their guardian's permission to marry or leave an institution.

Two Saudi women trying to leave their home where they were abused were spending almost a year at one of these institutions. As stated in this asylum, they were watched by cameras 24 hours a day. For punishment, they were whipped.

Marriage as an outlet

One of them reported that the Riyadh Foundation officials were keeping a diary marking the menstruation of women, a practice confirmed by HRW. During their time, women were not allowed to attend Muslim prayers, which are mandatory at these centers.

A letter from an institution in Riyadh, which was taken over by the AFP, describes a woman as "unwell" and says she was trying to tarnish her family's honor.

"Some women are forced to stay in such institutions for a long time, unless their guardians ask for it," Alhussein points out.

As their families did not look for them, the two women explained that they had taken them to another institution, called Dar al-Diyafa, a "reception center". According to them, it is a center full of overwhelmed women that their families have not been looking for for years.

Violence is prevalent in these institutions and many have tried to escape, despite increased security measures.

The Saudi authorities have not responded to NGOs' repeated requests for access to these institutions. “Many stay there for many years. Some are expecting someone to marry them. And men come up with specific demands: "I want a big girl", for example, "

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