The Arab Center for the Independence of the Judiciary and the Legal Profession (ACIJLP) expresses its welcoming of the statements made by the Saudi Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohamed Al Issa, on February 21, 2010. These statements were on the planning of the Saudi government to issue a new law allowing female lawyers to plead before the courts for the first time in Saudi Arabia.
The Center believes that such a step, which allows female lawyers to appear in courts in family-related cases, including divorce cases and child custody, is a good step towards activating the right to equality, stipulated by the International Bill of Human Rights.
The Center also believes that this step requires to be followed by a number of steps that ensure equality between Saudi women and men to exercise the legal profession, and empower Saudi women to practice the legal profession in all cases, and not to restrict their role in litigating and defending family issues.
Furthermore, the Center calls upon the Saudi civil society institutions to intensify and coordinate their efforts with the Saudi government to give effect to the right to equality, and to adopt an enlightened strategy to enable Saudi women to play their role in the development of Saudi society.
