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At the stroke of the midnight hour on the 23rd
of June, the Saudi women who had
had their licences ready, got behind the
wheel and hit the roads to celebrate the
historic end of the ban on women’s driving. Delirious with delight, they appeared
on Saudi television and on social media to hail the lifting of the ban. For the
first time in the history of Saudi Arabia, women will be legally allowed to take
driving lessons , apply for and get the driver’s licence.
This freedom to drive
comes after more than three decades of activism by daring women. Some of these
women who dared to campaign for the right to drive are still behind bars because in a theocratic kingdom like Saudi
Arabia that follows the strictest of Sharia
laws, any activism connected with new-fangled isms like feminism, communism and
atheism is deemed illegal. The women- activists
still cannot afford to rest on their laurels for, in order to occupy the
driving seat they may need the
permission of their male guardians. As per the kingdom’s guardianship policies all women are legal minors. As of now, women in Saudi Arabia do
not have the right to receive equal inheritance, marry, divorce, have custody
of their children, get a passport, travel, seek medical help, dress as they
like or choose a career without the consent of their male guardian. These women
should now concentrate on getting this unfair male guardianship law abolished.
The new crown prince
of Saudi Arabia, Mohammed Bin Salman who has already brought about a number of
progressive reforms, is considered to be behind the initiative to put an end to
the driving ban now. This action is seen as a move to remove the bad reputation
that Saudi has as the only nation in the world to bar women from driving. This
lifting of the ban definitely ushers in a new era of mobility for Saudi women. It may
also help the Saudi economy by bringing more women into the work force.
Bhadra S
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