Imagine you receive a text message informing you that your wife, a member of the Shoura Council, has entered the council hall from the women's entrance and is seated next to other women members away from the men. Later, you receive another text message telling you that your wife has left the council and is in the car, which is being driven by a Filipino driver who happens to be under your sponsorship. For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, I'm referring to the latest project that monitors women's movement and sends a text message to her male guardian every time she leaves and enters the Kingdom. Of course, the project may never see light but the fact that it has people talking shows how obsessed Saudi society is with keeping tabs on women. This obsession of monitoring women instead of giving them their freedom and gaining their trust does not reflect a society that is reconciled with women. After all, women are independent. Biological differences should not put any differences between men and women in matters related to civil affairs. From a religious stand point, there may be certain things that women cannot do such as becoming judges or leading prayers but these rules do not degrade women's identity or reduce their independence, rights and opportunities. The same way women are held accountable when they make mistakes, they should be dealt with as mature individuals with full rights and opportunities. It is a good thing that the Civil Affairs has denied linking women's movements with her male guardian, although it is an option for those who want to register at the Ministry of Interior. I see this service, whether mandatory or optional, going against women's freedom and independence.
