Saudi Women Activists Launch "Black Ribbons Campaign"

Saudi women's activists, led by Wajeha al Huwaider, are launching a "Black Bracelet Campaign" to demand women's rights tomorrow, November 6th. It will be the 19th anniversary of the day 47 Saudi women drove their cars in public protesting a legal pronouncement in Islam that banned women from driving, the Memri Blog reports.

According to the Middle East Transparent, the campaign has three goals: that Saudi women be allowed to represent themselves in official and government agencies without a male guardian; that Saudi women be treated as citizens equal to Saudi men; and that Saudi women be allowed to enjoy their inherent rights to travel, work, study, inherit, gain custody of children, marry, divorce, drive cars and that are currently only granted to their male counterparts.

The motto of the campaign is, "we will not untie our ribbon until Saudi women enjoy their rights as adult citizens," and Saudi women's activists ask that supporters wear black ribbons or black bracelets to show their solidarity with Saudi women.

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