Fawziyya Abu Khalid

Fawziyya Abu Khalid (Arabic:فوزية أبو خالد) (born 1955) is a Saudi Arabian poet, essayist, sociologist, and professor. Her poetry is noted for its prominent political motifs and focus on women's ability to attain education and freedom. Her literary reputation was established by the publication of her first poetry collection, Until When Will They Abduct You on Your Wedding Night?. She went on to publish two other poetry collections, entitled the Secret Readings in the History of Arab Silence (1985) and Mirage Water (1995).

Early life and education Born in Riyadh in 1955, Fawziyya Abu Khalid was raised in an upper-class Bedouin family of eleven children. Her mother, Sharifa Nur al-Hashemi, was from Mecca, and was a public advocate for restricted women's activities and learning opportunities in Hejaz. Sharifa Nur al-Hashemi's quest for education and the equality of the sexes inspired Abu Khalid to write and express herself from a very young age.

During a time when women in Saudi Arabia lacked educational opportunities, Fawziyya Abu Khalid was fortunate enough to receive an education. Although her early work mostly discussed social issues, she later moved on to writing about politics. In 1975, she published her first prose poetry collection in the form of a novel entitled, How Long Will They Abduct You on Your Wedding Night? She later published two other prose poetry collection novels: Secret Readings in the History of Arab Silence (1985) and Mirage Water (1995). She also published children's books

Women's rights activism In September 2007, Fawziyya Abu Khalid's picture was featured inside an article from The International Herald Tribune. The article focuses on a woman's right to drive, a topic of growing and lively debate in Saudi Arabia. In the picture, she can be seen sitting in the backseat of a car as she is forced to rely on men to drive her around.

In September 2011, Fawziyya Abu Khalid spoke out in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation as a supporter of Saudi Arabia's ruling that women would finally be given the right to vote and stand for election in 2015. In the interview, she said: "As we say, people, they don't live only on bread, but freedom is very important element for human being to live in dignity and in equality." On the topic, she also publicly stated: "I think there is a realization by different groups, including the conservative group in Saudi Arabia, that what happened in the past, that they are the only voice in the society, [the silencing of women] will not continue, and that they have to admit and to live that there are other voices and there are other views."