‘Silent Revolution’ in Saudi Arabia: celebration of
women or dreadful propaganda?
The documentary titled ‘A Silent Revolution’ gave
reasons for disagreement
‘A Silent Revolution’, a documentary directed by Danya Alhamrani,
premiered at Berlin International Film Festival in February 2018. It features
25 Saudi women pioneers who have played a significant role in fighting for
women’s rights in Saudi Arabia. Some of them included the first Saudi women
athletes who took part in the 2016 Olympics, the first Saudi woman to head a UN agency, the first
Saudi woman to publish a national newspaper and the first Saudi woman to
conquer Mount Everest.
The director and the producer (Dania Nassief) of the documentary can
also be regarded as pioneers since they are the first women in Saudi Arabia who
own and manage a company without a male business partner. The director said the
main aim of the film was to help break the stereotypical representation of women
in the conservative Muslim Kingdom. According to her, Saudi women are always
portrayed as being oppressed and having no voice in the society. Alhamrani
thinks that this film could change the general viewpoint by telling the own
stories and experiences of Saudi women.
Although the film intends to celebrate the progress of women’s rights,
it seems that experts look at it from a different perspective. The film
highlights the recent reforms in Saudi Arabia for example the lifting of the
driving ban among women. However, it shows a woman who is encouraged by a man
to drive a car. Suad Abu-Dayyeh, the Middle East and North African consultant
for Equality Now, suggests that male support should not be the core of the film
because, as a result of male dominance, we receive the wrong message.
Dr Madawi al-Rasheed, a visiting professor at the London School of
Economics’ Middle East Centre, criticized the tagline of the film: “Next to
every great woman, a man believing in her”. He branded it a “dreadful piece of
propaganda” as it only emphasizes women dependence on men. On the other hand,
some people think that in addition to celebrating Saudi women pioneers, the
film should also highlight the role of Saudi men who act as supportive allies
and encourage and promote women empowerment.
However, the UN committee on the elimination of discrimination against
women welcomed the recent reforms in Saudi Arabia they said gender equality is
far away. They added that it is a good start that women can launch their own
businesses and they will be able to drive soon in Saudi Arabia, but if the
country wants to end discrimination, male guardianship must be abolished and access
should be given for women to justice. Women empowerment is certainly a long
process, but it seems that the recent reforms started some kind of change in
Saudi women’s life. If the driving ban symbolized the Saudi women’s lack of
freedom, abolishing it might be a sign that society is ready to move forward.
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