The right to drive isn't one we always think of immediately when discussing human rights, but in Saudi Arabia, half the population is forbidden from operating vehicles--namely, the female half. Women must rely on husbands or hired male drivers for transportation despite the risk of sexual assault from the latter. There's no public transit, and they're not even permitted to ride bicycles. Certain Saudi women, however, are fighting to change the law and gain their right to operate a car. 

Recently, Manal al-Sharif, a Saudi woman, was arrested for driving her own car. A group of Saudi activists started a petition to Saudi authorities asking them to drop the charges. Amazingly, the petition worked and the charges were dropped. Grassroots activism worked for one woman; it might just work to grant freedom of transportation to all Saudi women.

Change.org has begun a new petition asking Subaru to stop selling cars in Saudi Arabia until all of its citizens have the right to drive. The petition remarks on the irony in Subaru's typical branding; in the United States, Subaru cars are marketed to women more than men. But Subaru does not seem to care enough about their women customers--at least not in the only country where they have none. 

Hillary Clinton has already spoken publicly in support of the women protesting and fighting for their right to drive. Saudi Women for Driving seeks to gain support from the corporate sphere as well. If Subaru and other companies pledged to pull their products from Saudi Arabia until women could drive them, we might see enough pressure on the Saudi economy for change to actually happen. Subaru is one of the more progressive car manufacturers, and so they may just be the ones to get the ball rolling on the automobile embargo. 

The Change.org petition has almost hit its signature goal. Head on over and add your name to the list today.