Association for the Protection and Defense of Women's Rights in Saudi Arabia
Encyclopedia
The Association for the Protection and Defense of Women's Rights in Saudi Arabia is a Saudi
Non-governmental organization
founded to provide activism for women's rights
. It was founded by Wajeha al-Huwaider
and Fawzia Al-Uyyouni, and grew out of a 2007 movement to gain women the right to drive. The association is not officially licensed by the government of Saudi Arabia, and has been warned not to mount demonstrations. In a 2007 interview, al-Huwaider described the goals:
The association's first campaign gathered signatures to petition King Abdullah
to allow women to drive. The petition was ignored.
In 2008, the association launched a "No to the Oppression of Women" campaign. The campaign recorded Saudi women speaking about the oppression or violence to which they has been subjected, with complete assurance of confidentiality and put the recordings on youtube
. The association described its campaign as giving victims a voice.
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
Non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
founded to provide activism for women's rights
Women's rights in Saudi Arabia
Women's rights in Saudi Arabia are defined by Islam and tribal customs. The Arabian peninsula is the ancestral home of patriarchal, nomadic tribes, in which purdah and namus are considered central....
. It was founded by Wajeha al-Huwaider
Wajeha al-Huwaider
Wajeha al-Huwaider is a female Saudi activist and writer. She is a co-founder of The Association for the Protection and Defense of Women's Rights in Saudi Arabia....
and Fawzia Al-Uyyouni, and grew out of a 2007 movement to gain women the right to drive. The association is not officially licensed by the government of Saudi Arabia, and has been warned not to mount demonstrations. In a 2007 interview, al-Huwaider described the goals:
The association will consist of a number of leagues, with each league pursuing a different issue or right... representation for women in shari'a courts; setting a [minimum] age for girls' marriages; allowing women to take care of their own affairs in government agencies and allowing them to enter government buildings; protecting women from domestic violence, such as physical or verbal violence, or keeping her from studies, work, or marriage, or forcing her to divorce…
The association's first campaign gathered signatures to petition King Abdullah
Abdullah of Saudi Arabia
Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, is the King of Saudi Arabia. He succeeded to the throne on 1 August 2005 upon the death of his half-brother, King Fahd. When Crown Prince, he governed Saudi Arabia as regent from 1998 to 2005...
to allow women to drive. The petition was ignored.
In 2008, the association launched a "No to the Oppression of Women" campaign. The campaign recorded Saudi women speaking about the oppression or violence to which they has been subjected, with complete assurance of confidentiality and put the recordings on youtube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
. The association described its campaign as giving victims a voice.