Saudi Arabia is know for imposing strict laws on woman within the country. Gender inequality is often institutionalized through the country’s legal code. Laws in Saudi Arabia give every woman’s “male guardian” the same power over her that American parents have over their children. These laws often make it so Saudi women are largely dependent on men for their survival.
Photo: wikipedia.com
The law that may seem the most shocking to women in the western world is the Saudi government’s ban on women driving. No matter the circumstances, women are not allowed to drive – even in an emergency, a woman seen behind the wheel is seen as a criminal who needs punishment. Women who are caught driving are often fined, fired from their jobs, punished by their families and even arrested.
One may not consider the right to drive a fundamental freedom or privledge, but imagine how difficult life would be for the average American women were she not allowed to drive—no driving the kids to school, no taking a sick child to the ER, and no driving to see friends and family members.
This past Saturday a there was a momentous “drive-in” protest in Saudi Arabia. More than 60 women finally stood up for their rights and simply got behind the wheel and drove.
These women were not only protesting for their right to drive, but also against the law that states that a women must have a male guardian with her at all times in public, by driving alone. Like many protests occurring in the Middle East, the ‘drive-in’ was highly publicized on social media, with many women recorded their drives on YouTube and Twitter.
A Saudi woman drives a vehicle in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Photo: foxnews.com
While women in Saudi Arabia have made some small accomplishments in their fight for equality, they acknowledge that they have a long way to go and are fighting centuries of tradition. An anonymous Saudi women who spoke to a Fox News reporter, said that while the government may not yet be supportive of the movement, “If we fight more with this campaign, I think with time they will… Maybe not in the nearest future, maybe in 2014. I hope.”
Since Saudi women have found their voice, what they need now is other women– and men– all over the world to acknowledge their struggle and stand (or sit behind the wheel) in solidarity with them.