Failure to build maternity and paediatric hospitals to accommodate the birth
rate of the province where currently there is one general hospital with a
capacity of 365 beds for a region whose inhabitants number more than
500,000 people.
From another angle, there is pressure on Shia women wanting to establish
legal and developmental organisations. There is also pressure in the field of
publishing and printing Shia books.
- There are also delays in issuing private licenses for practicing work out and
extra obstacles are put in their way.
- There is blatant discrimination in job procedures in governmental
departments and national institutions.
In striving to realise full citizenship for Shia women we advise the Saudi
government to:
Implement a principle as rule of law whereby it is only possible for existing
public authorities to practise their power according to laws written and
issued in line with constitutional procedures.
Establish regulatory institutions for jobs to fight discriminatory practices
inside governmental organisations.
Establish governmental organisations which deal with individual complaints
with a regulatory mechanism to check its work.
Build housing units in Shia areas like those in the rest of the country.
Distribute land grants to Shia inhabitants in their areas to protect their
identity, customs and traditions and do not compel them to migrate
domestically fragmenting their identity and preventing them from pursuing
their religious rituals as has happened to the Shia in Al Khobar.
Enact a law that criminalises early marriage and take a firm stance against
those who perpetrate it. This has negative effects on young girls
economically, culturally and educationally.
Providing a larger space for Shia women to participate in opening civil society
institutions like those in the rest of the country.
Thank you.