Social media = Social change

Human rights history was made in Saudi Arabia this week when King Abdullah announced his intention to grant Saudi women the right to vote and run in municipal elections. The change can be partially attributed to a very powerful social media campaign launched this summer, which caught the media’s attention. In May, a Saudi woman by the name of Manal al-Sharif posted a YouTube video of herself defying a widespread custom in Saudi Arabia - she was driving.

There is no formal law that bans women from driving. It is a cultural norm within the country that women rely on male relatives or chauffeurs for their transportation needs. Manal al-Sharif insists this law must be changed. Women with children, poor women or women with husbands or male relatives unable to assist them are left to find chauffeurs. Hiring a chauffeur is costly and most women cannot afford this luxury.

Her YouTube video and subsequent social media campaign, #Women2Drive, created significant media buzz. The #Women2Drive initiative uses Facebook and Twitter pages to spread its message. The campaign’s Twitter account has 12,261 followers, while the Facebook page has garnered 17,070 ‘likes’.

These pages reinforce the plight of Saudi women and give them a voice. The use of social media helps in creating awareness about the cause. A positive outcome from the campaign involved Saudi women organizing a day of protest in the streets, designating June 17, 2011 as #Women2Drive day.

The social media effort serves to empower women in Saudi Arabia, earning them significant media coverage around the world. This is an example of how powerful social media has become in spurring social change. Are there other examples of social media being used as a tool of social change?