Saudi Arabia

Trending The 'Rosa Parks' of Saudi Arabia BBC Trending What's popular and why Published 11 January 2016 Image source, Nawal al-Hawsawi Nawal al-Hawsawi is outspoken, black, a qualified pilot and married to a white man - everything her critics say a Saudi woman shouldn't be. But despite receiving waves of abuse on social media, she refuses to bow to convention and hits back at her detractors "with love". Al-Hawsawi has become something of a star on social media. She has amassed almost 50,000 followers on Twitter, where she posts about the importance of racial diversity and marriage equality. But not everyone reading her feed is a fan. The deluge of racist abuse that came at the end of December was just the latest flurry in a long campaign. The trolls have had al-Hawsawi in their sights for years. They send her pictures of gorillas, grotesquely photoshopped African tribespeople, and they call her the A word - a derogatory Arabic term for black people w...

BBC Trending International Women's Day: Are Saudi women really that oppressed? BBC Trending What's popular and why Published 8 March 2016 Media caption, What do Saudi women say about oppression? Would you want to live as a woman in Saudi Arabia? Based on what you hear, probably not. Life for women in the Arab kingdom is often painted as one of repression, after all they are forbidden from driving and are restricted by male guardianship laws which deprive them of their independence. And BBC Trending has covered several stories that have gone viral that show how these restrictions affect women's lives. But many of these stories also show how women are using social media to make their voices heard, challenging not only their own society but also the stereotype the world has of them. So for the " Saudis on Social " series we asked Saudi women, if they are really that oppressed? Video Journalist and reporter Mai Noman Additional reporting by Ahmed Nour, BBC Mon...

World Africa Australia Europe Latin America Middle East US & Canada Saudi women file petition to end male guardianship system Published 26 September 2016 Image source, FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP Image caption, Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world where women are banned from driving A petition signed by more than 14,000 Saudi women calling for an end to the country's male guardianship system is being handed to the government. Women must have the consent of a male guardian to travel abroad, and often need permission to work or study. Support for the first large-scale campaign on the issue grew online in response to a trending Twitter hashtag. Activist Aziza Al-Yousef told the BBC she felt "very proud" of the campaign, but now needed a response. In the deeply conservative Islamic kingdom, a woman must have permission from her father, brother or other male relative - in the case of a widow, sometimes her son - to obtain a passport, marry or leave the country. Man...

How much do you know about life as a woman in Saudi Arabia? Published 10 December 2015 Women in Saudi Arabia go to the polls for the first time on Saturday. It's a small gain for women's rights in this staunchly conservative kingdom. Test your knowledge on some of the freedoms and restrictions for Saudi women.

World Africa Australia Europe Latin America Middle East US & Canada What can women still not do in Saudi Arabia? Published 27 September 2017 Image source, Getty Images The king of Saudi Arabia has issued a decree allowing women to drive , bringing to an end the country's dubious distinction as the only place on earth banning the practice. But even when that change comes in next June, many things will still be out of reach for women in the extremely conservative country. There are many things women must ask the men in their lives for permission to do. These things include, but are not limited to: Applying for passports Travelling abroad Getting married Opening a bank account Starting certain businesses Getting elective surgery Leaving prison These restrictions are down to Saudi Arabia's guardianship system. Since its foundation, the country has been aligned with a strict interpretation of Islamic law - Wahhabism. After an extremist uprising in 1979, those rules were ...