Saudi Arabia celebrated its first ever women's day. But, is it enough?

Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that doesn't let its women drive. Photo Courtesy: Flickr

When you think of Saudi Arabia, what is the first thing that comes to your mind? If you said the deplorable condition of women, then you are right. It is a land where women aren't even allowed to drive, let alone have some of the basic human rights.

However, things seem to be changing as the country celebrated its first ever women's day. In a bid to fight for women's rights, the three-day affair saw members of the royal family participating, as they discussed about the condition of women.

The event that began on February 1 and went on till February 4, witnessed 'women only' talks at the King Fahd Cultural Center in Riyadh. The talks, which focused on Saudi women's roles in education and sports, featured speakers who argued for women's rights to drive.

The event was organized following directives from the minister of culture and information to highlight the leading role of Saudi women, according to Arab News.

In an interview to the publication, Mohammed Al-Saif, a spokesman for the centre said: "We want to celebrate the Saudi woman and her successful role, and remind people of her achievements in education, culture, medicine, literature and other areas."

The meet also called for an end to the country's male guardianship law that requires a woman to get approval from a male guardian before obtaining a passport, marrying, travelling, or accessing higher education.

Female members of the Saudi royal family were also in attendance, with Princess Al-Jawhara bint Fahd Al-Saud hosting a discussion on women's roles in education. The Princess, who's an advocate of women's right to drive as well as women's health and legal rights, held a talk on the kingdom's heritage.

The country has been heavily condemned for its record on women's rights. The World Economic Forum's 2015 Global Gender Gap report even ranked Saudi Arabia 134 out of 145 countries for gender equality--showing that the country is not women friendly.

Although repeated measures have been taken to reduce male control over women, there have been no results on the ground level. In 2016, a Saudi man was even sent behind bars after he asked for an end to the system.

In a country where women are denied some of the basic rights, the observance of Women's Day is definitely path-breaking. While it prepares to begin several cultural and economic reforms, known as Vision 2030, we wonder if a three-day celebration is enough. The question is: will this end up being just a talk shop?

Although Saudi women were given the right to register to vote and to run for office in municipal elections in 2015, the country still reels under ultra-conservative laws. The country denies its women the right to travel without the permission of male gaurdians, participating in sports, and interacting with any men outside the family. Hell, they're not even allowed to try on clothes at a shopping mall!

Women have been trying to raise their voice against the atrocities they face in the country. In January, a video that highlights the oppression of women in Saudi Arabia had amassed millions of views on social media.

The video entitled 'Hwages', loosely translated in English as 'Concerns', featured women in Saudi Arabia in full Islamic dress taking part in various activities, singing lyrics that include: 'If only God would rid us of men'.

Also read: Niqab-clad Saudi women take Internet by storm with their fun-filled music video

We are hoping that this move will help Saudi Arabia move out of its ultra conservative mode and makes it more friendly for women. Maybe, it will set an example for the rest of the countries in the middle east