Why Saudi Young Women, Sorry, Girls Run Away
CROSSROADS ARABIA: Why do you think 24 year old women might want to leave home? A new report does not provide much enlightenment…
Saudi: Momentum Grows in Support of Women Drivers
SUSIE OF ARABIA: Driving is just a starting point. There are many other women’s issues that need to be addressed but as Manal says: “The rain starts with a single drop.”
A Doctor, A Mother, Now She’s a Saudi ‘Rebel Driver’
OMAR AL-ISSAWI: She is entrusted with the lives of many on a daily basis but Najla Hariri is not trusted to drive to treat those patients.
Google Incites Muslim Women to Throw Off Veil – Claim
AMERICAN BEDU: When Google decided to celebrate dancer Martha Graham’s birthday with an animation little did it understand the furore it would cause in Saudi…
A Poem about the Saudi “Women in Black”
SUSIE OF ARABIA: A young, Saudi woman who, as a child, witnessed another woman displaying a freedom of spirit has written a poem in celebration of the inspirational character.
Saudi Arabia and Its Women: The Need for Change
MAHA AKEEL: Until Saudi Arabia implements this grassroots renaissance, it will continue to live a dichotomy of modern facilities but mental stagnation.
Niqab Ban Lifts Veil on Problems East and West
OMAR AL ISSAWI: Playing the victim, engendering sympathy and hurling accusations of conspiracy, persecution and discrimination will only get a cause so far…
A Mother’s Farewell to Her 11 Year Old Son
MOROCCAN MARYAM: It’s the day you always dreaded, the day his gaze drifts from you to his friends, the day you become ‘just a mother’.
If Saudi Can Impose its Will Over Dress, Why Not France?
SUSIE OF ARABIA: I feel I am forced to wear the abaya – it would not be my choice to dress like that. And I doubt if I am the only woman who feels this way.
The Saudi Time Machine – Only Goes Backwards
EMAN AL NAFJAN: These past couple of weeks have convinced me the government has made a huge scientific discovery, the time machine.
“Treat Us Like Adults”: Saudi Women Demand Basic Rights
CROSSROADS ARABIA: It’s simple – women in Saudi Arabia can’t wait for enlightened men to grant them rights, they are going to have to force the issue.
Saudi Elections: Too Soon, And Too Little?
CROSSROADS ARABIA: Arab News reports that the government has set a date for the second municipal elections. It does not report women cannot take part.
Consanguine Marriage: ‘Genetic Roulette’ in Saudi Arabia
CROSSROADS ARABIA: A large proportion of marriages in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia are between relatives. It’s creating major challenges for the authorities.
The Luscious Eyebrow: A Rite of Womanhood?
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: I’d like to say I’m the kind of woman who hasn’t bought into the social pressure to conform. But I have.
Al-Qaida’s Alternative to Cosmo Magazine
AMERICAN BEDU: Al-Shamikha, meaning ‘Majestic Woman’ in Arabic is a women’s magazine which Al-Qaida has combined elements of Soldier of Fortune and “Cosmopolitan” magazine.
When the Lebanese Woman Shed the Veil
MICH CAFE, F. NAJIA: The Lebanese woman’s journey from “the age of the veil” to the relative freedom of “the age of the bikini” was a fairly quick one, but the path to ‘freedom’ was paved not by “circumstances” alone.
Hope Blossoms, Despair Lingers for Arab Women
SHELINA ZAHRA JANMOHAMED: Two corners of the Muslim world, two very different stories. On the one hand there is hope. On the other hand, despair…
Women With Men Directing Winds of Change
CARLA KOPPELL: Women’s role must be honoured in the struggle and protect against the fundamentalist push. Most importantly, their involvement will be key to enabling thriving societies
Saudis Will Resist Women Drivers, Legal or Not
CAROL FLEMING: The movement to allow women to drive in Saudi appears irresistible. There’s lots to be done, however, to improve male attitudes.