The opinions in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Her Campus.
In Saudi Arabia, women have few rights to speak of, but the most overt symptom of this oppression may be the guardianship system they must endure. Every woman in the country has a male guardian, such as a husband or a brother — but guardian is a bit of an understatement, as the “walis” must provide consent for marriage, divorce, opening a savings account, and most importantly, travel. This makes any attempts to leave the draconian state very difficult.
Any reform amongst the government is difficult due to extreme Islamist conservatives who block even minor changes from those willing to compromise for a more modern state. This includes, purportedly, Saudi Crown Prince Salman. The country made headlines not too long ago for finally granting women the right to drive; however, experts credit that mainly to growing economic necessity for women in the workforce (and transportation tends to be an important element in the job life).
Now, a Saudi Arabia government app called Absher has created a complicated uproar, once again drawing attention to the country’s human rights issues. The app’s primary job is to make official tasks, such as vehicle registration and government appointments, simple and efficient. However, its features also include the aforementioned ability to grant and deny consent for travel with a casual swipe, and additionally track border movements through SMS alerts that confirm whenever a woman has presented her passport or crossed a border. These notifications have been a primary tool in apprehending women trying to flee the country in the past. It is, in essence, a hunting dog.
It’s a reminder that things are not all right in the Middle Eastern country, and some have responded to critiques of the app by pointing out they should be directed at the established guardianship system instead. Sans SMS travel alerts, Absher may also have an indirectly positive effect, allowing women to travel more easily by eliminating some of the bureaucratic hurdles required in the past. Some women have also used the app to sneak into their guardian’s account and permit traveling, allowing their escape.
Others have called for, at least, an analysis of the app by American tech firms which provide Absher (such as Google and Apple), which Apple agreed to a week ago. A Middle East researcher for Human Rights Watch, Rothna Begum, also gave a reasonable suggestion that the app be offered without its tracking feature.
It is extremely important that a beneficial outcome be reached from the uproar surrounding Absher, as any changes will directly affect women’s freedom and chance to escape in Saudi Arabia. Reaching such a favorable solution will require more than casual protesting of the app; in-depth analysis and monitoring of this particular facet of the women’s rights situation is key, which is why the subject must be handled carefully by human rights advocates, tech companies, and supporters. Absher is also a key reminder that for a number of women around the world, fear and oppression — essentially hell — is what they face every day.