Saudi women demand their rights, on Twitter

It is season for change in the Middle East and Arab world and Saudi women don't want to be left behind. They are now taking their demand for equality online-at Twitter, Facebook, on forums and blogs.

Deborah Amos at Georgia Public Broadcasting reports that recent events have stirred political passions in Saudi Arabia.

“Duraa Ali, a 22-year-old journalism student dressed in a full abaya and face veil, asked at the forum if a woman could start a revolution in Saudi Arabia. Women are the ones with the least rights, she said to applause in the room.

Ali was studying in Bahrain when the protests began there. She was thrilled by the demands of Shiite protesters who challenged the Sunni royal family and disturbed by the violent reaction to those demands.”

At Twitter #saudiwomenrevolution has considerable following and more tweets in support and sometimes against the women's demands are added every day. It represents an important step in bringing out concerns of Saudi women out in the open and is contributing to the lively discussion on democracy and gender equality in the Arab Muslim world.

Here is a snippet of tweets for #saudiwomenrevolution

At Facebook, Saudi Women Revolution page has 591 supporters and growing. Although majority of posts here are in Arabic, there are some English comments and it has attracted support from non-Muslim men and women from various parts of the world. Cartoons depicting Saudi women and their daily struggles are eye opening, some very poignant.

As global support for Saudi women grows, authorities there are certainly uncomfortable with rising political consciousness among the public. James Nixon at Thniq says that,

“A group of intellectuals, human rights activists and lawyers met on February 10th to form Saudi Arabia's first political party, the Umma Islamic Party, demanding an end to the country's absolute monarchy.

All of them were arrested on February 18th, with authorities demanding they renounce their demands in return for their release.”

Tough ahead for Saudi women and women demanding change, but as events in Tunisia and Egypt prove-people power can never be ignored for long.

11 comments

  • […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by magneda2 and laura iglesias , bhumika ghimire. bhumika ghimire said: #Saudi women demand their rights, on Twitter http://t.co/71eJFR7 via @advox #saudiwomenrevolution […]

  • […] Saudi Arabia is cycling through a new collection of imprisoned bloggers even as the kingdom’s women demand their rights – on Twitter. […]

  • […] Saudi Arabia is cycling through a new collection of imprisoned bloggers even as the kingdom’s women demand their rights – on Twitter. […]

  • […] Saudi Arabia is cycling through a new collection of imprisoned bloggers even as the kingdom’s women demand their rights – on Twitter. […]

  • shona

    are you kidding :)
    let me explain that for you
    first : I am saudi woman ,i love my country i feel Security here i don’t need gender equality
    second : you are Irresponsible about us
    last: what kind of gender equality do you mean
    let me say that in our islam we don’t have gender equality
    do you know why?
    because that not fair,because the women not like the men
    in every thing . do you see women with Mustache or men with Menstrual every month
    nothing all
    women created Weaker than men in many things . do you see women bear men
    and men Do not assume to be pregnant 9months

    when you do run Competition between two one of them blind and another is not blind , and you equal between them in every thing : Distance , rule , and everything
    that is equality but where is the Justice?
    this is not fair when the women want to be Equal with men

    • Rasha ALduwisi

      I’m also a Saudi Woman. And for the record I have to state that your opinions do not represent Saudi women. (that is if u r a woman at all). and please don’t speak in the name of Islam, just say that these r ur opinions

  • shona

    this is not my opinion this is my religion and my way in my life
    i respect my self
    allah said (ولهن مثل الذي عليهن بالمعروف وللرجال عليهن درجة والله عزيز حكيم)
    and allah said {الرجال قوامون على النساء بما فضل الله بعضهم على بعض وبما أنفقوا من أموالهم}

    so you said this is my opinion please dear before you say anything read the quran and
    understand the women not like man in manythings allah saved rights of women in islam
    and prophet mohammed said (رفقا بالقوارير) it means take care of women be careful about her feelings and her rights
    so don’t tell me this is my opinion or not
    i am woman and i love allah i love islam i feel bad if some one try to distorts my religion because allah created us different

  • Hussain

    I don’t think interpreting Quranic verses should be the measuring factor. Quran is a complex test with depth; a major mistake & I believe sin is to use it this way. Gender equality doesn’t mean, women will be men or vice-versa. Women need to be respected in Saudi. They are treated as only being seductive beings. They deserve to drive, do sports in school, vote, be represented, represent, lead, and make personal & social decisions. They have proven themselves abroad, in Aramco, and in social services to be educated, professional & capable of bearing responsibility. Egyptions are muslims, Iranians are muslims, Tunisians are muslims, unless you believe you’re the only muslim.

  • shona

    i ma not pig-headed so if i see my self wrong i will say that i will be not shy because i try to learn right things
    but you said (gender equality doesn’t mean, women will be men or vice-versa)
    gender means the fact of being male or female
    equality means having the same ability and rights as some one else
    so that mean entirely women want same rights with men and and the same ability
    in islam the male not like the women in rights and in Science and islam the women don’t have same ability with men
    did you see the women Lead the men in Mosque ?no and ever if you are muslim you will know why
    I agree with you in a few points
    Finally,i am not here for say i am only muslim’s woman in the earth no i am here for clear important point and make it simplest for understanding
    and i am not here for say you are muslim or not , even you are Egyptian,Iranian,Sudanese,Libyan,Lebanese,Suadi,arbic , Englend ……. what ever you be i don’t care …. when you just say no god but one god and muhammed messenger of god (you are my brother in islam and allah will Charge you about what did you do..and allah judge you not me)

  • […] (da Global Voices online) […]

  • […] un video desafiando públicamente la prohibición de conducir. Pues bién, las mujeres sauditas están ahora utilizando Twitter para exigir sus derechos y promover su causa.  El hashtag #saudiwomenrevolution está dando de que […]

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