A Human Rights Benchmark?

The Saudi Arabian government permits the first civilian social group, Ansar Al-Marah, dedicated to women's rights in the Kingdom. This seems to be a step in the right direction, though it is hard to tell the direction of Al-Marah when its leader, Suliman Al-Salman, denies the historical bias against women in Saudi Arabia.

The formation of this organization comes among a wave of recent modernization efforts: the science and technology University under construction, women finally getting to enter the business sector, the King's pardon of the formerly-linked rape victim, even two women allowed to be elected to the chamber of commerce. Women are gaining more human rights, but Saudi Arabia has a lot of ground to make up in the human/civil rights arena. At least now women and human rights advocates have a medium by which they can (sometimes and very politely) voice their disappoval of Saudi Arabian abuse.