Saudi “guardianship laws” give women a legal status similar to that of minors in many areas of their lives. Absher, which roughly translates as “yes sir,” can be downloaded from both the Google Play store and Apple’s app store, which critics say makes the tech companies complicit in the repression of Saudi women. But critics say that Saudi women cannot achieve equality as long as the kingdom maintains its guardianship laws. The repression of Saudi women jumped into the headlines last month when an 18-year-old Saudi, Rahaf Alqunun, barricaded herself in a hotel room in the Bangkok airport to avoid being returned to her family. “If the tech companies would say, ‘You are being oppressive,’ that would mean a lot,” Aldosary said.

Source: bd News24 February 14, 2019 10:30 UTC