Loujain al-Hathloul facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Loujain al-Hathloul
|
|
|---|---|
| لجين الهذلول | |
 |
|
| Born | 31 July 1989 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
|
| Alma mater | University of British Columbia |
| Known for | Defying female driving ban in Saudi Arabia |
| Spouse(s) |
Fahad Albutairi
(m. 2014; div. 2019) |
| Family | Lina al-Hathloul (sister) |
| Awards | Václav Havel Human Rights Prize (2020) |
Loujain al-Hathloul (Arabic: لجين الهذلول Lujjayn al-Hadhlūl; born 31 July 1989) is a brave Saudi women's rights activist. She is also a well-known person on social media. Loujain has been arrested many times for speaking up. She challenged the rule that stopped women from driving in Saudi Arabia.
In May 2018, she and other women's rights activists were arrested. They were taken to Saudi Arabia. There, they faced accusations of trying to cause trouble in the country. For her work, Loujain al-Hathloul received important awards. These include the 2019 PEN America /Barbey Freedom to Write Award. She also won the 2020 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize. Time magazine named her one of the "100 Most Influential People of 2019." She was released from prison on 10 February 2021. However, she is not allowed to travel outside the country.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Loujain al-Hathloul was born on July 31, 1989. She grew up in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. She later went to college in Canada. Loujain is a graduate of the University of British Columbia.
Fighting for Women's Rights (2014–2017)
Loujain al-Hathloul is famous for two main reasons. She played a big part in the women to drive movement. She also spoke out against the male guardianship system. This system meant women needed a male family member's permission for many things.
On December 1, 2014, Loujain was arrested. She had tried to drive her car from the UAE into Saudi Arabia. She was held for 73 days. This was because she challenged the ban on women driving. She had a driver's license from the UAE. But the Saudi police still arrested her.
In December 2015, Saudi Arabia held its first local elections where women could vote. Loujain tried to run in these elections. But she was not allowed to participate.
In September 2016, Loujain took another step. She signed a petition with 14,000 other people. The petition asked King Salman to end the male guardianship system.
On June 4, 2017, she was arrested again. This happened at King Fahd International Airport in Dammam. The reason for her arrest was not officially shared. But many believed it was because of her work for human rights.
Awards and Recognition
Loujain al-Hathloul has received many honors for her activism. In 2017, the BBC named her one of their 100 Women.
She was also ranked third on a list of the "Top 100 Most Powerful Arab Women 2015." In March 2019, PEN America announced a special award. Loujain, along with Nouf Abdulaziz and Eman al-Nafjan, received the 2019 PEN America/Barbey Freedom to Write Award. Later that year, Time magazine included her. They named her one of the "100 Most Influential People of 2019."
Loujain al-Hathloul was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. This happened in both 2019 and 2020. In April 2021, she was announced as the winner of the 2020 Václav Havel Human Rights Prize.
A children's book was also written about her. It is called Loujain Dreams of Sunflowers: A Story Inspired by Loujain Alhathloul. Lina Alhathloul and Uma Mishra-Newbery wrote it. Rebecca Green created the pictures. The book was published in 2022.
See also
In Spanish: Loujain Alhathloul para niños
