Saudi women turn to social media for the right to drive

[Gerald]

WATCH: Saudi Arabia's women are forced to rely on men to do the driving - which puts many jobs off-limits, and makes running a business almost impossible.

The video shows a young woman getting into her car for a spin around town with a friend. Giggling away, they sound excited yet nervous. And all the while, they comment on the reactions of passers-by.

So far, the story sounds uneventful. After all, millions of women across the world drive every day without a second thought.

Only the difference is, this video was shot by 28-year old Solafa from Saudi Arabia, the only country in the world that bans women from driving.

Driving change

On June 17, dozens of videos similar to Solafa's surfaced on the internet, all showing women behind the wheel in defiance of a ban that is not enforced by law but is a religious fatwa imposed by Muslim clerics.

It was a protest of a different kind - unlike the mass demonstrations that have been seen throughout the region this year, this was a campaign of just 50 women.

But one thing it has in common with the Arab protests is the role social media played.

Through Twitter and Facebook, the 'Women2Drive' campaign gave women a voice for other people to hear. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton openly supported their cause. Even some of the Saudi royals have backed what the women are doing.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-13928215

Note: 27 June 2011 Last updated at 23:07 GMT