Publication date: 19/09/2024

Report submitted to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and Girls (CEDAW) in the context of the fifth periodic review of Saudi Arabia.

READ THE FULL REPORT

Introduction 

This joint shadow report, submitted by MENA Rights Group and ALQST for Human Rights, contains information on the implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women and Girls (CEDAW), including comments on the State reply to the list of issues and information on the implementation by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia of the previous Concluding Observations of the Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women (the Committee).

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has consistently upheld a progressive stance on the advancement of women’s rights in the country. It regularly emphasises the reforms and changes undertaken to protect and promote women’s rights. The findings in this report show a different reality.

According to our findings and based on testimonies and documentation collected by submitting organisations, women have increasingly been targeted by authorities for criticising discriminatory laws such as the personal status law. They have been subjected to enforced disappearance, arbitrary detention, and torture in the form of sexual harassment and other sexual abuses.

Therefore, submitting organisations find that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has failed to comply with the binding obligations of the CEDAW and to implement the Committee’s 2018 Concluding Observations.

Share Article
The Saudi Human Rights Commission: 20 years of whitewashing the Kingdom’s human rights record
This report presents new, publicly available, evidence that demonstrate the continuing role of this institution in covering up human rights violations, 20 years on from its establishment. 
Input submitted to the United Nations Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons
This input is submitted by ALQST to the UN Independent Expert on the enjoyment of all human rights by older persons, following a call for input ahead of the UN Expert’s country visit to Saudi Arabia.
Assault on Freedom of Movement: The Use of Arbitrary Travel Bans in Saudi Arabia
A new briefing highlights how Saudi Arabia’s authorities are arbitrarily barring increasing numbers of Saudi citizens from leaving the country through the use of unlawful travel bans.