Saudi Arabia’s reforms expand the space for women — but still deny them a voice of their own
On June 24, Saudi Arabia, making a long-awaited change, officially lifted its ban on women driving. Yet for the past seven weeks, Hatoon al-Fassi, an internationally known scholar, professor and women’s rights advocate, has remained in detention, having been arrested just as she was preparing to exercise the newly granted permission to drive in her country. The tensions and contradictions of Saudi reform, especially when it comes to women, could not be more clearly illustrated than in her case. (It is worth noting, of course, that a number of other female activists have been arrested before and after the lifting of the ban.)… Seguir leyendo »