Saudi Women's Right to Drive
Decision Announcement
On September 26, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud issued a royal decree allowing Saudi women to obtain driving licenses. He called for the formation of a committee from the Ministries of Interior, Finance, Labor, and Social Development to study the necessary requirements for implementing this decision.
Objectives of the Decision
The goal of granting Saudi women the right to drive is to empower them as active members of society and to overcome traditional barriers that had previously hindered this progress. This decision had been anticipated for several years.
Reactions
Following the announcement, the decision faced backlash from some religious conservatives, leading to disturbances in certain areas. Conversely, many Saudis viewed this decision as a means to integrate women more actively into society, which would drive development in the Kingdom.
Personal Experiences
One Saudi citizen expressed his support for the decision, tweeting, "I started training my wife in a private parking lot in a safe and legal manner in preparation for the regulation," alongside hashtags such as #AllowingWomenToDrive, #LetsDriveTogether, #TheKingSupportsWomenDriving.
I started training my wife in a private parking lot in a safe and legal manner in preparation for the regulation #AllowingWomenToDrive #LetsDriveTogether #TheKingSupportsWomenDriving pic.twitter.com/2EswQU5cBE
— Faisal BaDughaish (@badughaish) September 30, 2017
Future Developments
In light of this new decision, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University in Saudi Arabia announced plans to establish the first driving school for Saudi women. Additionally, Colonel Tariq Al-Rabiaan, the spokesperson for the General Traffic Department in Saudi Arabia, revealed the conditions for women to obtain a driving license. He stated that if a woman possesses a license from a legally recognized country, a Saudi license will be issued immediately upon the implementation of the decision, emphasizing that Saudi women are half of society and an essential part of it.
Economic Impact
Estimates suggest that around 10 million Saudi women and female residents in the Kingdom are eligible to drive, which is expected to boost car sales and have a positive economic impact on Saudi families that currently spend billions of riyals annually on foreign drivers. Experts estimate that the cost of drivers in Saudi Arabia reached 14 billion riyals last year. Women are set to officially begin driving on June 24, 2018, allowing authorities to prepare the necessary requirements for this process.
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