Saudi women’s statement

This video is called THE REVOLUTION SPREADS in Arab World — Protest in Jeddah Saudi Arabia against governement corruption.

From Women’s Views on News:

The Saudi Women Revolution Statement

Posted by Jane Osmond on March 19, 2011

Summary of Mona Kareem blog, 18.3.11

Newspaper journalist Mona Kareem has published the Saudi Women Revolution Statement on her blog in an attempt to publicise the need for change.

It makes chastening reading.

WVoN have printed just the headlines below …:

1. Women cannot have their rights until the system of male guardianship is completely removed from the laws and rules of the Saudi state because without his permission she cannot:

* work
* travel
* receive education
* get married or divorced
* follow and finish official documents and papers
* have medical surgery
* open a bank account for her kids, enroll them in schools, ask for their school files, or travel with them without the permission of her male guardian.

2. Saudi Arabia should prohibit, fight and ban violence against women and create laws to save women’s rights and to sue everyone who uses violence against them even if they are their legal male guardians.

3. Saudi Arabia should completely ban marriage for females under the age of 18.

4. Saudi Arabia should guarantee the right of car driving to women.

5. Saudi Arabia should impose complete gender equality.

6. Saudi women should have their complete political rights.

7. After activating all previous rights, The Royal Court should establish a powerful women’s committee to activate the role of women in all aspects of the society, fight sexism legally, and spread awareness of the danger of sexism in society.

WVoN co-editor comment: It is very brave of Saudi women, who obviously have absolutely no rights whatsoever, to nonetheless put together such a structured protest. WVoN supports them wholeheartedly.

Yemeni forces once again attacked non-violent protesters in front of Sanaa University Friday, March 18, as snipers and soldiers on-the-ground fired live weapons into the crowd, killing an estimated 40 people and wounding another 200: here.

Today, 8th Anniversary of Iraq War: US troops to remain despite 2011 withdrawal date: here.

Mark Mazzetti and Scott Shane, New York Times News Service: “The uprising against [Muammar el-Qaddafi], along with the revolts that drove out the presidents of Tunisia and Egypt and threaten other rulers, have cast a harsh light on the cozy relationships between America’s intelligence agencies and autocratic, often brutal Arab governments. The CIA faces questions about whether such ties blinded it to undercurrents of dissent and may now damage America’s standing with emerging democratic governments”: here.