One of the most demonstrable examples of reform in Saudi Arabia has to be the national response to the issue of abuse of women and children. First, the press started reporting some of the horrible abuses of women taking place. The instances flew in the face of reason and people started separating tribal custom from Sharia law. Once that happened, there was little to debate and the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz ordered the formation of family courts to confront the problem head on.

The story of Rania Al Baz, the Saudi TV personality who was badly beaten by her husband, was the first case to be covered by the Saudi press. Al Baz allowed her story to be told with photographs of her battered face as proof of the ordeal she went through.

Other women followed suit and filed cases against their husbands for assault. According to media reports, 569 cases of family violence were filed in 2005. Of them, 230 were in the southern region, 130 in the Makkah region, 60 in Hail, 17 in Tabuk, six in Baha and Najran, another six in Al Jouf, four in Jizan and four in the Northern Frontier region.

The continued media exposure of abuse prompted the Ministry of Justice to acknowledge its existence and recognise the need for immediate action.

In line with the royal order, family courts now adjudicate complaints of domestic abuse. The Department of Social Protection at the Ministry of Social Affairs assigned a team of experts in Sharia, sociology and law to conduct a complete study of domestic abuse in order to draft laws that would address attacks on women and children. The Ministry of Social Affairs is working in cooperation with the Ministries of Health, Education, Interior, Justice, Culture and Information and Islamic Affairs as well as the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice.

A toll-free number, where victims can ask for help, handles all complaints with confidentiality. Community centres are being opened throughout the Kingdom to enable couples to get family counselling services closer to their homes. Women in the human rights organisation are very active in giving support to many of the victims of family abuse. They continue to receive cases of abused women and do a good job in confronting and exposing the many evils that need to be addressed.

The Gulf Businesswomen's Forum that was held at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry in April 2006 also addressed women's rights. The forum listed 11 recommendations to further interests of women and protect their rights, two of which stressed the need to open doors for ijtihad for issuing fatwas that are appropriate for Muslim women realities in today's world. They recommended raising the level of women's awareness of their rights under Islam and educating society to reject traditions that are contrary to Sharia.

Great success

The forum strategy recommended uniting the efforts of women's organisations and institutions under the banner of a Gulf union to increase communication, exchanges and business deals between Gulf businesswomen. The forum was a great success and marked the beginning of a positive exchange of views and expertise between Saudi women and the women of other Gulf countries to protect their interests and gain the status to which they are entitled in terms of rights, equality and justice.

Another significant initiative to support women's rights in Saudi Arabia is the launch of a popular website that addresses women's social and domestic affairs. In October 2005, a group of Saudi academics and scholars launched a website that deals with women's issues and tackles sensitive subjects that have been considered as taboos in society for some time, such as physical and sexual abuse. The website deals with matters relating to neglect and abuse of Saudi women, according to

Dr Waleed Melha, the owner of the website. He said the website deals with these issues scientifically in accordance with Shariah that has always enumerated women's rights. The website has called for immediate reforms in the judicial system and brought to light much of the abuse suffered by women.

Moreover, women bloggers are becoming more daring and more critical in their complaints about discrimination against women in Saudi Arabia and offer suggestions and solutions to many of the problems standing as roadblocks to equality. They produce some of the most interesting sites.

Young girls continue to vent their frustrations and voice their opinions about social ills. The blogs are gaining popularity and provide a healthy way to practice the freedom of expression not always allowed to our young women of the Saudi press.

Meanwhile, women in the media and columnists continue to challenge the policies that discriminate against women and the violations against basic human rights. The participation of women in the National Dialogue Forums that are conducted twice a year also provide them the opportunity to address social issues and seek solutions to the many challenges that stand in the way of women's empowerment and attainment of rights.

There is a lot more work that needs to be done in order to protect the rights of women, including the formation of organisations and institutions that can provide the necessary aid and assistance for victims of abuse. More needs to be done to apply the global consensus on human rights to our society. Saudi women need to be made aware of professional mechanisms that can help them to achieve justice and equal rights.

Saudi women's organisations can work with international partners to embrace new ideas and innovative services in order to protect their rights and pave the way for their empowerment. As important as the issue of abuse against women has been is our nation's response to this issue, which also serves as proof that reasonable concerns will get a fair hearing and will prompt actions to resolve those problems when a consensus is reached.

- Samar Fatany is a radio journalist. She is based in Jeddah.