Saudis Discuss Women's Rights and Polygamy With UN Committee

The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination Against Women is meeting in Geneva from Jan. 14 to Feb. 1 to review reports on eight countries' implementation of their obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women. (UN Press Release). On Jan. 17, the Committee reviewed the report on Saudi Arabia, questioning the Saudi delegation at length about various issues. (UN Press Release). Saudi Arabia signed the convention with the following reservations:

1. In case of contradiction between any term of the Convention and the norms of Islamic law, the Kingdom is not under obligation to observe the contradictory terms of the Convention.
2. The Kingdom does not consider itself bound by paragraph 2 of article 9 of the Convention [equal rights with respect to nationality of children] and paragraph 1 of article 29 of the Convention [arbitration provisions].

In this context, Saudi officials discussed with Committee experts the permissibility of polygamy in Saudi Arabia:

Islam had sanctioned polygamy ... with some restrictions, namely of the number of wives, and the equal treatment of the wives by the husband. This was because of men’s strong sexual desires, or their wish to have children in case of being married to a barren wife. Polygamy was a necessity to enable women to lead a normal life. Polygamy was ethical, as it did not allow a man to have sexual relations with any woman other than his wife, and was humanitarian, as it provided for women to be wives and to be treated as such, and provided for.... Some women preferred to be a second wife rather than living alone.

An AFP report yesterday summarized the Saudi report and the exchange between Committee experts and Saudi officials.