That khulwa is not a crime in most countries doesn’t alter the fact that it is a crime, and well known to be a crime, in the KSA.

I am merely pointing out what effect the Qatif Girl judgment made in a lot of career decisions, that globalization of economy has opened up a lot more options in many countries that were unthinkable even a couple of decades ago. So, with many countries competing for talent, professionals like me are taking into account women’s rights and liberties in making our choice.

I am not asking for the right to wear a bikini in public. In my home town I would face accusations of public indecency (the first time I wore jeans my mother accused me of destroying the family reputation). All that I want is equitable treatment in the eyes of the law. If that is not available in one country, then we will opt to work in countries that do. Equality in treatment is not a fund raising catchword any more. I believe that it is rapidly becoming a recruiting asset.

Saudi Arabia has come a long way in the past 30 years…I’ve seen it go from a sleepy country of one channel and no malls or even fresh milk to a country with satelite t.v., cell phones, internet, huge malls and businesses. Change takes time….and they certainly understand their own people better than we do.

Our way is not the only way and certainly not always the best way.

http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/details.php?id=510329

I hope so! It have a feeling that the “anti-woman” feeling would have spiked if the pardon was for her alone.

I don’t think any relocation has to come at a career cost. I have relocated several times for personal reasons over the last few years but without sacrificing what I that worked very hard to build up. If anything, I managed move up the ladder in one case by negotiating a larger promotion that I was technically eligible for.

I hear you about the so called “beneath dignity” jobs. Personally, no job is beneath my dignity. As long as I am paid fairly and treated equitably, housecleaning is a perfectly viable option for me:)

I think that a lot of ladies who come from outside KSA who adore the life here. The reason they have left in the past was due to fear not lack of freedom. Trust me! I know people from both sides of the fence. Some of these ladies turn entrepreneur in their spare time. I do agree that a career woman may not want to relocate here but that would apply to relocating anywhere really. There are embassy jobs and a few companies that employ foreign women if they choose to work. Nowadays. there are even local companies employing foreign women as well as Saudi women. The problem is that these Saudi young ladies are very bright and bilingual and thus hard competition for wives of expatriates.

As far as low end labor, I would have to say I have seen many bright and hard working Saudis who will gladly step in and take the salary of what a foreign worker takes.

The Saudi system is in dire need of reform. Some Saudis realize that. Other Saudis want ‘modernization without change’, an utter impossibility. Outsiders can make their opinions known and support would-be reformers, but that’s not just a matter of standing on the sidelines cheering. Too much ‘support’ becomes counterproductive when it only provides ammunition to those fighting change. Calling someone ‘running dog lackey of X’ still works to discredit people. In the KSA, it takes a form more like ‘You don’t respect/support Islam’, a not-very-veiled threat.