UPR Sexual Rights Database

National Report:
Para 25) The Counselling Centre against Domestic Violence has improved certain aspects of its internal conditions and acquired computer equipment to enable its offices to communicate with District Commands and the National Police Department in the Principe Autonomous Region. It has also set up a shelter for victims, produced behaviour change communication materials, conducted local outreach campaigns and a participatory baseline study on domestic violence, and evaluated the implementation of the Gender-based Violence Strategy and its respective update for the period 2019–2023.
Para 26) However, it should be noted that the Centre still faces many difficulties in ensuring its proper functioning.

National Report:
Para 48) Political and public participation: Pursuant to Royal Decree No. A/44 of 12 January 2013, article 3 of the Shura Council Act was amended to enable women, who had until then participated in the work of the Council as advisors only, to acquire full membership of the Council and occupy a minimum of 20 per cent of the seats. The members of the new session of the Shura Council were designated pursuant to Royal Decree No. A/45, promulgated on 12 January 2013, and included 30 women.

Para 49) Approval has been given for women to stand for and be elected to membership of municipal councils as from the next session in 2014. Saudi women hold high public office and are now important partners in influential political decision-making, serving as they do in leadership positions as ministers, deputy ministers and senior officials.

Para 50) Chapter IV, section II, of the Enforcement Act includes provisions on enforcement in matters of personal status and addresses the topics of custody, maintenance, visits and marital issues. In the interests of family conciliation, mediation sections were set up in the courts and in non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in order to resolve problems and ensure family welfare. These sections play a ground-breaking role in bringing about domestic harmony.

Para 52) ... For its part, the Ministry of Labour has issued a number of decisions designed to accelerate the recruitment of women in various private-sector spheres (including women's shops, retailing and factories).

Para 56) Saudi women married to non-nationals: Pursuant to Cabinet Decision No. 406 of 12 November 2012, approval was given for the sponsorship of children of Saudi women married to non-nationals to be transferred to their mother if they are resident in the Kingdom. If they are abroad, their mother is entitled to send for them and the State shoulders the cost of their resident permits. They are also permitted to work in the private sector without any transfer of the sponsorship. They receive the same schooling and medical treatment as any Saudi and are included in the Saudization percentages for the private sector. Saudi women married to non-nationals are further permitted to bring their spouse to the Kingdom if he is abroad or, if he is resident in the Kingdom and so wishes, to have his sponsorship transferred to her. The spouse is also permitted to work in the private sector, provided that he has a recognized passport. In addition, pursuant to Cabinet Decision No. 152 of 25 March 2013, female international scholarship students married to non-nationals are awarded the same monthly allowance as women married to Saudi men.

Para 64) The Ministry of Social Affairs is currently preparing an implementing regulation on the procedural mechanisms for application of the Child Protection Act. This Act complements the draft law on protection from abuse, which prohibits all forms of abuse against all of the groups most vulnerable to violence, particularly women and children, and establishes national mechanisms for protecting these groups. Expectations are that the draft law will be passed in the near future. The Ministry has also undertaken the following:
- Signed memoranda of cooperation with a number of civil society organizations and charitable societies for the provision of sheltered accommodation for groups at risk of violence;
- Signed a memorandum of cooperation with King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology for the implementation of a national strategy to combat domestic violence and deliver awareness programmes;
- Set up a call centre for receiving reports of violence against women, which is reached by dialling 1919;
- Implemented Cabinet Decision No. 366 of December 2008, which prescribes measures for curbing the problem of domestic violence, including the accelerated opening of social protection units throughout the Kingdom.

Para 67) Working in cooperation with the Family Safety Programme, the Ministry of Education established procedural mechanisms for identifying and reporting cases of violence in schools, through the child helpline, and appointed its own coordinators for the provinces and governorates. Programmes were also launched to raise awareness of children's rights. These included programmes for ... giving voice to girl students.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 20) ... AI, JS1, ECLJ and HRW noted that no effective legal and practical measures have been put in place to criminalize violence against women. HRW stated the government failed to enact the 2011 draft law to combat violence against women and children.

Para 34) ... JS4 noted that no effective mechanism to prevent domestic violence has been implemented and the Protection from Harm Act has not been enacted.

Para 61) JS4, JS1, ECLJ and HRW noted that although recommendations 17, 18, 19 and 20 had been accepted during the 2009 UPR, little has been done to genuinely implement them. JS1 noted the positive step with the two royal decrees in 2013 amending the Consultative Council's law, granting women thirty seats on the Council and stipulating at least 20% women's representation at the Council and recommended an increase in access to decision-making positions, in all public positions.

National Report:
Para 28) Two human rights instruments — the ICCPR and ICESCR — are currently being studied by a high-level governmental committee with a view to accession. Under article 5(4) of its charter, the Human Rights Commission may express an opinion on international human rights instruments and accession thereto.

National Report:
Para 28) Two human rights instruments — the ICCPR and ICESCR — are currently being studied by a high-level governmental committee with a view to accession. Under article 5(4) of its charter, the Human Rights Commission may express an opinion on international human rights instruments and accession thereto.

National Report:
Para 110) Forced marriage is forbidden by Islamic sharia law, which holds that a marriage can only be concluded with the woman’s consent. Sharia law prohibits a woman being prevented from marrying or forced into marriage against her will. A woman may not be prevented from marrying a man who meets the lawful conditions for marriage. The King Abdulaziz Centre for National Dialogue conducted a study in partnership with stakeholders and civil society organizations, which showed that the number of women entering into forced or early marriage continues to decline. The study gave rise to a set of proposals, containing a number of measures and guidelines. Note that article 16 (3) of the implementing regulations for the Child Protection Act stipulates that, before the contract of marriage can be concluded, it must be ascertained that the marriage of a person under the age of 18, whether male or female, shall not cause harm and shall be in the best interests of that person.

UN Compilation:
Para 54) [CEDAW] was also concerned about persisting harmful practices, including child and forced marriage, …
Para 58) [CRC] was seriously concerned that judges had discretion to determine the age of majority and that they frequently authorized the marriage of girls who had attained puberty. It noted that judges often considered underage marriage as being in the best interest of the girl child, leading to multiple violations of girls’ rights. CEDAW noted that a high proportion of girls continued to marry before the age of 18 years.

Stakeholder Summary:
Para 39) HRW noted that following its previous UPR in 2013 Saudi Arabia rejected a recommendation to “introduce a minimum marriage age of 18 years for both men and women,” and at this writing no ban on child marriage has yet been passed. Musawah noted that there is no legislation criminalizing forced marriages, nor is there a mechanism to sanction officers conducting them. It stated that under the Law on Child Protection, an advisory committee should examine each case individually to approve marriage to a person below 18. However, the standards to determine the minor’s interests and welfare are unclear, and minors are often not interviewed.