“We are writing to you as women who are effectively imprisoned inside our family homes—living lives that are totally restricted by our families. They do not allow us to leave the house or live our lives like other women. Our movement is severely limited and strictly controlled, restricted only to absolute necessities and what our families deem appropriate. Even how we leave is dictated by them; we are banned from driving or going out alone, and convincing our families to let us go on even a minor outing requires an exhausting effort that can drag on for months or weeks, only to be met with rejection in the end. Many of us have never experienced life outside of school desks or family gatherings. We spend the prime of our years trapped between four walls and glued to social media, doing nothing but waiting and watching time slip away. We are only allowed education because it is a non-mixed environment, yet even then, some of us are deprived of it or have our choices severely narrowed to fields approved by our families. Our professional futures are rigidly controlled and restricted to specific fields that suit society's outdated customs and traditions. We are prevented from enjoying the rights granted to us by our state, such as driving, traveling without a male guardian, and freely choosing our career paths. Our state has allowed women to drive, abolished the official guardianship system, and our personal desires do not conflict with the law regarding work, driving, traveling, or the freedom to choose whether or not to wear the niqab or hijab. However, our families, society, and traditional customs prevent us from enjoying these rights. Furthermore, campaigns demanding the cancellation of the niqab will not solve the core problem; even if it were officially abolished, we would still face severe threats and abuse from our families and society if we chose to remove it, and the number of home-imprisoned women might increase while the situation worsens for those already imprisoned. We have no control over our appearance or clothing; we are forcefully made to wear the niqab, the hijab, and a specific restricted style of dress, entirely stripped of our identities and hobbies. We are completely isolated—denied friendships and any activities outside the home, and for many, denied the right to education or career freedom. If any of us attempts to choose her own path, she faces abuse and threats from her family and society. We need the world to hear our voices and recognize our invisible cages. We need real protection and freedom to enjoy our most basic rights as women in this life.” #معتقلات_المنازل #بلا_نقاب