She was detained , spent nine days in jail and quickly became an icon of the `` Women2Drive '' campaign , an initiative demanding the right for women to drive and travel freely in Saudi Arabia . Manal al Sharif says she hopes the lawsuit will spark change . She has been an icon of a campaign pushing for women 's rights to drive . The case is being watched closely by other countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Religious edicts are often interpreted as a prohibition of female drivers in Saudi Arabia .
Manal al Sharif says she hopes the lawsuit will spark change . She has been an icon of a campaign pushing for women 's rights to drive . The case is being watched closely by other countries in the region, including Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Religious edicts are often interpreted as a prohibition of female drivers in Saudi Arabia .