Recent announcement by Saudi King that Women will be allowed to drive and hold driving licence is big change for an orthodox Islamic country like Saudi Arabia, the last country in the world where women were banned from driving. It is religious police and not Saudi Royal Family that was the stumbling block.
Manal Al-Sharif started campaign for women’s right to drive some time back. But she had to sacrifice a lot, was arrested, under surveillance and under great pressure. But now her endurance has won her an honoured place in Saudi history.
Perhaps Noble Peace Prize may follow! Her struggle can be compared with our own suffragette movement, led by Emmeline Pankhurst. Princess Sophia Duleep Singh also played an eminent part but her enormous contribution was completely ignored, until popular TV personality Anita Ananda authored a book on her and was given wide publicity on TV and press.
Lady Nancy Astor was the first woman to take her seat in HOC when she won Sutton Plymouth by-election in 1919, thus making history and changing the demography of British politics for ever. Saudi Arabia is a staunch monarchy. But elections do take place for local councils and some even allow women to vote, become Councillors. It is a slow but steady progress and once these women have tasted freedom, it would be impossible to put Ginny back in the bottle!
But this news may be the end of thousands of jobs, affecting drivers recruited mainly from Indian sub-continent who chauffer these women to work. But in this fast changing world, technological revolution, nothing could be taken for granted.
Kumudini Valambia
By email
