04. July 2006
Passion and Profession
Dr. Maha Muneef on Saudi Efforts to Combat Domestic Violence
Coming from a conservative society like the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has not hindered Dr. Muneef from being a staunch advocate for women’s rights. She breaks the silence in her efforts against domestic violence, child abuse and HIV/AIDS. As one of the few women doctors at the King Fahad National Guard Hospital in Riyadh, she realizes that women need and deserve access to health care that is attuned to their needs, their wants, and their dreams.
She relates, ‘Saudi Arabian women are breaking the silence and finally they are speaking out about violence against women. April 2004 was a landmark in the history of women in Saudi Arabia. In that month, a famous TV presenter appeared in the newspapers and on television after having brutally beaten up by her husband. She suffered more than 13 fractures, and she was bruised all over her head, and she was admitted to the hospital almost dead . She required plastic surgery. It was a breakthrough for the Saudi women, as it brought the subject of domestic violence into focus, and to the attention of the higher authorities in the Kingdom,. Since then, TV programs and media coverage have been speaking of violence against women. They have talked not only of physical violence but also about economic and psychological violence. Before that domestic violence was either a family matter, or was taboo. At the worst, some people believed that the husband had the right to beat his wife, and that the subject was not to be discussed. Now, after we addressed the problem in the public and the media, more and more women have come out over the last two years to speak out about violence against women.’
Specializing in pediatrics, her personal career puts much relevance on the role of the family. While doing her consultations with her patients , she realized that it was very difficult to talk about child abuse without talking about the abuse of women, since both were linked,and associated with each other. She then decided that the two should be addressed together.
In response to this,in 1999, she formed the National Family Safety Program.. It started as a small hospital- based intervention program among professionals, directed against child abuse and neglect. In Nov 2005, the program got the official approval of the king through the royal decree and the honorary president is Her Highness Princess Sita Bint Abdul-Aziz ibn Saud, the King’s sister, and the team is getting their support in addressing the problem and finding solutions. This program, though formed under the umbrella of the hospital which is a government agency, functions as a non profit organization. Today, the Program is gaining ground and is highly effective.
Dr. Muneef believes in encouraging women to have a voice especially when it comes to their health and well-being. They have a right to the best choices in health care, and to a system that not only provides them the services, but makes them a participant, not just a recipient. For example, she says, in Saudi Arabia, "AIDS is not endemic but I look at it as an emerging endemic, there were 10,120 cases of HIV AIDS in the country by 2005. Most are expatriates but 23% are Saudi nationals. The secrecy of HIV is still there. Some women do not even tell their mother that they have HIV. It is not a major problem, but it will be a major problem in the future. "
However, she is proud that her country is taking small but sure steps in addressing these pressing issues. Four months ago, the Kingdom supported the formation of domestic violence courts, which are special courts that try cases of domestic violence. She hopes that these courts will be run by judges who are well trained and can understand the problem of domestic violence.
Looking ahead, Dr. Muneef will focus on the helping other Saudi women break their own silences. "Most important, we want to be teaching Saudi women their rights as laid down by Islam.A lot of Saudi women mix culture and religion, in fact many things that are cultural in nature are accepted as religious and linked to Islam in Saudi Arabia.. Many women do not know these rights."
Dr. Muneef is on a mission to provide to women in her country health care that treats them with respect, educates them, and makes their lives and their families' lives better. This is her legacy.
Full text of Dr. Muneef's speech can be also be downloaded in this website. Please click here: en.swi-austria.org/publicationsdownloads/