The NSHR is the first organisation of its kind in Saudi Arabia to address human rights issues. It was established in February 2004 to monitor human rights and mediate conflict cases between citizens and governmental departments. In the absence of facilities and mechanisms to address human rights violations, the organisation faces a massive task. Its strategy is to first build a base among the population by opening branches in major cities, conducting independent research and outreach activities for the general public.
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Mrs Al Angari feels that western perception of Saudi Arabia is skewed, especially in the aftermath of 9/11. Saudi Arabia is an Islamic country where rules and regulations are based on the Qura'an and Sharia. But the general perception is, as she puts it, that "Islam is anti-human rights". However, she adds: "Islam as a religion guarantees human rights, but the problem is with the people. We are telling the others, don't judge Islam by the deeds of some Muslims." Mrs Al Angari is convinced that the poor human rights conditions in the past decades are caused by deeply rooted traditional and cultural doctrines. Contrary to common belief, especially in the West, Islam is a religion that guarantees fair human rights. But theory is far different to the common practice of what we currently see happening in Muslim countries like Saudi Arabia.
The NSHR identified many differences between norms and traditions within Saudi Arabia. In some areas, traditional tribalism dominates over the rule of law and even conflicts with religious teachings. The issue of women's participation in society is a classic example. In the early years of Islam, women participated in all aspects of society including politics. They even fought side by side with the men.
But the situation now differs completely. Women are not allowed to study certain topics at university, to travel without the explicit permission from the closest male relative, to drive cars or participate in municipal elections, and the list goes on.
A voice of the misfortune
The scope of the NSHR is limited to acquiring and providing information. Since its establishment, hundreds of cases and complaints have been received. The organisation functions as a last resort for many because it only accepts cases after all legal procedures have been exhausted. The majority of cases are complaints against courts and ministries. The organisation assists these cases by writing either to the Minister of the department in question, to the prince of that region, or to the King himself.
"From these single cases, we learn what goes on in the community," says Mrs Al Angari. But more efforts need to be invested in improving the laws and not simply individual cases.
Progress too slow?
But in the absence of any political parties or democratic representation within the Kingdom, shouldn't the NSHR call for a reform of the entire system instead of trying to interfere here and there with ministers and the monarch on specific cases? Mrs Al Angari agrees that this is indeed what needs to happen, but that change cannot be sudden. Instead she sees subtle but effective improvements as necessary. She warns that abrupt change in this traditional society will backfire. "We have a problem with tradition. Tradition is very strong and even in times goes against the religious belief."
The NSHR was criticised by those calling for political reform because the late King Fahd himself approved of its existence with a royal decree. The king also gave a generous gift to the organisation. The NSHR has 41 establishing members; nine of them are women. Among them is also a member of Majlis Al Shura, an advisory body set up in 2003 to advise the king.
Independent
Mrs Al Angari insists that the NSHR is independent of any government involvement. She sees the late king's approval of this organisation as a source of legitimacy, allowing the NSHR to put pressure on different ministries to cooperate with them and provide needed information or clarification regarding open cases. "When the late King Fahd approved of our establishment, he also urged all government departments to cooperate with us. So in our letters and communications we remind them of this fact, and we state that if you ignore our request, that means that you are not obeying the advice of the king."
Mrs Al Angari is optimistic and sees progress being made. The NSHR estimates that 70 percent of the cases they've received have been resolved. But there are many areas to which serious attention needs to be given.
The organisation is calling for the establishment of family courts where judges are specifically trained to deal with family situations. There is also a lack of social and psychological assistance in schools where some cases of domestic abuse have been detected.
The NSHR hopes to insert the topic of human rights into the school curriculum to educate youngsters about their rights. With 60 percent of the Saudi population under 15 years of age, Mrs Al Angari sees a need to invest heavily in educating young people on human rights. "What makes me happy is that there are people listening to us as a human rights organisation."
Tags: al Angari, Fahd, fatwa, human rights, Islam, king, Majlis Al Shura, Muslims, National Society for Human Rights, NSHR, Saudi Arabia, women