What does the women's driving protest mean for Saudi Arabia?
|
Friday, 6 June 2011
|12:00 - 12:30 GMT
Women across the deeply conservative country are being urged to drive through the streets today to defy a decades old driving ban. An online campaign has called on women who hold international driving licences to start driving today. The "Women2Drive" campaign has used Facebook and Twitter to encourage women to drive as part of their normal daily activities rather than converge in one place.
This blog outlines to women what they should and shouldn't do today
It's not the first time women have tried to get the driving ban lifted. But last month a woman called Manal al-Sharif filmed herself driving a car through the streets of Saudi Arabia and uploaded it to youtube, she was later arrested, but the movement began once more..
This article compares the movement to that of Rosa Park.
"women are not permitted to share elevators with men. Nor are they allowed to walk in the streets, drive cars, or leave the country without the permission of a male guardian."
"Fatima, a young woman from Mecca, sent me an e-mail at the height of the Egyptian revolution: "Forget about the cries for freedom; I can't even give birth without being accompanied to hospital by a mihrim," or male guardian. She went on, "And the [religious police] have been given the right to humiliate us in public."
MFQahtani tweets
My wife, Maha, and I have just come from a 45-minute drive, she was the driver through Riyadh streets. #saudi #women2drive #WomenRights
angrywhitekid tweets
In 1999, sat next to a woman on a plane who participated in the 1990 driving protest. Told me they burnt her house down after. #women2drive
We'll be speaking to people in Saudi Arabia, not only about the defiance of the driving ban, but what this now means for Saudi society. As the Arab spring continues around Saudi Arabia, with women and men standing side by side protesting, is this the opportunity for women to gain independence?
We'll be speaking to people in Saudi Arabia and hear from Hiba in Dharan who is a professional woman who says she will only drive when the King say she can.
RUSSIA and CHINA are to held accountable for the killing in Seria.They are all enemies of democracy. SHEY IVO from Buea Cameroon.
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16:17
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African leaders know only tyranny and corruption.why cant they honourably step down if the majority of their citizens say so? Razinat, Egypt.
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@主播大秀_WHYS What happens once and if Gaddafi leaves power? Who takes over? #WHYS
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Hi there dears. There is no doubt that change is absolute resolution for regimes in the middle east even KRG.kurdistan regional government in iraq..from iraq.
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How long will it take nato to remove Gadafi before he finish the libyan people.HENRY CAMERoon
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@bbc_whys Why did the world turn against gadafi yet bashar el Assad is killing peaceful protesters who want freedom
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NATO under the cover of western powers must leave Africa to Africans. They must stop destroying africa
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@主播大秀_whys Why is it that Israel is killing Palestinians daily yet the world turns a blind eye to them.
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has anyone looked into who the libyan opposition actually is? how do we know we are not replacing gaddafi with someone just as bad? Nicholas from New Zealand.
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12:56
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@主播大秀_WHYS woman have all rights to drive just as men. Women right to drive does not require legislation amendment.
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12:19
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@主播大秀_WHYS My heart breaks for Saudi Women who are denied the most basic freedoms.
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12:12
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women should be given all the freedom they need,including freedom 2 drive.s.kigozi sam,kalule uganda
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12:11
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@主播大秀_WHYS Women should drive. However, men should intervene when some women do such things as injecting children with botox.
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12:06
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@主播大秀_WHYS of course. Even though personally I prefer being driven around. ;)
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11:35
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@主播大秀_WHYS The Saudi govnt must change his policy towards this culture women has to hire driver to drive them.that is another economic burden
What does the women's driving protest mean for Saudi Arabia?
| Friday, 6 June 2011 | 12:00 - 12:30 GMT
Women across the deeply conservative country are being urged to drive through the streets today to defy a decades old driving ban. An online campaign has called on women who hold international driving licences to start driving today. The "Women2Drive" campaign has used Facebook and Twitter to encourage women to drive as part of their normal daily activities rather than converge in one place.
This blog outlines to women what they should and shouldn't do today
It's not the first time women have tried to get the driving ban lifted. But last month a woman called Manal al-Sharif filmed herself driving a car through the streets of Saudi Arabia and uploaded it to youtube, she was later arrested, but the movement began once more..
This article compares the movement to that of Rosa Park.
"women are not permitted to share elevators with men. Nor are they allowed to walk in the streets, drive cars, or leave the country without the permission of a male guardian."
"Fatima, a young woman from Mecca, sent me an e-mail at the height of the Egyptian revolution: "Forget about the cries for freedom; I can't even give birth without being accompanied to hospital by a mihrim," or male guardian. She went on, "And the [religious police] have been given the right to humiliate us in public."
MFQahtani tweets
My wife, Maha, and I have just come from a 45-minute drive, she was the driver through Riyadh streets. #saudi #women2drive #WomenRights
angrywhitekid tweets
In 1999, sat next to a woman on a plane who participated in the 1990 driving protest. Told me they burnt her house down after. #women2drive
We'll be speaking to people in Saudi Arabia, not only about the defiance of the driving ban, but what this now means for Saudi society. As the Arab spring continues around Saudi Arabia, with women and men standing side by side protesting, is this the opportunity for women to gain independence?
We'll be speaking to people in Saudi Arabia and hear from Hiba in Dharan who is a professional woman who says she will only drive when the King say she can.
Your comments
Comment sent via SMS
RUSSIA and CHINA are to held accountable for the killing in Seria.They are all enemies of democracy. SHEY IVO from Buea Cameroon.
Comment sent via SMS
African leaders know only tyranny and corruption.why cant they honourably step down if the majority of their citizens say so? Razinat, Egypt.
Comment sent via unknown: 23057
@主播大秀_WHYS What happens once and if Gaddafi leaves power? Who takes over? #WHYS
Comment sent via SMS
Hi there dears. There is no doubt that change is absolute resolution for regimes in the middle east even KRG.kurdistan regional government in iraq..from iraq.
Comment sent via SMS
How long will it take nato to remove Gadafi before he finish the libyan people.HENRY CAMERoon
Comment sent via unknown: 23057
@bbc_whys Why did the world turn against gadafi yet bashar el Assad is killing peaceful protesters who want freedom
Comment sent via SMS
NATO under the cover of western powers must leave Africa to Africans. They must stop destroying africa
Comment sent via unknown: 23057
@主播大秀_whys Why is it that Israel is killing Palestinians daily yet the world turns a blind eye to them.
Comment sent via SMS
has anyone looked into who the libyan opposition actually is? how do we know we are not replacing gaddafi with someone just as bad? Nicholas from New Zealand.
Comment sent via unknown: 23057
@主播大秀_WHYS woman have all rights to drive just as men. Women right to drive does not require legislation amendment.
Comment sent via unknown: 23057
@主播大秀_WHYS My heart breaks for Saudi Women who are denied the most basic freedoms.
Comment sent via SMS
women should be given all the freedom they need,including freedom 2 drive.s.kigozi sam,kalule uganda
Comment sent via unknown: 23057
@主播大秀_WHYS Women should drive. However, men should intervene when some women do such things as injecting children with botox.
Comment sent via unknown: 23057
@主播大秀_WHYS of course. Even though personally I prefer being driven around. ;)
Comment sent via unknown: 23057
@主播大秀_WHYS The Saudi govnt must change his policy towards this culture women has to hire driver to drive them.that is another economic burden