July 07th, 2011

Hillary Clinton with Indy driver Sarah Fisher

Hillary Clinton, US Secretary of State, has come out in support of the women in Saudi Arabia who are fighting for their right to drive.

According to an article in the Guardian UK here’s what Clinton had to say:
“What these women are doing is brave and what they are seeking is right, but the effort belongs to them,”

“I am moved by it and I support them, but I want to underscore the fact that this is not coming from outside of their country. This is the women themselves, seeking to be recognised.”

“We have made clear our views that women everywhere, including women in the kingdom, have the right to make decisions about their lives and their futures.” 

“They have the right to contribute to society and provide for their children and their families, and mobility, such as provided by the freedom to drive, provides access to economic opportunity, including jobs, which does fuel growth and stability.

“And it’s also important for just day-to-day life, to say nothing of the necessity from time to time to transport children for various needs and sometimes even emergencies.”

“We will continue in private and in public to urge all governments to address issues of discrimination and to ensure that women have the equal opportunity to fulfill their own God-given potential.”