What do you think about the changes? What are your hopes and fears for the future of Saudi Arabia?
This is an incredibly significant move. In a country where women are restricted on their opportunity to drive a car, giving a female a portfoilo in educaton is nothing sort of astonishing.
Saudi Arabia, along with North Korea, would be amongst the hardest to obtain a tourist visa - and if you are a single female - don't even think of applying.
The reaction will largely depend on the political and economic situation within the country. If these are poor, then trouble could result.
Reply to this I read about some stuff that king said a while ago. I was a bit sceptical about it, because I thought it is all very well to say that when you know the people in Saudi have so little to influence them from the outside with nobody allowed in, censored media, and a conservative government so are unlikely to push for change. But looks like he is actually taking action and making some real reforms. Sometimes it only takes one fair minded person in high places to turn everything around. That is how the ex soviet countries finally got their independence afterall.
Reply to this I'm late to this thread, but will add my 2 cents since I currently work in Saudi.
The King is well intentioned, however, as with many cases in Saudi, it will probably be two steps forward, one and a half steps back. The King faces a lot of intrasegience. Even within the Royal family, there are factions who wish to keep the old ways.
Other times, the King orders a change, only to find his wishes weren't carried out and nothing has changed. The word just isn't passed on down the pipeline.
With his advanced age, he needs to act fast to carry out his reforms. Who knows whether his successor will be a moderate?
Reply to this Thanks for these comments William. Has any successor been appointed or suggested, and if so, is this person known as a moderate?
Reply to this When King Abdul Aziz ascended to the throne a few years ago, I remember hearing that the second in line was a hard line conservative, however I'm not positively sure on that.
It's byzantine enough that anything is possible.
Also, satellite television has only been in the Kingdom for a little over 10 years. It will be interesting to see how much this outside influence affects the next generations.
Reply to this The King is well intentioned, however, as with many cases in Saudi, it will probably be two steps forward, one and a half steps back.
Progress is progress, as far as I am concerned. Even if everybody isnt ready, the king is still introducing an idea. This is how all change starts.
If those in Saudi experience the fruits of progress, how many of them would then want to go back to the old ways. I read some intererviews of women in Saudi. They said, they dont want Saudi women to be like western women, but they were unclear about why not. And they only referred to what they dont want women to be like, rather than their society as a whole. I also read a comment the king said to the UN about the situation of women rights in Saudi. He said, it is not he who is stopping them doing what they want. I put the reluctance to change down to fear of the unknow in this relatively isolated country.
Also, satellite television has only been in the Kingdom for a little over 10 years. It will be interesting to see how much this outside influence affects the next generations.
Indeed!
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