Saudi women express national pride in Twitter campaign

Saudi women are expressing their pride at living in the Kingdom in a Twitter campaign, in the wake of a CNN report that featured other female citizens who said they had fled the country in search of freedom and out of fear of oppression. 
The “I Choose To Stay” hashtag was created by Princess Reema Bandar Al-Saud, head of the women’s section at the General Authority for Sports.
In a series of tweets under the hashtag, she said all women around the world face unique struggles. “Proud to be a Saudi woman working for her community,” she tweeted.
Many women have reacted to the hashtag and expressed honor and pride at living in the Kingdom, which has started to grant women more leading positions.
Saudi women are choosing to fight for change, as seen in numerous women’s rights campaigns. Women and women’s rights activists recently started a social media campaign demanding the abolition of the male guardianship system.
Ohoud Al-Arifi (@OhoudAlarifi) revealed her ambition to be a minister one day in Saudi Arabia, “because my country made me capable to trust that I will.”
Deemah Al-Yahya (@Dalyaha) said the Kingdom had given her courage and confidence in her capabilities, and the opportunity to make an impact.
Women are included in a Saudi scholarship program that sends its best students to prominent universities and colleges around the world.
Saudi student Noor Abdulrahman Ahmed, who completed her studies at Canada’s University of Western Ontario, urged other Saudi women to believe in themselves, raise their voices, achieve their goals and not let challenges hold them back. 
“Always remember that the greatest pleasure in life is to accomplish something deemed (impossible) by others,” she said in her dissertation.
King Salman recently appointed 30 women to the Shoura Council and six to the Saudi Human Rights Council, and women have been granted the right to vote and stand in municipal councils.
“As a professional Saudi woman, leader of a national research project, I am empowered, supported and appreciated,” said Yasmin Al-Twaijri (@YasminT321), senior scientist and head of epidemiology research at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center (KFSH&RC).
Some foreign media have attempted to shed light on Saudi women seeking political asylum in other countries, while others are living in the country and voicing their demands under aliases.
Arwa, one of the featured women on the CNN show, said: “What I really want is just to live normally without fear, and not have to pretend to be somebody else. That’s all I ever want.”
But many people have denounced Saudi women’s appearance on foreign channels to tarnish the reputation of the country.
Joshua Van Alstine, an American Muslim who goes by the name Abu Muteb, said Moudhi, one of the women who appeared on CNN, “had a chance to make a real change and just threw it away.”
Abu Muteb added that inciting hatred and xenophobia against the Kingdom will never bring change.

Source : Arab News