Manal al-Sharif

Saudi Arabian activist who led the 2011 women's driving campaign to end gender-based mobility restrictions

Manal al-Sharif (born 1979) is a Saudi Arabian activist and computer scientist whose 2011 women's driving campaign became a landmark in Middle Eastern gender rights. Growing up in a society where women were legally barred from driving, she began secretly filming herself driving in 2011, uploading the video to YouTube despite potential imprisonment. Her bold action sparked global attention and inspired thousands of women to join the movement. Though arrested briefly, her campaign contributed to the eventual 2018 lifting of the ban.

A former Chevron engineer, al-Sharif co-founded Women2Drive, and became a global advocate for women's rights through her TED Talk "Dare to Drive". She also co-authored the memoir "Dared to Drive: A Saudi Woman's Awakening", chronicling her journey. Her work challenges patriarchal norms while promoting STEM education for girls in Saudi Arabia through her nonprofit Women on Roads.