Women2Drive

Manal Al-Sharif, organizer of ‘Women2Drive’, arrested for driving

For those of us in the west, it’s hard to imagine a country where women can be flogged simply for driving. Yet last month Shaima Jastaina, a Saudi woman, was sentenced to ten lashes with a whip for defying the kingdom’s ban on women driving. Fortunately, King Abdullah overturned the court’s verdict. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world where women are not allowed to drive.

Hooray for women in Saudi Arabia! They are peacefully organizing, protesting, talking, sharing, and even posting videos of themselves behind the wheel on YouTube, despite the threat of arrest.  What’s more, women and men around the world and even men in Saudi Arabia are supporting them.

Wednesday we’re making history. Wednesday during the live online broadcast of YAK on Here Women Talk radio, we’ll be joined by two women in Saudi Arabia, Farhaa and Alicia, who will give us a glimpse into Saudi life when one’s movements are restricted by gender.

Saudi Arabia Driving Bank

Farhaa

Born in Saudi Arabia, Farhaa is an undergraduate student of economics and development studies and a passionate blogger about children’s welfare, spirituality, and inter-faith dialogue who believes “…every living soul has the capacity to transform the world around them.” She authored an article in May for World Pulse Magazine about the arrest of Manal Al-Sharif, a single mother and one of the organizers of the Saudi Women2Drive initiative, a social-media campaign against the ban.

Saudi Arabia Driving Ban

Alicia

Born in Canada and living in Saudi Arabia the last decade, Alicia is an artist, spiritual poet and silent activist who says, “We are one human family.”  Alicia calls Saudi Arabia “the land of love,” and says, “…the world has yet to see the beautiful side” of Saudi Arabia. As an ex-pat now living in Saudi, she can offer a unique perspective for westerners on the driving ban for women.

Susan Macaulay

Also joining us is entrepreneur Susan Macaulay, the passionate, inspirational, outspoken, divorced Canadian champion of women’s rights and founder of Amazing Women Rock. Susan has lived in the United Arab Emirates since 1993 and will also shed light on the Women2Drive campaign.

Editor’s Note: If you missed the live broadcast, you can listen to the archive or download a podcast, or listen on iTunes.

Please join us Wednesday, October 26, 11am-12pm Eastern, for this live broadcast. Listen LIVE on the internet at www.HereWomenTalk.com (direct listen link). Post your questions here. Or join the live chat on Here Women Talk. The phone lines will also be open for questions (877-500-9387). Archives. iTunes.