Saudi women find their 'online voice'

Following in the footsteps of the revolutionaries calling for change across the Middle East, women in Saudi Arabia are using the online medium of social networking sites to strengthen their political voices. The Women2Drive campaign, initiated by women’s rights activist- Manal al Sharif has generated a massive online following, having been launched on social media sites Facebook and Twitter. The campaign called for women to stand up to the law and get into the driving seat on June 17th 2011.

Portraying videos of al-Sharif driving a car, the original Facebook page was swiftly deleted by authorities, but a new page was launched by supporters contributing to the cause in order to keep the initiative going. Since releasing videos of her driving cars in Saudi Arabia, al-Sharif has been arrested, detained, re-arrested and released on bail, on the condition that she does not drive and does not speak to the media regarding the campaign.
1990 saw a similar uprising in Riyadh, with dozens of women getting behind the wheels of cars in protest of the law. This resulted however, in a one day imprisonment, the confiscation of their passports, and some of the women losing their jobs.
The social scene is changing. These women are resolute in their aim and are using the strength of their online voice, their online presence to change the driving laws in Saudi Arabia. Facebook and Twitter are increasing the accessibility to information on such a huge scale, that they are making so much possible. Of course this can be both good and bad, rallying support in massive numbers- but it also provides opportunity to make a change. But will their voice be heard? And will it make a difference?

Friday 17th June 2011 saw a handful of women driving in Saudi Arabia, but it was certainly not a matter of history unfolding before our eyes. Police were told to turn a blind eye that day; this lack of acknowledgement simply highlights the fact that they do not intend to listen. And to what? It turns out that this 'online voice' was merely a facade; there was no power of assertion behind it for many so-called supporters of the campaign- just empty words.