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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4157181068289169982015-11-26T01:57:10.449-08:00Saudi Women DrivingNews and thoughts about Saudi women driving.KHChttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-41393420921086939072015-09-30T18:04:00.000-07:002015-09-30T18:04:26.342-07:00New Petition to Urge GM Boycott of KSA until Driving Ban LiftedThere is a new petition up on change.org urging the CEO of General Motors, Mary Barra, to boycott Saudi Arabia until the ban on women driving is lifted.

You can link to the petition here and sign your name if you wish.KHChttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-18011382996736982352015-09-30T17:55:00.001-07:002015-09-30T17:55:45.871-07:00The iniquity of imposing a ban and feesGreat post (Sept 26, 2015) from Saudi Women's Weblog about the driving issue. A link to the post is here and I'm pasting in the post below.

One of the biggest misconceptions about Saudi Arabia is that the ban on women driving is societal. As a matter of fact, women driving is only prohibited in the cities. In traditional rural areas, women drive with no objections by society or government. If tribes living their traditional lifestyles in their villages have no objection to women driving, why would their more modern urban counterparts object? The answer is they don't either. Women and men across the country have defied the ban either by driving or speaking out with no societal consequences but rather governmental. People have been suspended from their jobs, imprisoned and banned from travel simply for wanting the ban lifted. There is no definite answer as to why the government will not allow each woman to choose for herself whether or not to drive. However, there have been a few analyses as to why the ban is so strictly implemented. One of these is this article by Dr. Mohammed bin Saud AlMasoud published in Aleqtisadiah Newspaper on 19/July/2014. Here I've translated it for everyone:

 Lifting the ban on women driving will result in big losses for many. The
Lifting the ban on women driving will result in big losses for many. The campaign Women Driving is More Chaste addresses the abnormality of permanently imposing a strange man on Saudi women. The success of this campaign will be challenged by three institutions. These institutions will most likely constitute pressure lines to prevent women from obtaining the human and civil right of driving their own cars.
 First: Fee-charging government bodies
 – One and a half million drivers' visas worth two and a half billion SAR (six hundred sixty-six million USD).
 – The General Passports Department earns one and a half billion SAR (four hundred million USD) from residency fees.
 – Health insurance fees bring in a minimum of seven hundred million SAR (a hundred eighty-six million USD).
 Thus, the Interior Ministry will lose approximately five billion SAR (a billion and three hundred thirty-three million USD) if women driving were to be legalized. These enormous returns will start to dwindle and fall until ultimately they become nothing. It's no wonder that the Interior Ministry is not overly enthusiastic about the idea of lifting the ban and are firm and strong against women who attempt to exercise their right to drive.
 Second: Taxi companies
 The vast majority of this companies are owned by elites. 85% of their business depends on women seeking transportation in the bigger cities. These businesses generate unbelievably huge sums that reach to five million SAR (a million and three hundred thousand USD) a month. Naturally, if women were allowed to drive, this enormous financial resource will gradually dry up. Hence those millions a month will be no more. Again, it's no surprise that these elites would not be too excited or happy to see the ban lifted. This is what happen in Qatar when they lifted the ban on Qatari women driving. The taxi companies' profits fell to a quarter of what they were. It is especially worrying for the Saudi companies now that taxi charges rose a 100% in the cities after fees on foreign recruitment rose.
 Third: Recruitment agencies and airlines
 When we talk about one and a half million visas then we are also saying one and a half million flights worth up to three billion SAR (eight hundred million USD), as well as one and a half million recruitment contracts valued at eight billion SAR (two billion USD) minimum. The price of recruiting one driver from abroad is about eight thousand SAR (two thousand USD) which adds up to thirteen billion SAR (three and a half billion USD). That is a number that would be difficult to let go. Experts are forecasting that under the current ban the number of drivers is expected to double to three million foreign drivers. Thus, these profits will also increase a 100%.
 All the billions mentioned above are paid by Saudi families and specifically Saudi women, not once but many times over. What's more, financial penalties up to twice the original cost are imposed if there is any delay in payment. For example, the driver's residency renewal fees double if they are not paid on time.
 Hence, we have so many winners at the expense of Saudi women. Women, who are weak, tender, helpless citizens in need of protection and care, represent 60% of humanity's workforce, and yet women have to bear all these consequences. Since the ban on women driving is implemented with threats of firmness and strength against all who defy it, it would only be fair to revise all these driver recruitment fees and fines. These fees add up to about six billion SAR (one and a half billion USD) paid by Saudi families, in particular, Saudi women because drivers are imposed on them by necessity.

KHChttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-82101664374857743782015-05-21T18:20:00.001-07:002015-05-21T18:20:25.030-07:00'Saudi Girls' Finally Get to Drive, but Only in a VideogameStory by Sarah Needleman in the May 21, 2015 Wall Street Journal. You can link to the story here, and the text is pasted below.

Saudi Girls Revolution' is a mobile game made by NA3M, a company whose founder and chief executive is Saudi Arabian Prince Fahad bin Faisal Al Saud, above, grandson of the brother of the king.   Photo:  SHANITA SIMS

In futuristic setting, heroines ride motorcycles, fight villains; a prince's hope

Saudi Girls Revolution' is a mobile game made by NA3M, a company whose founder and chief executive is Saudi Arabian Prince Fahad bin Faisal Al Saud, above, grandson of the brother of the king.   Photo:  SHANITA SIMS

Saudi Arabian women this year will finally get the right to drive. It will just have to be in a post-apocalyptic world filled with baboon kings, crystal giants, fire dancers, mutants and zombie cybersoldiers.

That's the setting for the coming mobile videogame "Saudi Girls Revolution," in which a group of young Saudi women race souped-up motorcycles to fight the evil tyrannical rulers of a corrupted Arabian Empire. It is being made by NA3M, a company with offices in Jordan and Denmark whose founder and chief executive is Saudi Arabian Prince Fahad bin Faisal Al Saud, grandson of the brother of the king.
"I hope every single individual who owns a phone plays," says the 31-year-old prince. He even means his royal family members. "Their status doesn't change the fact that they're still consumers," he says.
"Saudi Girls Revolution" is set in the late 21st century, where a world war over the loss of natural resources has wiped out three-quarters of Earth's population. The one city untouched by war: Riyadh, rich with water. After the death of the king, unrest leads to brutal government camps for women.
Enter the eight heroines of "Saudi Girls Revolution." Dressed in abayas—the full-length black robes worn by some Muslim women—they drive high-speed motorbikes equipped with magical shields and energy blasters, fighting villains and oppressors across treacherous landscapes.
These "Mu'tazilah," a name with roots in Arabic and Islamic culture that means those who break away or stand apart, possess distinct personalities and backgrounds that loosely reflect various groups of Saudi Arabian society, according to the game's creators. Um Bandar is the wise, elderly ringleader who teaches women to fight for themselves. Asma and Allanoud are twins who push against religious sectarianism. Hussa is gay; Leila is from the disconnected upper class of society. There is even an "ass-kicking" cyborg, Prince Fahad says. He likens their skills to the Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.
A 35-second video on YouTube gives a taste of the game. In the teaser, the shadow of a woman stands beside a motorcycle, her hair and abaya blowing in the wind. Smoke rises amid debris and rain, as a red meteor falls from the sky. In the background, a woman sings: "From far away they came to life with knowledge. They changed our world then left us without warning."
Choosing an alternate-universe version of Saudi Arabia for the game's vehicular setting might seem pointed, considering women there are forbidden to drive. While no law explicitly prohibits them from getting behind the wheel, the government has refused to grant licenses to women.

<img alt="A poster promoting the coming mobile videogame 'Saudi Girls Revolution,' in which a group of young Saudi women race souped-up motorcycles to fight evil." data-enlarge="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/BN-IL282_SAUDIG_JV_20150515143730.jpg" data-in-at4units-src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/BN-IL282_SAUDIG_JV_20150515143730.jpg" data-in-base-src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/BN-IL282_SAUDIG_JV_20150515143730.jpg" data-intent="" src="http://si.wsj.net/public/resources/images/BN-IL282_SAUDIG_JV_20150515143730.jpg" title="A poster promoting the coming mobile videogame 'Saudi Girls Revolution,' in which a group of..." />
A poster promoting the coming mobile videogame 'Saudi Girls Revolution,' in which a group of young Saudi women race souped-up motorcycles to fight evil.   Photo:  NA3M

Dozens of Saudi women in recent years have protested the decadeslong ban by driving cars in the kingdom. Still, a spokesman for the Interior Ministry reaffirmed the ban last October, warning that strong measures would be taken against offenders. Earlier this year, two women were detained for more than 70 days for challenging the ban.
Prince Fahad says there is no political motive behind "Saudi Girls Revolution," though he hopes it will "inspire women to see themselves in roles that are equal to men." The website for NA3M says concepts like the one behind the game can "challenge convention." (Mostly, though, it says it wants people to "enjoy a kick-ass game.")
Prince Fahad, who lives in London, grew up playing foreign-made games with powerful female characters like Lara Croft from "Tomb Raider." After graduating from Stanford University in 2007, he spent two years at Facebook Inc. working on an Arabic version of the social network.
He wanted to empower Saudi women by showing them—literally—in the driver's seat. "If we can tell people stories about women driving, maybe they will, maybe it will actually happen," he says.
Several characters, Prince Fahad says, are named after relatives, like his grandmother.
The inspiration for some villains, such as the game's evil baboon kings, comes from plants and animals in Saudi Arabian cities. Take Ta'if, for example, where baboons there roam freely, coercing bananas, dates and other fruits from passersby. "If the baboons don't get what they want, they jump on your car," he says. "You have to pay the toll."
It isn't the first time Prince Fahad has drawn from real life for games. He says an earlier NA3M game, "Run Camel Run," was inspired by his father, who collects hundreds of camels. Some compete in camel beauty pageants.
"My dad is very conservative," the prince says, adding that his father wanted him to become an engineer. "He had reservations about me doing anything untraditional when it comes to working. But now he loves ["Run Camel Run"]. It's his favorite game."
"Saudi Girls Revolution" is slated for release on the Apple Inc. and Google Inc. app stores sometime later this year. It will be free to download and paired with a digital comic book that tells the back stories of the eight heroines.

An early rendering of a bike being considered for 'Saudi Girls Revolution,' which is still under development and slated for release later this year.   Photo:  NA3M

"I wanted to engage the Saudi community…to allow them to be comfortable and familiar and used to these types of visuals," Prince Fahad says. He says he anticipates some backlash in Saudi Arabia over the driving theme, but not from his immediate family because he was raised by strong, independent women.
Videogames that touch on politics, religion and social issues aren't new. The Sims allowed players to create gay characters since the first game in the life-simulation series was published in 2000. The annual Christian Game Developers Conference promotes games made "specifically to glorify God." And in the 2014 mobile game "Kim Jong Jetpack," players take on the role of the North Korean leader and try to save the world from an invasion of evil unicorn pigs, or "unipigs."
But few, if any, videogames can boast developer credentials linked to royalty. "It makes a huge statement," says Asi Burak, president of Games for Change, a nonprofit that focuses on inspiring social change through videogames. Prince Fahad spoke at the group's New York gathering in April.
"You have someone [who's] part of the establishment in a huge Arab country…starting a game company to deal with Arab culture and Arab themes," Mr. Burak says. "It's edgy."
Write to Sarah E. Needleman at firstname.lastname@example.com

KHChttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-21733752253106752502015-05-07T17:15:00.000-07:002015-05-07T17:15:19.871-07:00Banned from driving, Saudi women turn to Uber and other ride-share appsArticle from the May 7, 2015 Los Angeles Times by Alexandra Zavis, who is reporting from Riyadh. The story is pasted below and a link to the story is here.

When Hala Radwan returned to Saudi Arabia after obtaining a business degree in France, she was eager to put her new skills to use.
She found a job in the marketing department of a big international company. There was just one problem: How would she get to and from work in the only country that does not allow women to drive?
The mass transit options are notoriously poor. The cost of hiring a chauffeur was prohibitive. And she didn't want to deal with the negative comments she would face if she tried to hail a cab in the conservative kingdom, where a woman using public transportation on her own is often seen as lacking morals.
"It was a nightmare," she said.
Friends tipped her off to a solution: Uber and a regional competitor called Careem.
Smartphone-based ride services are becoming increasingly popular in Saudi Arabia's major cities, especially among the large number of tech-savvy young people. Customers include foreign businessmen who don't want to deal with the country's sometimes chaotic taxi system. But more than 80% of individual users are women, the app companies say.
The apps have increased the mobility of and given a measure of independence to women who would otherwise have to rely on a male relative to ferry them around in the country which enforces a strict form of Islam. But with prices starting at about $5 a ride, even proponents concede it is not a solution for the poor.
Radwan, 29, spends nearly $700 a month on rides from Careem, with which she has a standing order to get to and from work.
The cost is slightly higher than for a taxi, but she finds the apps safer and more reliable. Both Uber and Careem use GPS technology to track their cars. With a few taps, she can see who will be driving her, the type of vehicle he uses and his customer ratings.
Better still, no one can tell she isn't using a private car.
At least four ride-booking apps are available for download in Saudi Arabia, with more launches said to be in the works. The technology is the same as that used in the U.S. or Europe, but there are some notable differences in approach.
None of the companies work with drivers who use their personal cars to convey passengers at a fraction of the cost of a taxi or limousine service, a practice that has stirred conflict with transportation operators and regulators elsewhere. In Saudi Arabia, they say, they get their cars and drivers from licensed companies and charge comparable rates.
"We recognize that disruption is not the right model for this market," said Careem's founder, Mudassir Sheikha. "We're trying to be good citizens and stay within the rules and offer a better quality of service."
 His company, which is headquartered in the United Arab Emirate of Dubai, was one of the first to enter the Saudi market in summer 2013. It now has nearly 100,000 users in the kingdom, a figure growing at about 40% per month, he said.
The service is available in five cities, including the capital, Riyadh, and the commercial hub of Jidda. Other options include the cab-hailing apps Easy Taxi and Mondo Taxi.
San Francisco-based Uber, which operates in more than 300 cities in 56 countries around the world, entered the fray a year ago. In that time, the number of users has increased twentyfold, one of the fastest growth rates in the Middle East or Europe, said Majed Abukhater, who serves as the company's regional general manager.
"A lot of Saudis have used Uber globally and were really excited to see it launched here," he said. Limo and car rental companies also like the arrangement because they are getting more business, he said.
Late last year, the transportation committee of the Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry said it was looking into the operations of several apps, which it accused of using drivers who were not authorized to carry customers in the kingdom – charges denied by Uber and Careem.
The companies say the response from government officials has been mostly positive. There were challenges getting started, however.
Many drivers needed training to provide the premium service touted by the apps. They weren't used to opening doors for their passengers or helping them with luggage. Their cars weren't well maintained, and punctuality was a problem.
"Drivers were not even wearing proper uniforms. They were wearing slippers," Sheikha said. "So we ended up having to buy them uniforms. ... Then we had to start putting incentives in place for them to wear those uniforms."
Although many Saudis own smartphones, credit card use is low. So Careem introduced a cash payment option. The company also operates a 24-hour call center, a reassuring feature for customers who may not be used to doing all their transactions online.
Customers say they appreciate the more professional and reliable service. There are few other transportation options, especially for women. Riyadh is building a metro system, but it is years from completion. Buses operate on limited routes and are mostly used by men.
"There are some [women] that take five to 10 trips with us every day," Sheikha said. "We don't see that kind of traffic anywhere."
There is no law prohibiting women from driving in Saudi Arabia, but there are fatwas, or religious edicts issued by conservative Muslim clerics. As a result, the government won't grant women licenses.
 The effective ban, which is not enforced in other Muslim countries, is a product of the rigid segregation of the sexes in Saudi Arabia. Concerns have been raised here that allowing women to drive could put them into contact with male traffic officers, or in the case of an accident, male medics. One cleric even suggested that driving could harm a woman's ovaries, a suggestion ridiculed by many Saudis on social media.
Female activists who have defied the ban, posting images of themselves behind the wheel on social media, have in some cases been arrested. Two women who were detained at the border when one of them attempted to drive from the United Arab Emirates into Saudi Arabia spent more than 70 days in custody before they were released in February.
Families with means will hire a chauffeur to take female members to work, to school, out shopping or to friends' houses. But even that option has limitations.
"I have a driver, but sometimes he is too busy bringing my sisters from school," said Gamar al-Douh, 24, who comes from a family of three girls with no brothers to help with the driving. "If I don't have someone to take me, I use Uber."
Radwan and her husband considered a chauffeur, but decided against it. The couple got married two years ago and are trying to save money to buy a house and raise a family.
 Monthly salaries for a driver start around $400, but can be twice as high if the person is experienced and pays for his own accommodation.
Few Saudis are willing to do the work, so families typically face the additional expense of sponsoring a foreign driver for a work permit. Obtaining the visa and other documentation can cost between $4,000 and $7,000, Radwan said.
Even if the couple could afford a chauffeur, she doesn't know where they would put him. They live in an apartment building in Jeddah that does not have rooms available for servants.
 Her husband could give her a lift to work, but that would take him considerably out of his way.
Radwan used taxis while living abroad but avoids them in Saudi Arabia. Many cars are old and dirty, she said. In most cases, the meters don't work, leaving passengers to haggle over the fare.
She and her friends used to be constantly swapping phone numbers for good drivers, but she said they weren't always available.
"If you can't find a driver, you have to wait for your husband. If not your husband, then your brother. And you know sometimes everyone is just so busy that going from point A to point B is really difficult," she said. "You can't even walk because [often] there's no sidewalk, so you're afraid of getting hit by a car."
Now, the conversation with her friends has changed. If one of them needs a driver, they tell her, "Why don't you take Uber or Careem?"
Follow @alexzavis on Twitter
 Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles TimesKHChttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-18711011750943133952015-02-26T16:54:00.000-08:002015-02-26T16:54:03.295-08:00How can we lift the ban on women driving in Saudi Arabia?Opinion piece by Neaz Rooqaf printed in the English daily, the Saudi Gazette, on February 27, 2015. You can link to the story here, and the text is pasted down below.

Like all progress in our conservative society, if women are ever going to be permitted to drive in the Kingdom, we must focus on modest steps to satisfy those on all sides of the debate.

In no realistic version of the future will women suddenly start driving the next day, even if a law is passed that allows them to do so. Progressing to that point will require the establishment of a framework and a process of several stages:

Stage 1: Establishing a framework

Driving schools will be set up for women, where licenses will be provided with the permission of the woman's male guardian.

A police training academy will be established for female police officers who will monitor traffic violations and be called to scenes of accidents involving women drivers. In addition, ambulances called to the scenes of an accident must have both male and female paramedics.

Stage 2: Easing into it

Once the framework is set up, it will be time to test it. But like the implementation of all new programs, it will start with a limited "soft launch".

Women in this stage will be permitted to drive; however, only in the presence of a male guardian. Due to the framework requirements, this will be rolled out city by city; for example, Jeddah or Riyadh to begin with.

 There will also be restrictions on the time that women can drive, say between 5:30 a.m. and 9 p.m., because of the relatively small number of female police that will at that time be in the police force. However, there will be an exemption for medical or other emergencies. This stage will ensure that all the initial problems with the roll out are resolved and that the results are satisfactory.

Stage 3: More cities involved in the roll out

This stage will involve removing the requirement that a male guardian be present when a woman is driving. Timings can be restricted to between 5:30 a.m. and 9 p.m., based once again on the availability of female police officers, although by now the number of such officers should have increased. There will now be many cities involved in the roll out of the program, although women will not be permitted to drive between cities.

Stage 4: The final stage

The final stage will go into effect when all major cities have set up the framework for women driving and have satisfactorily completed the previous stages and have a sizable female police force. After this has been accomplished, the timing restrictions can be lifted.

 There are a number of different ways to allow women to drive in Saudi Arabia while satisfying all of those who are for and against them doing so. No matter what route we take to get there, I believe that if we work together we can.

Neaz Rooqaf

KHChttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-29893167590134254892015-02-15T08:10:00.001-08:002015-02-15T08:10:04.172-08:00What is the relation between Saudi women driving and rape?!This opinion piece appeared in the Saudi English language daily, The Saudi Gazette on February 15, 2015. The writer is Faisal J. Abbas, Editor in Chief of al-Arabiyah English. You can link to the story here, or read it below.

Faisal J. Abbas

Media outlets should always remember that they have a responsibility to inform the public and as such must always strive to adhere to the highest possible standards of professionalism and journalistic ethics.

Many might find it strange that one has to repeat what is - without doubt - the very soul and essential cornerstone of our profession.

However, when reputable Arab television channels are being used as a platform for the ideas of people like Saudi historian Saleh Al-Sadoon, one wonders whether our job is to inform, stimulate minds and raise questions or simply to serve as meaningless, yet somewhat entertaining, optical chewing gum for the masses.

If you haven't heard yet, Mr. Sadoon recently raised a few eyebrows when he appeared on Rotana Khalijia TV and defended Saudi Arabia's much-disputed ban on women driving by saying that it was meant to protect women from rape in case their cars break down.

When the show's female presenter pointed out that women drive in the US, Europe and the Arab world, he replied: "They don't care if they are raped on the roadside, but we do."

Mr. Sadoon also added that he was concerned by the idea that some women may be raped by their male chauffeurs, but proposed a solution to that potential problem. "The solution is to bring in female foreign chauffeurs to drive our wives," he suggested, at which point the presenter couldn't prevent herself from laughing.

Existing preposterous views

Of course, nobody is suggesting that this Saudi historian should not have the right to say what he wishes; clearly, such preposterous views do exist among ultra-conservatives in the Kingdom and there is no point in hiding or being shy about this fact.

However, we can't keep throwing stones at Western media for exclusively giving airtime and column inches to radical Muslims - given that we believe Islam shouldn't be solely represented by the likes of hate cleric Abu Hamza just because a newspaper wants to sell more copies - only for us to make the same mistake in our own backyard.

Yes, the Rotana Khalijia TV presenter had every right to laugh, as Mr. Sadoon's opinion certainly can't be taken seriously. However, it is no longer a laughing matter when tens of newspapers and TV channels around the world are now reporting this story, which may lead to more misunderstanding of our religion, culture and conflicting views within Saudi society.

No counterargument

My issue with the whole matter is that there was no counterargument. Yes, the TV host did put Mr. Sadoon under the spotlight and appeared to be ridiculing him on air, but there should have been another historian, female Shoura Council member, advocate or any other party who could have demonstrated that not all Saudis, Arabs or Muslims share such views.

For the record, this same TV channel did a brilliant job two years ago when they brought on a medical doctor to challenge a Saudi cleric who infamously said that driving can damage women's ovaries.

Obviously, it didn't take much for the doctor to win the argument. However, as one would expect, very little has been reported about this discussion while clerics with radical points of view continue to generate headlines globally.

As for the ban on women driving, like the issue with cinema in Saudi Arabia, I don't think a clear explanation exists as to why there is a de facto, unjustified ban on both. However, the debate continues within society, local media, government and the Shoura Council.

Now, you may wonder what drives a supposedly educated historian or a member of the clergy to make outrageous presuppositions against women driving. The answer lies in Abdulrahman Al-Rashed's must-read Al-Arabiya column "Poor education, the mother of all problems!"

Faisal J. Abbas is the Editor-in-Chief of Al-Arabiya English. Follow him on Twitter: @FaisalJAbbas
KHChttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-30499520234243654592015-02-12T16:53:00.000-08:002015-02-12T16:53:01.124-08:00Saudi women's rights campaigners 'freed from prison'The western media are picking up reports that two Saudi women who were jailed for driving, have been released from prison. This story from AFP was posted on the UK's Daily Mail site on February 12, 2015. A link to the site is here, and the text is pasted below. This is just a preliminary report - to confirm rumors of their release.

Two Saudi women's rights activists, one of whom tried to defy a ban on female driving, have been freed after more than two months in jail, a campaigner said on Friday.

"Yes, Loujain is free," said the campaigner who spoke with Loujain Hathloul after she left prison.

Hathloul "just said that she's released and she's happy," said the activist, who did not give a name.

Maysaa Alamoudi, detained at the same time as Hathloul, has also been let out of jail, her family confirmed, according to the activist who spoke with AFP.

"Peace be upon you, good people," Hathloul tweeted late on Thursday.

She and Alamoudi had been held since December 1, after Hathloul tried to drive into the kingdom from neighbouring United Arab Emirates in defiance of the ban.

Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world which does not allow women to drive.

Alamoudi, a UAE-based Saudi journalist, arrived at the border to support Hathloul and was also arrested.

In December, activists said a court in Eastern Province had transferred the two women to a special tribunal for "terrorism" cases.

At the time, campaigners did not provide full details of the allegations against the pair but said investigations appeared to focus on the women's social media activities rather than the driving.

The activist who spoke to AFP on Friday did not know whether the two women were facing charges or what conditions were placed on their release.

Hathloul has 232,000 followers on Twitter. Before her arrest she tweeted, sometimes with humour, details of the 24 hours she spent waiting to cross into Saudi Arabia after border officers stopped her.

Alamoudi has 136,000 followers and has also hosted a programme on YouTube discussing the driving ban.KHChttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-10209056115733400922015-02-11T07:31:00.000-08:002015-02-11T07:31:12.909-08:00Saudi Historian Says U.S. Women Drive Because They Don't Care If They're RapedThis TV interview has been shown an written about widely in the Arab world and the west. Here is the take of Huffington Post by Ed Mazza on 2/10/15. A link to the story is here, and the text is below the video clip of the show that appeared on 1/31/15. The video has subtitles.

A Saudi Arabian historian trying to justify the nation's ban on female drivers says women who drive in other countries such as the United States don't care if they're raped and that sexual violence "is no big deal to them."
Saleh al-Saadoon claimed in a recent TV interview that women can be raped when a car breaks down, but unlike other countries, Saudi Arabia protects its women from that risk by not allowing them to drive in the first place, according to a translation posted online by the Middle East Media Research Institute.
"They don't care if they are raped on the roadside, but we do," al-Saadoon said on Saudi Rotana Khalijiyya TV.
"Hold on. Who told you they don't care about getting raped on the roadside?" asked the host, a woman who is not named in the transcript.
"It's no big deal for them beyond the damage to their morale," al-Saadoon replied. "In our case, however, the problem is of a social and religious nature."
Two other guests on the show -- a man and a woman -- appeared to be in shock over his comments. Al-Saadoon said they were out of touch.
"They should listen to me and get used to what society thinks," al-Saadoon said.
Since the rape argument didn't seem to be convincing anyone, al-Saadoon tried another approach, claiming that women are treated "like queens" in Saudi Arabia because they are driven around by the men of the family and male chauffeurs. That led the host to ask if he wasn't afraid that women might be raped by their chauffeurs.
Al-Saadoon agreed.
"There is a solution, but the government officials and the clerics refuse to hear of it," he said. "The solution is to bring in female foreign chauffeurs to drive our wives."
That caused the female host to laugh and cover her face with her palm.
"Female foreign chauffeurs?" she said. "Seriously?"
Saudi women face serious penalties if they are caught driving, including lashing. Two women who defied the ban on driving last year, Loujain al-Hathloul and Maysa al-Amoudi, are being tried in a court that handles terror cases.KHChttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-21245337787984318832014-12-25T21:27:00.000-08:002014-12-25T21:27:09.642-08:00Two women referred to 'terror' court for driving in Saudi Arabia On Thursday, December 25, 2014 this story appeared in the Guardian via the AP in Dubai. A link to the story is here, and the text is pasted below.

Loujain al-Hathloul, 25, and Maysa al-Amoudi, 33, thought first female drivers to be referred to specialised court in Riyadh

This image, released by Loujain al-Hathloul, shows her driving towards the United Arab Emirates - Saudi Arabia border before her arrest on 1 December. Photograph: Loujain Al-Hathloul/AP

Two Saudi women detained for nearly a month for defying a ban on females driving were referred to a court established to try terrorism cases on Thursday, according to friends of the defendants.
 Activists said it was the first time female drivers have been referred to the specialised criminal court in Riyadh, and that their detention is the longest of female drivers in Saudi history.
 Four people close to Loujain al-Hathloul, 25, and Maysa al-Amoudi, 33, said they are not being charged for defying the driving ban but for voicing opinions online. They declined to elaborate on the specific charges because of the sensitivity of the case and anonymously for fear of government reprisal.
 They told the Associated Press the women's defence lawyers had appealed against the judge's decision to transfer their cases to the court, which was established to try terrorism cases but has also been used to try peaceful dissidents and activists. An appeals court in Dammam, the capital of Eastern Province, is expected to rule on the referral in the coming days, they said.
 Human Rights Watch recently said Saudi authorities are expanding a crackdown on people who criticise the government online. It said judges and prosecutors are using a 2007 anti-cybercrime law to charge Saudi citizens for peaceful tweets and social media comments."
 At the time of their arrest, Hathloul and Amoudi had a combined Twitter following of more than 355,000. They were vocal supporters of a grassroots campaign launched last year to oppose the ban on women driving.
 In 1990, 50 women were arrested for driving. They had their passports confiscated and lost their jobs. In 2011 a woman was sentenced to 10 lashes for driving, though the king overturned the sentence.

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Supporters of the driving campaign delivered a petition to the royal court this month asking King Abdullah to pardon the two women.
 Organisers of the campaign, which began in October 2013, say the ban on women driving underpins wider issues that give men powerful sway over women's lives. An activist said the ban is also part of "a wider effort to quash any chances of raising the ceiling on civil liberties" in Saudi Arabia.
 Though no laws ban women from driving in Saudi Arabia, authorities do not issue them licences and ultra-conservative Saudi clerics have issued religious edicts against it. No such ban exists anywhere else in the world, even in other conservative Gulf countries.
 Thursday's brief court session was the second time the women appeared before the judge in the eastern al-Ahsa region, where they have been detained after driving to Saudi Arabia from the United Arab Emirates.
 Hathloul was stopped by border guards and her passport was confiscated for more than 24 hours when she attempted to cross the border on 30 November with a UAE driver's licence in an act of defiance.
 Amoudi, a UAE-based Saudi journalist, was stopped when she went to deliver food and a blanket to Hathloul at the border, activists and relatives say. They were formally arrested on 1 December.
 There has been no official Saudi comment on the arrests.
 Hathloul is in a correctional facility for juveniles and Amoudi is in a prison. Relatives say they have been allowed to see them for short supervised visits.

KHChttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-88214762688423318922014-12-18T13:34:00.000-08:002014-12-18T13:34:07.581-08:00Saudi open to debating the ban on women drivers, says Shoura Council leaderDecember 17, 2014 - The Saudi English language daily, the Arab News, issued the following. A link to the story is here,  and the text is below.

The Shoura Council will discuss the issue of women's driving but this must take place within its rules and regulations, the head of the consultative legislative body said recently.

Sheikh Abdullah Al-Asheikh said the council is not avoiding the issue but "it is important that the discussion occurs within regulations and according to specific mechanisms."

He said the council did not reprimand three members recently who spoke to the media after it refused to discuss the women's driving issue. He said the council had merely pointed out that the proposal did not comply with regulations.

He said the council is currently looking to boost its online presence by developing its website and opening accounts on YouTube and Twitter. Over the past 20 years, the Council of Ministers has issued more than 900 decisions based on the recommendations of the Shoura Council, he said.

In a recent interview, Al-Asheikh said the council would discuss all topics that fall within its powers and functions, including general development and economic plans, social plans, annual performance reports, rules and regulations, international treaties, and other national priorities.

In response to a question about how the council operates with 30 women members, Al-Asheikh said: "The council has welcomed the historic decision by King Abdullah to appoint Saudi women to one of the most important national decision-making bodies because he saw the need to broaden participation."KHChttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-46443939896285062842014-12-07T16:36:00.002-08:002014-12-07T16:38:02.712-08:00Saudi Arabia extends detention of women arrested for driving, relative saysAva Batrawy reports for AP on the two Saudi women held for driving illegally. A link to the story is here, text below.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Two Saudi women detained nearly a week ago for violating the kingdom's female driving ban were ordered held for 25 more days on Sunday, a relative said.
The women, who were arrested Dec. 1 after driving into Saudi Arabia from the United Arab Emirates, are supporters of a grassroots campaign launched last year to oppose the ban. The two women have a combined Twitter following of more than 355,000.

Organizers behind the Oct. 26 campaign say the ban on women driving underpins wider issues regarding guardianship laws in Saudi Arabia that give men powerful sway over women's lives.
Loujain al-Hathloul, 25, set out to defy the kingdom's ban on women driving by crossing into her country from the UAE.

Organizers behind the Oct. 26 campaign say the ban on women driving underpins wider issues regarding guardianship laws in Saudi Arabia that give men powerful sway over women's lives.
Loujain al-Hathloul, 25, set out to defy the kingdom's ban on women driving by crossing into her country from the UAE.

The kingdom's hardline interpretation of Islam holds that allowing women to drive encourages licentiousness. No such ban exists in the rest of the Muslim world, including Saudi Arabia's conservative Gulf neighbors.

In a video uploaded to YouTube Nov. 30, al-Hathloul filmed herself driving toward the Saudi border in what she said was "an effort to sustain the campaign for women's driving."

"She wanted to highlight the absurdity" of not being allowed to drive into her own country, an activist said on condition of anonymity for fear of government reprisal.

Saudi border guards confiscated al-Hathloul's passport and kept her at the border for nearly 24 hours.
Maysa al-Amoudi, 33, arrived the next day to deliver food, water and a blanket to al-Hathloul, Maysa's sister Hannah al-Amoudi said.

Human Rights Watch said both women were then detained apparently for driving, though it is not clear if they will face criminal charges.

Hannah said authorities notified the family on Sunday that they were extending her sister's detention for another 25 days. They did not provide the legal reasons for holding her.

Al-Hathloul is in a correctional facility for juveniles, and al-Amoudi is in a prison. The women have been interrogated without the presence of an attorney, but were allowed to see relatives and speak to relatives on the phone.

There was no official Saudi comment on the arrests.

In October, Saudi Arabian women got behind the wheel to protest the country's ban on female drivers; the demonstrations marked the one-year anniversary of last year's campaign, which encouraged women to drive, then share video and photo proof online.

Last month, the Saudi king's advisory council recommended that the government lift its ban on female drivers. Under the recommendations, only women over 30 would be allowed to drive, and they would still need permission from a male relative. Women would also have to be off the road by 8 p.m., and would be prohibited from wearing makeup while driving.
Additional reporting by Mashable

KHChttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-55735555880957022162014-12-03T19:24:00.000-08:002014-12-03T19:24:36.285-08:00#BBCtrending: Saudi woman driving blog 'arrest'

 Illustration of Lujain Al-Hathloul by Mohammad Sharaf

Mai Noman of BBCtrending reports on December 3, 2014: link here, story pasted below.

The name of a woman who live-tweeted her attempt to drive across the Saudi Arabian border has become an international trend, as rumours of her arrest circulate online.
 On 30 November Saudi activist, Lujain Al-Hathlool, filmed herself driving in the United Arab Emirates with the intention of crossing the border back to her home country as a part of the ongoing '26 October' campaign, which challenges the Saudi ban on female drivers. The video has had over 800,000 views and over 3,000 comments on YouTube.
 Al-Hathlool also documented her journey on Twitter, saying "follow me to find out what will happen at the border". Arriving at the border with Saudi Arabia, she live-tweeted the moment when she was stopped by a Saudi customs officer at the border. Straightaway, Al-Hathlool's name in Arabic became an international social trend.
 She tweeted that officials had taken aside, and were making phone call after phone call. Hours went by. Her friend and UAE-based Saudi journalist Maysaa Al-Amoudi, drove to the border from Dubai to bring her supplies.
 "Twenty-four hours spent on the border of Saudi," Al-Hathlool tweeted to her 233,000 followers on 2 December. "They won't give me back my passport and they won't let me pass through and no word from the Ministry of Interior. Complete silence from all the officials".
 Since then, her timeline has been silent.
 An Arabic hashtag that translates to "Lujain Al-Hathlool arrested" has been tweeted nearly 500,000 times, although BBC Trending was not able to confirm the arrest with the Saudi authorities.

But a statement by Human Rights Watch says activists have told the organisation that both Al-Hathlool and Al-Amoudi have been detained and it is calling on the Saudi authorities to release the two women. Al-Hathlool's husband and family have not been able to reach her either, Saudi blogger Abdullah Al Dayhailan told BBC Trending.
 The campaign calling for Saudi women's right to drive has gathered global support, but the topic remains a contentious issue inside the kingdom and the online debate is just as divided.
 Many of those who oppose female drivers saw that Al-Hathlool's action showed contempt for state authority and disrespect towards Saudi culture. "Regardless of what we think of women driving, what Lujain is doing is like child's play, she did not respect her society or her customs" one Saudi man tweeted.
 "She knew darn well that by breaking the rules she would face some consequences," another man commented.
 But some Saudi men have expressed support for Al-Hathlool and women's right to drive. "Lujain is on the border not because she has drugs in her handbag or because she's carrying a bomb but, no it's more dangerous than that…she's driving a car," tweeted one, with a sense of irony.
 Others who have joined the debate suggested that Al-Hathlool is not actually breaking the law because she is driving with an Emarati licence that allows drivers to drive in any Gulf Cooperation Council country, including Saudi Arabia.
 Although there is no clear law in Saudi Arabia which bans women from driving, Al-Hathlool's legal standing is uncertain, says blogger Al Dayhailan.
 "Although a religious fatwa is not legally-binding, it is still treated as such" he said.
 Reporting by Mai NomanKHChttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-22989764674467993082014-12-03T19:19:00.000-08:002014-12-03T19:19:00.392-08:00Saudi woman defies driving ban to support activistTuesday, Dec 02, 2014 - printed in Gulf News - link to the story here. Manama: A Saudi woman has posted a video clip of her driving a car in the capital Riyadh on Monday evening in support of an activist who was questioned for insisting on driving into the kingdom in defiance of a ban. "I am driving my car for the second time in support of Loujain Hathloul and her friend Maysaa Al Amoudi," the woman who introduced herself as Umm Abdul Mohsen, said.
"They are detained over a ridiculous accusation and they cannot enter their country using their own cars. There is no law that bans them from entering their country," she said in the short clip posted on social networks.

Loujain was questioned by the Saudi police at the border point with the UAE after she insisted on driving into the kingdom.The activist argued that she had a valid UAE driving licence that allowed her to drive in any of the six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

 The GCC, formed in 1981, comprises Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE.No legal text in Saudi Arabia bans women from driving, and women drivers are apprehended for driving without valid licences.
Loujain sought to use her UAE licence to bypass the ban and turned her attempt to drive through the borders and into Saudi Arabia into an international media affair by tweeting regularly about its progress and about how she was blocked at the entry point.
"They cannot ban me from entering even if they think that I am breaking the law because I am a Saudi citizen," she tweeted. "Besides, my licence is valid in all GCC countries in accordance with the agreement."
 Maysaa, a UAE-based Saudi journalist, presenter and producer, joined her at the border and provided her with supplies to help her through the wait.
"I am now at the crossing point and the border customs want my ID. They refuse to let me in, but I came here to support Loujain and I did not insist on entering [Saudi Arabia]," she tweeted.
Umm Abdul Mohsen's video clip and Loujain's much publicised attempt have expectedly divided Saudi social media users over the merit of women allowed to drive in the kingdom.
The online debate has been going on for years with both camps holding on to their views and using a wide spectrum of religious, social and economic arguments to consolidate their attitudes.
 By Habib Toumi Bureau Chief
 Gulf News 2014. All rights reserved.

KHChttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-19040059242710825422014-12-02T18:03:00.001-08:002014-12-02T18:03:21.484-08:00Saudi Arabia woman arrested at border for defying drive ban: activistsABC News picked up this story from AFP. A link to the story is here and the text is below.
The story is dated December 1 2014.

A Saudi Arabian woman who tried to drive into the kingdom in defiance of a ban has been arrested after being blocked at the United Arab Emirates border, activists say.

Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that does not allow women to drive.
"I have been at the Saudi border for 24 hours. They don't want to give me my passport nor will they let me pass," Loujain Hathloul said in a Tweet.
Activists said she was arrested at the border with the UAE on Monday afternoon, but the interior ministry could not immediately comment on her case.
Another woman, UAE-based Saudi journalist Maysaa Alamoudi, who went to support her, was also arrested, an activist said.
"They transferred her and Maysaa... to the bureau of investigation" at a Saudi police station, said the activist who asked for anonymity.
Neither of the women answered phone calls from AFP.
Activists said border officers blocked Ms Hathloul because she was driving, and asked her to wait until they received "orders from their superiors".

If someone brings me a horse or a camel to the border, maybe then I'll be allowed to pass. - Loujain Hathloul

"The customs [department] have no right to prevent me from entering even if in their opinion I am 'a violator' because I am Saudi," Ms Hathloul tweeted on Monday morning.
She said her driving licence "is valid in all GCC countries", a reference to the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council which includes Saudi Arabia.
Ms Hathloul also posted details about her long confinement in her car.
Six hours into her wait she had said she was "optimistic", and joked: "If someone brings me a horse or a camel to the border, maybe then I'll be allowed to pass."
An activist who spoke to AFP said Ms Hathloul was trying to make a point in her unusual attempt to drive through the border.
"She knew that they wouldn't let her pass," the activist said.
In October, dozens of women drove in the kingdom and posted images of themselves doing so as part of an online campaign supporting the right to drive.
In response, the interior ministry said it would "strictly implement" measures against anyone undermining "the social cohesion".
Women drivers have previously been arrested and cars have been confiscated, according to activists.
They said women's driving is not actually illegal, and the ban was linked to tradition and custom in the Islamic nation.
AFPKHChttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-50629432538136205812014-11-24T08:01:00.004-08:002014-11-24T08:01:41.834-08:00Expat drivers harass our womenOpinion piece about the issue of male drivers harrassing the women they are driving around in Saudi Arabia. It was originally printed in Al-Sharq al-Aswat but appeared in the English language daily the Saudi Gazette on November 24, 2014. Here is a link to the story and the text is below.

LOCAL VIEWPOINT

 Saud Al-Fawzan
Alsharq

 UNFORTUNATELY, every week we read a new story about an expatriate driver who has harassed one of our fellow female citizens. This includes private and taxi drivers.

These incidents find their way to the social media, thanks to those who want to smudge the reputation of our beloved Kingdom. Should I blame the driver who has come to us from the deepest reaches of Asia or should I blame those who prevent our fellow female citizens from driving because they think it is an action that might lead to further sins?

Ironically, those who oppose women driving are the ones who are in dire need of a decision that would allow female motorists to get behind the wheel.

Some detractors remind me of a story that took place in 1880 in the United States when an indigenous man asked his chief about the time the civilization of Native Americans would collapse. The chief told him this, "When you see the white man's wagon pass by you."

Some of the critics think along these lines. They think the concept of women driving is not suitable for our society.

I do not see any good ways to prevent harassment by those arriving from abroad. No matter how severe the punishment is, the problem of harassment won't go away.

Regrettably, we either overlook or ignore the fact that those drivers are illiterate. However, if drivers are truly indispensable, we should not trust them with our women and daughters.

Why? Because incidents of harassment involving these drivers are on increase. A newspaper recently published a story of a young woman who jumped out of the car while traveling on road because the Asian driver harassed her. What should we expect tomorrow from such drivers?

The only way to curtail such crimes is to admit there are crimes of this type in our society. We should recognize the problem and try to find suitable solutions although the evident solution is lying before our eyes — allowing women to drive.

I do not think such a solution is impossible to apply, for we have applied solutions before for more complex issues than women driving.

KHChttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-17507360037587209222014-11-24T07:57:00.000-08:002014-11-24T07:57:17.061-08:00Princess Ameerah Interview with MailOnline about Saudi Women Driving
This appeared on 11/24/14 in the Mailonline. A link to the story is here.

Story pasted below.

Princess Ameerah, the former wife of a multi-billionaire Saudi Arabian royal has vowed to fight to win the basic right for women in the kingdom to drive a car, telling MailOnline that it 'can happen overnight'.

As a princess with a wo

EXCLUSIVE - From a £20bn divorce to steering change in Saudi Arabia: The glamorous princess leading the battle against kingdom's female driving ban (and why she loves to get behind wheel of her Mini Cooper)

Ameerah, 31, who divorced £20bn Prince Alwaleed bin Talal last year spoke to MailOnline about her campaign to emancipate women

Hopes ban will be lifted in very near future 'with a little bit more pressure'

Enjoys driving a £15,000 Mini Cooper when in Europe and America

Desert kingdom forbids women driving and it has been reported that one woman was given 150 lashes for getting behind the wheel recently

Campaign of defiance has seen women uploading videos of them in cars

By Nabila Ramdani In Abu Dhabi For Mailonline

 Published: 09:02 EST, 24 November 2014  |  Updated: 09:09 EST, 24 November 2014

Princess Ameerah, the former wife of a multi-billionaire Saudi Arabian royal has vowed to fight to win the basic right for women in the kingdom to drive a car, telling MailOnline that it 'can happen overnight'.

As a princess with a wonderfully privileged life, she is accustomed to being driven from palace to penthouse in chauffeur-driven limousines. She used one as a guest of honour at the Westminster Abbey marriage of Prince William and the then Kate Middleton in 2011, and regularly socialised with Prince Charles.

But now a divorcee, Ameerah, 31, said in an interview that she is currently just as comfortable in her own modest £15,000 Mini Cooper which she drives when she is in Europe and America.

+8

Influence: The glamorous princess spoke to MailOnline at the 5th Abu Dhabi Media Summit in UAW lat week

Inspirational: Princess Ameerah, right, and Queen Rania of Jordan, left, are powerful drivers of change

Women in her desert kingdom cannot enjoy that simple pleasure and she is determined to see them similarly empowered.

She told MailOnline at the 5th Abu Dhabi Media Summit in the United Arab Emirates last week: 'It is my job and duty to use my power and influence to highlight these kind of issues and to try to find solutions. I am offered platforms to speak around the world, and I must use them to try to change things.'

Women have been barred from driving in Saudi Arabia since the establishment of the state in 1932 and earlier this year, a woman reportedly received 150 lashes after being caught behind the wheel.

But Ameerah is confident that – with a little bit more pressure – the government will lift the ban shortly.

She said: 'It will be a hugely important step, and it can happen overnight'.

Protests and acts of defiance against the ban have grown in recent years, with women posting videos of them behind the wheel to social media. The latest campaign day was held on October 26.

The World Economic Forum's annual report on gender rights regularly portrays Saudi Arabia as one of the worst countries for women. And the driving ban is a potent symbol of their inferior status.

Every single Saudi woman has to have a 'male guardian', typically their husband or father or brother, who has the same legal power over her as a parent has over a child.

She requires formal permission for almost all activities, including working, travelling, and sport, and depends on him financially and for housing.

Ameerah said: 'I don't believe the ban will go on indefinitely. It will be like the decree calling for 20 per cent of Parliament to be made up of women – a surprising development, but one which happened very rapidly.

'I believe that it is the generation of young people in Saudi Arabia which is going to accelerate change in the country.'

Among those 'leading the way', said Ameerah, is Prince Turki bin Abdullah Al Saud, a young royal and Governor of the Riyadh Province who is also a Leeds University PhD candidate.

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Privilege: Princess Ameerah, pictured with her former husband Prince Alwaleed bin Talal at The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's wedding, and right with Malala Yousafzai, said: 'It is my job and duty to use my power and influence to highlight these kind of issues and to try to find solutions'

Ameerah said Saudi women currently have to employ a driver, and that proves impossibly expensive for many. It can cost up to £340 a month.

Of her own driving experiences, she said: 'We still can't officially drive in the cities and towns, but I have driven in the desert many times.'

'I have an international license and drive a Mini Cooper when I am in Europe and America. I find the GPS very helpful,' Ameerah added. 'I do not drive in London or anywhere in the UK, however, because driving on the left is quite confusing.'

Ameerah said two wheels could be just as good as four too, adding: 'I ride bikes from time to time.'

But even cycling in Saudi Arabia is a pursuit that is severely restricted for women - they can only do so in so-called 'recreational areas', while dressed in full Islamic body coverings and accompanied by their male guardian.

An ultraconservative interpretation of Islam means women can only use their bikes 'for entertainment' too, rather than for work or other purposes.

I believe that it is the generation of young people in Saudi Arabia which is going to accelerate change in the country

These are just the type of restrictions which the Saudi women calling for emancipation want to see lifted.

There was good news last month when some of those taking part in a closed session of the Saudi King's advisory council apparently recommended women over 30, wearing no make-up, should be allowed to drive between 7am and 8pm.

An official spokesman for the council denied any policies were agreed, but the claims at least provided encouragement.

The kingdom is the only country in the world that forbids women from driving, but there has been a positive response to groups of female activists posting pictures and videos of them driving on social media.

This is all part of a movement which has seen women 'taking responsibility for their future' using new technology, said Ameerah.

Speaking to MailOnline about the remarkable transformation in her life, Ameerah said she was coping well from her split from Prince Alwaleed bin Talal - one of the richest men in the world.

Raised in a middle-class home in Riyadh, Ameerah famously arranged a short interview with Prince Alwaleed as part of a school journalism project when she was just 18.

Woman defies driving ban in Saudi Arabia

Defiance: Women in Saudi Arabia have begun to use social media to post videos of them driving in protest at the ban. There are reports that one women was given 150 lashes for being caught behind the wheel

'It is now time for Saudi women to drive.' Women defying ban

They were meant to talk for 10 minutes, but got on so well that the conversation lasted for two hours.

'We just clicked,' she said of the now 59-year-old royal, whose vast fortune includes assets such as the legendary George V Hotel in Paris and Plaza in Manhattan, and who is known as the 'Arabian Warren Buffett'.

Their marriage, which took place within a year, was very low-key to begin with – it was not even made public until 2009 – but Ameerah was handed the fairytale life of an Arab Princess.

But that hit the buffers last year, however, and the hugely glamorous couple divorced early in 2013.

They remain 'great friends', with Ameerah also still describing the Prince as 'my mentor'.

Ameerah, whose divorce settlement as the Prince's fourth wife remains undisclosed, has thrown herself into work – especially philanthropic causes, and her production company, Time Entertainment.

She also runs Tasamy in Saudi Arabia, a centre for people who want to volunteer for public service so as to 'make their country a better place,' said Ameerah.

She is fast becoming one of the most influential Arab women in the world, working closely with world figures including Queen Rania of Jordan, and former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

I have an international license and drive a Mini Cooper when I am in Europe and America... I do not drive in London or anywhere in the UK, however, because driving on the left is quite confusing

Activists behind the driving rights movement which started in 2011 are part of a larger protest against state oppression, but Ameerah believes the battle is being won.

She said: 'Saudi women are doing incredible things – we're making progress all the time.'

She has more than a million followers on social media sites including Twitter and Instagram, and sees the web as being hugely important for women to get their message across.

Referring to some 83 per cent of under 25s in the Middle East and North Africa who have access to the internet, Ameerah said: 'to be connected is also about being mobile, travelling, working with people globally.'

She admitted there were too many inconsistencies in Saudi Arabia, where a substantial part of Parliament is made up of women, but where men and women still have to use different doors to get into buildings.

'The web gives women equal opportunities,' she said. 'Women can set up their business online, prosper and be successful, and they can have a voice too through social media.'

Women's rights have been improving slowly since King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud came to power in August 2005.

He appointed 30 women to the Shura, his advisory council, in a historic breakthrough for Saudi society.

This sets the stage for 2015, when a new decree not only allows women to vote in municipal elections for the first time, but they will be able to run for local government office too.

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Hopes: Ameerah said: 'Saudi women are doing incredible things – we're making progress all the time'

Friends in high places: The Princess kisses Chelsea Clinton. Ameerah has been praised by leaders around the world for her efforts in promoting equal rights in Saudi Arabia and the Middle East

Ambitious economic plans have also seen increases in the number of women finding employment in the private sector and going to university.

More generally, Saudi women are being recognised as major public figures, rather than individuals who have to stay in the background.

One of Ameerah's proudest moments came in 2011, when, in the same year as Prince William's wedding, she received the 800th Anniversary Medal for Outstanding Philanthropy from Prince Philip.

She said: 'It was truly amazing to receive such an award from the Prince. I really appreciated it coming from a person who has so much experience of life. It was such an honour to speak to him.

'Both the British Royal Family and the British public are renowned for their generosity and good works.'

Chelsea Clinton, the only daughter of Bill and Hillary Clinton, has said: 'Ameerah's advocacy on behalf of Saudi women has provided a tremendous contribution to how we think about the rights of girls and women around the world.'

Ameerah said her own motto in life is: 'Throw yourself over the edge that you're always scared of. Try being independent; do it your way. You'll love it.'
KHChttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-27264180178318747302014-11-09T20:18:00.000-08:002014-11-09T20:18:02.181-08:00Shoura denies recommending women be allowed to driveThe Arab News reports on November 9, 2014 - link to the story here,
full text below.

The Shoura Council on Saturday said it has not made any recommendation to lift the ban on female drivers in the Kingdom, contrary to a foreign press report.
An Associated Press report carried by international media outlets quoted an unnamed Shoura member as saying the king's advisory council recommended that the government lift the ban, on condition that only women over 30 be allowed to drive
and they would need permission from a male relative — usually a husband or father, but lacking those, a brother or son.
"They would be allowed to drive from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday through Wednesday and noon to 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday," said the report.
"The conditions also require that a woman driver wear conservative dress and no make-up, the official said. Within cities, they can drive without a male relative in the car, but outside of cities, a male is required to be present," it said.
It added that a "female traffic department" would have to be created to deal with female drivers if their cars broke down or they encountered other problems, and to issue fines.
It supposedly recommended the female traffic officers be under the supervision of the "religious agencies."
"The council placed heavy restrictions on interactions between female drivers and male traffic officers or other male drivers, and stiff penalties for those who broke them. Merely speaking to a female driver, it said, was punishable by a one-month prison sentence and a fine," the report further said.
The Shoura can only make recommendations to the Cabinet. Nonetheless, Shoura spokesman Mohammed Al-Muhanna said the report is false and misleading as the council has not made any such decision at all.
Commenters have suggested on social media that the report may have been based on a 2008 proposal to the Shoura Council, which had not made any progress.
The AP report itself wondered why the restrictions would be different on Thursday and Friday, as the Saudi weekend was changed by royal decree in 2013 to Friday and Saturday.
Women in the Kingdom had been granted plenty of rights and privileges since Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah became King in 2005, including his appointment of 30 women to the Shoura Council.
Driving by women on the Kingdom's roads, however, had remained a contentious issue, with those against it citing various reasons, including the hazards of driving that women should not be exposed to.KHChttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-41294842583196147832014-11-07T14:02:00.001-08:002014-11-07T14:02:16.198-08:00AP Exclusive: Easing of Saudi Driving Ban Possible
Abdulla al-Shihri of AP is reporting....on November 7, 2014 - a link to the story is here, and text below.

The Saudi king's advisory council has recommended that the government lift its ban on female drivers — but only for women over 30, who must be off the road by 8 p.m. and cannot wear makeup behind the wheel, a member of the council told The Associated Press Friday.

The Shura Council's recommendations are not obligatory on the government. But simply making the recommendation was a startling shift after years of the kingdom staunchly rejecting any review of the ban.

There have been small but increasingly bold protests by women who took to their cars over the past year. The driving ban, which is unique in the world, is imposed because the kingdom's ultraconservative Muslim clerics say "licentiousness" will spread if women drive.

The council member said the Shura Council made the recommendations in a secret, closed session held in the past month. The member spoke on condition of anonymity because the recommendations had not been made public.

Under the recommendations, only women over 30 would be allowed to drive and they would need permission from a male relative — usually a husband, father or brother — to do so. They would be allowed to drive from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday through Wednesday and noon to 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, the weekend in the kingdom.

The conditions also require that a woman driver wear conservative dress and no make-up, the official said. Within cities, they can drive without a male guardian in the car, but outside of cities, a male is required to be present.

The council said a "female traffic department" will have to be created so that a woman officer would deal with female drivers if their cars broke down or faced assaults, the council member said. It recommended the female traffic officers be under the supervision of the "religious agencies."

The 150-member Shura Council is appointed by the king, drawing on various sectors of society to act as the closest thing to a parliament in the kingdom, though it has no legislative powers. King Abdullah appointed women to it for the first time, and now there are 30 women members.

The driving ban has long forced families to hire live-in drivers for women. Women who can't afford the $300 to $400 a month for a driver must rely on male relatives to drive them to work, school, shopping or the doctor.

The ban is part of the general restrictions imposed on women based on strict interpretation of Islamic Shariah law. Genders are strictly segregated, and women are required to wear a headscarf and loose, black robes in public. Guardianship laws require women to get permission from a male relative — usually husband or father, but lacking those, a brother or son — to travel, get married, enroll in higher education or undergo certain surgical procedures.
<wbr></wbr>KHChttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-48065460163790686022014-10-27T17:52:00.000-07:002014-10-28T19:32:06.034-07:00Next Step - Summit on Saudi Women Driving?After the second 'driving day' by women in Saudi Arabia, it is natural to think about next steps. If women are going to get the right to drive at some point, how will it ever happen? Women need to be able to discuss it and brainstorm.

As a small-time blogger, I offer this idea - that women from Saudi Arabia hold a summit or conference on the subject - either at a women's university or in Bahrain. At this event only women could attend so they could speak freely. That way those affected by the law could actually discuss it. Maybe the female members of the Shoura Council could speak and take ideas from the people.

Obviously no one has asked me for ideas, but it would make total sense to create an occasion and a venue where women could gather to discuss it. KHChttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-89141312823152672332014-10-27T11:53:00.000-07:002014-10-27T11:53:13.077-07:00Saudi women's driving campaign seen as 'successful'
AFP story on the driving demo day, October 26, 2014. Story filed on 10/26/14. A link to the story is here. Text below.

A Saudi woman gets into a taxi in the city of Riyadh on October 26, 2014, as a online campaign continues to call for an end to the driving ban for women in the country Photo by Fayez Nureldine

Riyadh (AFP) - Activists pushing for women's right-to-drive in Saudi Arabia declared their online campaign a success Sunday, in the world's only country where women are not allowed to operate cars.
The campaign that began last year and revved up again since the beginning of the month encouraged women to post online images of themselves driving. Dozens of women have driven and posted during the latest campaign, one activist said, although she knew of only two who hit the streets Saturday and Sunday as the campaign peaked. "
A day hasn't gone by without receiving one or two videos" of women driving, said the activist.
Men and women have also posted messages of support. More than 2,800 people have signed an online petition at www.oct26driving.com asking authorities to lift the ban on women driving.
The activist said she did not want to be named because the interior ministry has threatened her with arrest if she speaks publicly about the campaign.
Last year, activists also focused their demands on October 26, when at least four driving videos were posted on YouTube.
Sixteen or more women were fined for taking the wheel on that day.
There is a "huge risk" for female drivers, the activist said when asked why more had not posted images of themselves this year.
Women have previously been arrested, cars have been confiscated, and one received 100 lashes, she alleged. "So, women are afraid," the activist said.
She added that, apart from driving, the campaign is also about "creating a storm" over the issue.
On Thursday the interior ministry issued a warning to would-be female drivers and their supporters.
The ministry said it would "strictly implement" measures against anyone who "contributes in any manner or by any acts, towards providing violators with the opportunity to undermine the social cohesion".
That means the campaign has had an impact, the activist said. "I think it's pretty successful. If we're getting a reaction, that means we're effective."
A conservative Saudi Arabian cleric has said women who drive risk damaging their ovaries and bearing children with clinical problems, countering activists who are trying to end the Islamic kingdom's male-only driving rules.
'Half a citizen' Sahar Nasief defied the warnings and got behind the wheel anyway on Sunday.
"The roads were full of police cars... everybody was on alert," she told AFP from the Red Sea city of Jeddah after running a 15-minute errand in her car because her driver wasn't available.
The authorities' response shows the driving campaign has been "very successful," she agreed.
"Its sad that you live in a country where you feel like half a citizen, that you are a threat to national security," another driver said in a YouTube video posted on Saturday.
Dressed in black with only her eyes exposed, she said she was driving in Riyadh on the weekend. Saudi women are required to dress in black from head to toe and still need permission from a male guardian to work and marry. Activists say women's driving is not against the law.
Tradition and custom are behind the prohibition, which is not backed up by an Islamic text or judicial ruling, the online petition states. But activists said they feel the conservative society is becoming more accepting of women motorists.
"A lot of people now are for the campaign," Nasief said. Another activist, Aziza al-Yussef, said people notice that she is a woman driver and don't seem to care.
"We are just waiting for a decree from the king to allow it," she said, optimistic that a change is coming.
Hardline clerics protested when King Abdullah, in January last year, decided to give women a 20 percent quota in the previously all-male Shura Council, an advisory body.
The unnamed activist said "it's hard to say" if women are closer to the right to drive.
In the meantime activists say they will keep raising their voices, and getting behind the wheel. KHChttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-86853453334627401102014-10-26T12:36:00.000-07:002014-10-26T12:38:13.140-07:00Saudi Women Still Protesting Driving Ban on 1-Year Anniversary of CampaignThis report by Yohana Desta on Mashable, (link to the story here, - pasted below). Despite warnings to stop the protest, and despite some news reports that it was cancelled, women have been driving anyway.

Saudi Arabian women are getting behind the wheel to protest the country's ban on female drivers.
The demonstration falls on the one-year anniversary of last year's campaign, which encouraged women to drive, then share video and photo evidence online. About 60 women took to the streets in 2013.

Kicking off this year's campaign is a woman driving through Riyadh, Saudi Arabia's capital city. A video uploaded to YouTube by the Oct. 26 Saudi Women Driving Campaign shows her discussing how shameful the driving ban is toward women. In the United Arab Emirates, women can fly jets to fight the Islamic State, but she could be called a terrorist just for driving a car, the woman says in the video.

 Although there is no official traffic law preventing women from driving, the decades-long ban has deep religious roots, according to The Atlantic.

It came to a head in 2011, when a woman named Shaima Jastaina was sentenced to 10 lashes for driving a family member to the hospital. The lashings were later revoked, but Jastaina's case strengthened the resolve of campaigns such as the Saudi-based Women2Drive.

Protesters have taken to social media for Sunday's protest, sharing stories about their past driving experiences, as well as photos of themselves behind the wheel.

On Thursday, the Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry warned women not to drive during this year's protest.

"The Interior Ministry emphasizes it will firmly apply the laws against anyone who participates (in a protest by female drivers)," it said in a statement issued by state media, according to Reuters.
A petition launched by the Oct. 26 Saudi Women Driving Campaign, calling for the ban to be lifted, has attracted nearly 3,000 supporters.

KHChttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-52628732935490484692014-10-23T10:43:00.000-07:002014-10-23T10:43:37.616-07:00 Saudi Arabia warns women not to join protest against ban on drivingThis report in from Reuters on October 23, 2014. A link to the story is here, text below.

A woman drives a car in Saudi Arabia October 22, 2013.

Credit: Reuters/Faisal Al Nasser

(Reuters) - Saudi Arabia's Interior Ministry on Thursday issued a warning to women not to get behind the wheel in defiance of the kingdom's men-only road rules after a renewed social media campaign to challenge the law by driving in public.

The announcement comes ahead of the anniversary on Oct. 26 of a demonstration last year in which dozens of Saudi women said they had taken to the road in protest at the ban on female drivers, leading to some arrests.

In recent weeks, campaigners have been pushing on social media for women to drive themselves and post pictures or films online, as they did in the run-up to last year's protest.

"The Interior Ministry emphasizes it will firmly apply the laws against anyone who participates (in a protest by female drivers)," the ministry said a statement carried by state media.

Any such attempt by women to drive in public in breach of the law was "an opportunity for predators to undermine social cohesion", the ministry said.

Since the 2011 Arab uprisings and subsequent regional turmoil, Riyadh has taken a zero tolerance approach to all attempts at protest or dissent in the kingdom, including by liberal rights activists, Islamists and members of the Shi'ite Muslim minority.

The conservative Islamic kingdom is the only country in the world to stop women driving, although a growing number of public figures in the country have publicly pushed for the rule to be overturned.
Some leading members of the country's powerful Sunni Muslim clergy have argued against women being allowed to drive, which they say could lead to them mingling with unrelated men, thereby breaching strict gender segregation rules.

In Saudi Arabia, a top Arab ally of the United States, women are legally subject to a male guardian, who must give approval to basic decisions they make in fields including education, employment, marriage, travel plans and even medical treatment.

Under King Abdullah, who has ruled since 2005, the position of women has gradually improved in the face of opposition from conservatives.

He has pushed for women to have more opportunities in education and employment, and has appointed some to the Shoura Council which advises the government on policy.
 (Reporting By Angus McDowall; Editing by Raissa Kasolowsky)KHChttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-74077299810139399582014-10-21T17:33:00.003-07:002014-10-21T17:33:39.543-07:0087.2 percent of Saudi families have driversThe English language daily, The Arab News reports on a recent survey of Saudi households. A link to the article is here, and the text of the story is below.

 A recent survey conducted by the Public Opinion Survey Unit in King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue found that 66.7 percent of the 1,000 participants from the Kingdom had house-maids.
The survey also found that 87.2 percent of the Saudi families participating in the polls said that they had private chauffeurs.

In another focus issue of the survey, it was revealed that Sudanese labor ranked last on the list of foreign workers preferred by Saudi families at 1.2 percent. This was followed by Nepalese workers (1.7 percent), Egyptian workers (1.8 percent) and Bangladeshi workers (2 percent).

The survey confirmed that 46.1 percent of the respondents felt that the main reason behind the tendency of families to recruit housemaids is that generally the female head in the house is employed full time in a professional setting. Converesely, 70.6 percent of the sample said that recruiting house help in Saudi communities is extravagant and unneccesary.

The King Abdulaziz Center for National Dialogue has allocated an integrated public opinion survey unit at its academy specifically for dialogue and public opinion.KHChttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-73671828214963002042014-10-13T09:19:00.003-07:002014-10-13T09:19:37.541-07:00Saudi women launch fresh push for right to drive The Saudi English language daily, Saudi Gazette writes about the revived driving campaign on October 13, 2014. A link to the story is here, text below.

RIYADH — A group of Saudi women launched a new campaign to be allowed to drive their cars, Al-Hayat daily reported.

The new campaign, called "I Drive by Myself", reiterates the women's calls for freedom of movement and transportation without having to resort to private drivers.

Dr. Hala Al-Dawsari, member of the campaign, told Al-Hayat daily the constant campaigns launched by women will eventually lead to two things: either authorities lift the ban imposed on women who want to drive or they should provide a good explanation why women are not allowed to get behind the wheel.

"All active women want one thing: free movement without any cost or social restrictions," Al-Dawsari said.

There is no written law that explicitly and clearly states that women cannot drive.

Saudi law requires citizens to have valid driver's licenses when operating a vehicle inside the country. However, women cannot obtain driving licenses, making it difficult for them to drive on the road because they will be breaking the law.

Al-Dawsari presented a working paper about women driving at the Council of Human Rights in Geneva this month. She launched a campaign encouraging people to participate in the issue and document their demands in a bulletin that will be issued on Oct. 26.

The campaign, launched a week ago, has so far attracted 30,000 supporters, Al-Dawsari said, adding that only Saudi women can end the ban imposed on them.

"Women driving is a legitimate right all over the world and there are no logical reasons why they should not be allowed to drive," she said. The issue is still heavily debated in Saudi society.

Women have been working hard to lift the ban on driving while religious scholars still oppose the idea vehemently.

The voices calling for allowing women to drive increased when June 17, 2011 was set as the date when women would drive their cars on the street.

However, they had to push the date to June 29 following the death of then Crown Prince Naif Bin Abdulaziz. In commemoration of the June campaign, a group of women and men have called on authorities to reconsider this issue, stressing that they will not violate laws or cause any trouble to authorities.

They agreed that all they need is to allow a woman who lives alone and does not have a man to help her to drive to the market and buy her stuff herself.KHChttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-415718106828916998.post-42368094771278577522014-10-13T09:04:00.000-07:002014-10-13T09:04:33.737-07:00The Queens of Saudi Arabia Need to Drive - Blue AbayaOctober 13, 2014 - a blog post on Blue Abaya. It may be blocked on the internet, so I just posted it here. A link to the blog post is here. Text below.

Attention Blue Abaya readers all over the world! I'm going to go ahead and post this, despite the chances that Blue Abaya website will be blocked by the "Magic Internet Fairy" in Saudi Arabia, who absolutely detests seeing anything related to the Saudi Women Driving Campaign. I guess he's the "Our women are Queens, the Most Precious Pearls, who we pamper with drivers and want to protect from the dangerous traffic and bad drivers out there" -type of guy.

Why? Because that's just how I roll. I can't stay silent if I see blatant human right's violations or any kind of injustice or discrimination based on race, religion or as in this case, gender. I'm also not the type to bury my head in the sand dunes whenever something goes wrong or gets too complicated.
 And who am I kidding here? The women (not) driving issue is one of the most, if not THE most debilitating, humiliating, oppressing and life quality-diminishing aspect of living as a female in Saudi Arabia. So this is personal, ya'll.

And I know I'm not alone. There are thousands of men and women, Saudi and non-Saudi residents, who are fed up and want change.
Really. Enough is enough. It's 2014.
 Women need to start driving yesterday. We need to take our kids to school. We need to go to work, meetings and doctors appointments.

We need to have this basic human right NOW.
We are tired of being forced to rely on the unreliable drivers. We are fed up with taxi drivers that treat us like dirt.

We are really sick and tired of the perverts that cohabit that tiny space with us, and we have no other choice of getting to where we NEED to go but to deal with it.

We are done dealing with drivers lying, yelling or cursing at us. Not picking up their phones or showing up, leaving us in trouble. How many women have been dumped in the middle of roads because the driver had a bad day? If we found the rare gem driver who actually knows AND follows the traffic rules, he for sure will not be following our directions or wishes. Why? Because knows he has that power over us. And he will take full advantage of it.

How many women have been stuck at home with a sick kid, waiting for a driver for what seems to be forever? Worse yet if there's a medical emergency? The despair and feeling of complete helplessness is unfathomable.

Only women living in Saudi Arabia will know exactly how utterly frustrating it is, seeing that 14-year old boy driving a car right beside us, us sitting in a car in a which we would be fully licensed, capable and WILLING to drive, yet find ourselves hurdled in the backseat, behind the blackened windows, feeling almost as if we don't even exist.

For crying out loud how does a male sexual organ license a person to drive?

Because a bee-nis is really the only defining factor for persons to be allowed to drive cars in Saudi Arabia.
It doesn't matter if you're underaged, heck even a kid.
 No need for a driving license either. Everyone knows males were born licensed.
 Driving skills? Who needs them if you've got the right chromosome! That means you have natural talent.

How about owning a car, valid international driver's license and maybe even an exceptionally clean driving record? Nope ,they will not guarantee you can drive, if you lack that certain extra asset.

How did it become Islamically acceptable anyway, that this unrelated male, basically a stranger, that doesn't even share a common language with us, who doesn't even have a valid driver's license from his country of origin, let alone a local one, is driving us around, among thousands other unskilled drivers such as him?

How on earth did this become the 'safest' option?

Is this not totally absurd?
 Is this how Queens are treated, really?
 If women in Saudi Arabia are treated like the Queens they say we are, then why are we, more often than not, spoken to and treated like children?

Queens have power. Queens are respected. A Queen's word is the last word.
 I have the feeling there are no real Queens in Saudi Arabia. Only Princesses, driven around in carriages, that's all. The elite 5% of the princesses might be lucky to have a golden carriage and a knight in shining armor driving it, but the rest of us pheasants are stuck with the pumpkins and trolls.

And then we have these nay sayers, telling us that allowing women to drive on the Saudi roads will cause problems such as, more cars on the roads, more traffic congestion.
 Well here's a simple math lesson for you:

Driver takes woman to work in the morning, drives car back home. Goes again in the afternoon to pick up woman from work, drives her home. In the evening driver takes woman to her parents house, goes back home. Comes late in the evening to pick up woman, drives her home again.

TOTAL= 8 car rides.

VS

Woman drives to work in the morning. Drives home in afternoon. Drives to parents house. Stays a couple of hours, drives herself back home.

TOTAL= 4 car rides.
See? It's actually the other way around, dummies!
 And that's just one hypothetical situation, it could be even more rides back and forth with the driver.
 How about the type of guy I mentioned at the beginning of this post? That guy who wants to keep his jewels protected? He doesn't want women to drive nor will he allow his female relatives to drive themselves because…
 The Saudi roads are SO dangerous! How could she possibly drive among those crazy, bad drivers?

YES indeed! Those EXACT same crazy and/or unlicensed drivers and dangerous roads where she is currently riding on, in the passenger seat.
How the heck is that different? Same traffic, roads and same crazy drivers! Actually, if women were on the roads, I bet you they would be far less crazy, less congested and less ridden with accidents.
 Whoever came up with this genius excuse deserves the Nobel prize for Illogicality.
 If you believe that women in Saudi Arabia who want to drive (not everyone does, but so what), should have the CHOICE to do so IF they wish (nobody will be forced to drive), then there's something you can do to help.

#Oct26Driving campaign needs YOUR help! In addition to signing the petition, here's what all you amazing, awesome people out there can do to help women finally get behind the wheel in KSA!!
 "Please support the Oct 26 Saudi Women driving campaign by sending a video of yourself talking about the ban and calling for it to be lifted. Not more than a minute and to ask others to do the same. It can be in any language you like. And it should be about a minute or two long."
 Send them your support videos to this email: email@example.com

Campaign site and petition here:

https://oct26driving.com/english-petition/

 My dream is to one day be able to hop in the car with my kids and take them out to the desert to explore the beauty out there. My dream is feeling free and having a sense of security. My dream is to start living life to the fullest.

Please help the Queens of Saudi Arabia!

KHChttp://email@example.com


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London Borough of Merton provides funding for part-time free early education places for all 3 and 4-year-olds in Merton whose parents want one with an early years provider in the maintained, private, voluntary or independent (PVI) sectors. All 3 and 4-year-olds are entitled to take up their part-time early education place from the school term after their third birthday. In addition, some 2-year-olds are also eligible to take-up a free place from the school term after they turn two.
Funding is provided for these 2, 3 and 4-year-olds for up to 570 hours of early education over the course of a year.
To receive funding so that they can deliver funded places for eligible 2 and/or 3 and 4-year-old children, early education providers must meet the criteria laid out in the current Code of Practice and Conditions of Funding and be listed in the Merton Directory of Providers of funded places for 2, 3 and 4-year-olds.
Early education providers must ensure they have written approval from London Borough of Merton to claim this funding before confirming any entitlement with parents of eligible children.
All early education providers which are currently part of the funding programme and can deliver funded places are listed in the published Merton Directory of Providers of Funded Places for 2, 3 and 4 Year Olds. All of these providers must adhere to the Code of Practice and Conditions of Funding.
The Code of Practice has been revised for April 2015 onwards and is published below. Full details of the funding programme, including eligibility of children, and the application process are provided in the Code of Practice.
Download the Code of Practice and Conditions of Funding of Early Education for 2, 3 and 4-year-olds (0.4MB)
Providers wishing to join the programme must complete and submit the Registration Form (below). Providers who meet the relevant criteria can decide if they wish to apply for funding for 2-year-olds, 3 and 4-year-olds or both on the Registration Form.
The Registration Form also allows providers to indicate if they wish to join the Merton Continuous Improvement Framework (CIF). The CIF provides three offers to select from of support, training, advice and guidance from us. Please note that providers who do not join the CIF via the Registration Form will charged to access these services.
Download the Early Years and Childcare Services Registration Form (0.1MB)
Note: the Registration Form must be completed and submitted by all applicants for funding. Please email or post your form to the address at the foot of this page
To help you complete your contract, please refer to the Contract User Guide (7.2MB)
To help you complete your contract, please refer to the Contract User Guide for new providers (5.2MB)
Please email your completed contact to email@example.com
Do NOT send any child information via email as this is not a secure method and has the potential of being intercepted by an unknown source. Any documents that contain child information must be sent via the online secure submission facility USO-FX through the London Grid for Learning (LGFL) using your LFGL login.
Headcount week is 18 January to 22 January 2016
Early Education Funding Administration
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Email: email@example.com
This page was last updated on Tuesday 13 October 2015

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Rob, yes you are right I hadn't digested before I started my post; sorry.
Tom, if your voltage is all over the place, and if you can actually see these changes in your light output they will be massive, you might as well throw the analyser in a skip. Between exposures the light temperature of the enlarger bulb will vary massively and the filtration dialed in from any test or analysis will be worthless. Sort your supply out first.


text:
black leather 'Dompteuse' spiked backpack
designer's notes
A shower of stunning, silver-toned studs sets this bold leather bag apart. In a soft grainy leather, a convertible backpack from Christian Louboutin works well for casual days in the city or to make a professional and bold fashion statement.
color: Black Grainy black leather with shiny silver-toned hardware and Christian Louboutin red sole logo at front Cinched adjustable drawstring top design; spiked patches on sides Magnetic button closure at front flap 44'' strap length; 20'' drop Signature red lining, zippered interior pocket Measures approximately 15'' at widest x 10&189'' tall at center x 6'' deep; weighs lbs. Leather; Italy; style# 328467801