RIYADH: It's the year 2017, and the conservative kingdom of Saudi Arabia has finally granted their women the right to drive. The only country in the world to ban the fairer sex from driving, the royal decree came after almost three decades of women protesting for their right to drive. Thousands of women uploaded videos online of themselves behind the wheel of a car during a campaign launched by Saudi rights activists, as recent as 2013. Women will be allowed to obtain licenses without the permission of a male relative.
While women in other Muslim nations found more freedom, driving-wise, Saudi's blanket ban garnered negative publicity. Neither Islamic law nor Saudi traffic law explicitly prohibited women from driving. They were not issued licenses and were detained if they attempted to drive. The country's history offers several examples of women being punished simply for operating a vehicle. Over 50 women were arrested for driving and lost their passports and their jobs in 1990. In 2011, a woman was sentenced to 10 lashes for driving, however, the late King Abdullah overturned the sentence.
The new decision was praised by the White House. A released said President Donald Trump views the change as a “positive step toward promoting the rights and opportunities of women in Saudi Arabia.” Antonio Guterres, secretary-general of the United Nations called it “an important step in the right direction.” British Prime Minister Theresa May also hailed the decision, saying women empowerment around the world “is key to nations' economic development.” Saudi's ambassador to Washington, and the King's son, Prince Khaled bin Salman said that allowing women to drive is a “huge step forward” and that “society is ready. This is the right time to do the right thing,” he said.
