JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia – On December 29, 2008, Princess Hussa bint Tarad Ashaalaan, wife of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah, launched a nation-wide campaign sponsored by the Human Rights Commission to aid the victims of domestic violence in Saudi Arabia.

The new campaign against domestic violence in Saudi Arabia is designed to educate women of their rights under Saudi law, according to Wafiqa Al-Dakheel, Director of the Saudi Human Rights Commission’s Women’s Division.  In addition, the campaign will educate Saudi men as to the appropriate treatment of women, provide counseling to newly married couples as to how to settle marital disagreements without resorting to violence, the rights of divorced women, and will raise funds to establish centers to treat victims.

The campaign against domestic violence was developed in response to an increase in incidents of violence against women and children throughout the country.  Jeddah the Kingdom’s largest city, currently has the highest rate of domestic violence in Saudi Arabia.  According to the National Society for Human Rights, in 2007, there were more than 152 reported incidents o domestic violence, 106 of which included allegations of both physical and emotional abuse.  According to the Association for Family Protection in Jeddah, over the past five months, 250 incidents of domestic violence were reported.  120 incidents were reported in Riyadh.

While most initiatives to discuss the treatment of women and other women’s issues are generally shunned from the public forum in the conservative kingdom, the current campaign has been welcomed by the Saudi population as a necessary initiative designed to curb a growing problem.  According to Dr. Abdul Ilah Saaty, Vice Dean of Jeddah Community College, Saudi women “have suffered for decades because their legitimate rights were not protected.  Islam protects the rights of women.  The Qur’an and Sunna urge Muslims to be kind to women.  But we are not doing that.”

In addition to the campaign’s plan to educate the Saudi population, government authorities are in the process of developing a legal framework that will curb violence against women and children.  The Mecca branch of the National Society for Human Rights is currently calling on the government to pass legislation that will make domestic violence punishable as a criminal offense under Saudi law.  The NSHR is also involved in a cooperative agreement with both the Family Safety Program and the Saudi National Guard to coordinate their efforts to eliminate the problem of domestic violence.

For more information, please see:

Khaleej Times – Jeddah Leads in Cases of Family Violence: Report – 2 January 2009

Arab News – Stop Violence Against Women: Campaign Starts on Monday – 26 December 2008

Islam Online – Saudis Fight Domestic Violence – 26 December 2008