GulfNews reports on June 29, 2018 that a young Saudi woman produced a Youtube video singing in Arabic rap about women driving. A link to the story is here and it's pasted below:
Leesa offers constructive saftey advice in her song stressing the importance of buckling up
Saudi woman Leesa stresses the importance of buckling up while driving in her rap song.Image Credit: Youtube
Saudi young woman celebrate right to drive in rap song.Image Credit: Youtube
Saudi young woman celebrate right to drive in rap song.Image Credit: Youtube
Published: 11:39 June 28, 2018
Habib Toumi, Bureau Chief
Manama:
A Saudi young woman has composed a rap song “We Are Driving” to
celebrate the lifting of the ban on women driving in the kingdom.
In her Hijazi rap song, in reference to the western part of Saudi Arabia, Leesa celebrated the glory of the historic 10/10 date.
The
date refers the tenth day of the tenth month of the lunar-based Islamic
calendar, Shawwal, and corresponds to June 24 when the ban was lifted.
Don’t
forget that today is the tenth day and this means no need for taxis. I
am not kidding, today I can serve (drive) myself,” she sang.
Leesa also offered safety advice to
women driving on busy roads, stressing the importance of buckling
up.Saudi and Gulf women on Sunday celebrated with the right of women to
drive in the kingdom.
The decision was announced in a royal decree
in September but several months were alotted to prepare the logistics
for the event, including setting up driving schools and finding
experienced women driving instructors.
Saudi Arabia also enacted a strict anti-harassment law to ensure the full safety of women drivers on roads.
The Arab News sent a reporter to rent a car and report on how it's done. A link to the story is here and the story (with video) is pasted in below. It was published on June 29, 2018.
Arab News' Mo Gannon went to find out how easy it was to rent a car as a
foreign women in Saudi Arabia. Visiting from Dubai Mo went to a branch
of Budget rent a car in Jeddah.
AFP Riyadh reports on June 24, 2018 about one young Saudi woman starting to drive, Samar Almogren. A link to the story is here, and the text is pasted in below.
It's midnight in Riyadh, and Samar Almogren is making her way across the city she was born and raised in. (AFP)
Women in Riyadh and other cities began zipping around streets bathed in amber light soon after the ban was lifted.
Saudi Arabia ended its longstanding ban on
women driving on Sunday - and the second the clock struck midnight,
women across the country started their engines.
This is what it was like for one of those women as she drove across Riyadh, the city of her birth, in her own words:
"My name is Samar Almogren. I'm a talkshow host and writer.
"I took off my niqab a long time ago. When I
first decided to show my face on television, it did not go down well. My
brothers were very upset. But my father supported me, and has always
supported me in all of my life decisions. He's the one who encouraged me
to study abroad.
"I've driven in different countries before,
and I have an international driver's license, but it's going to be
totally different here. At home.
"I actually hate driving. But that's not the
point. The point is that it is my right. I can drive, and whether I
choose to or not is another issue.
"My whole body is tingling right now. To get
in my car, to hold this steering wheel, after having lived my entire
life, since the moment I entered this world, in the back seat... This is
now my responsibility, and I'm more than ready to bear it. I've long
depended on myself.
"I always knew this day would come. But it came fast. Sudden.
"I think this was the biggest stumbling block.
I don't see any more obstacles from here on. Driving was the big one,
and that's done now.
"Everyone's already asking me to drive them to
work or to come for coffee. It's going to be great to be able to take
my mother around, rather than have her sit in the backseat with a driver
who's a stranger. No, my mom isn't going to drive, at her age. We're
going to drive her around, me and my sisters. We want to spoil her.
"What's most important to me is that I can
drive my baby around. It's the worst thing to me to have to entrust him
to a driver, even though I'm always with him in the car.
"I wore white tonight because it's the colour of peace. I feel like a butterfly... No, a bird. I feel free like a bird."
The Washington Post covers women driving in a June 24, 2018 story by Kareem Fahim. You can link to the story here, and the text is pasted below.
After midnight, on June 24, the day the ban on
women driving in Saudi is lifted, Ahd Niazy's mother, Dania Alagili, 47,
parks the car after taking her family for a stroll for the first time
in the streets of Jeddah. (Iman Al-Dabbagh/For The Washington Post)
JIDDAH, Saudi Arabia
–With her husband in the passenger seat and her daughter cheering her
on, Dania Alagili guided her sport utility vehicle onto the King
Abdulaziz Road early Sunday, breaking a barrier by becoming just another
Saudi driver in the roaring traffic.
“This is a day I’ve been waiting for,” she said. “For the last 30 years.”
Saudi
Arabia allowed women to drive for the first time on Sunday, lifting a
ban that was the last of its kind in the world and one that had come to
symbolize the kingdom’s harsh subjugation of women.
In
an effort to modernize the country, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman
has eased some social restrictions. And by the standards of the Saudi
Arabia, an absolute monarchy guided by an ultraconservative religious
creed, reforms that seemed like the barest of innovations – like the
lifting of the driving ban or the opening of cinemas – are viewed by
many here as revolutionary, if long overdue.
That
Alagili, 47, had earned her driving license 23 years ago, in the United
States, did nothing to dampen the joy on Sunday of driving in her own
city, on her own roads, on her own.
Without the driving privileges, and dependent on men, “I felt heavy, tied back,” she said.
She
headed to her father’s house, knowing he would want to share the moment
with his only daughter. “For women it’s a big deal. And for the men who
supported us,” she said.
Ahd Niazy tells her mom, Dania Alagili , how proud she is of her. (Iman Al-Dabbagh/For The Washington Post)
Cars raced by on
the King Abdulaziz Road, a harrowing stretch of freeway that is also
perhaps an argument for reevaluating the driving privileges of some of
the men in Saudi Arabia.
"You’re doing great momma,” her daughter, Ahd Niazy,
23, said from the back seat. Hany Niazy, Dania’s husband, called the
couple’s other daughter, Layal, 19, who lives in Washington, D.C. Her
face appeared on his phone.
“Momma how do you feel?” Layal asked.
“I feel great,” he mother said. “I feel wonderful. I am born today.”
Nine years after I started this little blog, I am so happy to be at my computer, counting down the minutes until women in Saudi Arabia will be able to drive legally. Over all these years, reading about the issue from so many angles, it was still such a delight to learn the news last September that the ban would be lifted at last.
And now the day is here. People are sending out tweets of congratulations. Women are tweeting that they are getting ready to drive. Others are tweeting to women to take the responsibility of driving seriously. And the world watches. Another tweet mentions that filming and photographing women drivers in order to mock them is forbidden and punishable by fines and even prison. I trust that cool heads will prevail and people will be mature about this change.
Fortunately, Saudis like to stay up late, so I think those who go out driving in 47 minutes (yikes it's coming up soon) will find that there a lots of people on the road. I hope there will be some peaceful celebrations and ululations (zaghareed).
My novel, A Caravan of Brides, has a chapter in it imagining that on the first day of women driving (set in 2018 by pure luck) that women stand on the steps at the Traffic Department and let out zaghareed. I don't think that will happen tonight, but maybe someday.
Now it is nine minutes to midnight. Now it is two minutes. I eagerly await coverage of the day, especially what people post about their first drives.
It is so wonderful to be alive to see this change take place.
And now, the moment has arrived. Congratulations and Hallelujah!!!!!
The June 21, 2018 English language daily, the Arab News, reported on women getting ready to drive. You can link to the story here, and the text is pasted in below.
The story is by Nur Nugali and Rawan Radwan
Women who already held valid driving licenses from authorized countries found the process of switching to a Saudi one simple.
Women who already held valid driving licenses from authorized countries found the process of switching to a Saudi one simple
Many women plan to hit the road on June 24 and enjoy their new travel independence, without the need for a man to drive them
In just three days’ time, Saudi women will be able to take to the wheel and drive.
Many have been telling Arab News how simple it was to obtain a license,
how much they are looking forward to driving — and what this
transformation in Saudi society means to them.
“It is as if I have been recognized as an equal citizen,” said Hatoon
Ajwad Al-Fassi, a historian and columnist at Al Riyadh newspaper. “I
have to admit that it’s a bit surreal.”
Women who already held valid driving licenses from authorized countries found the process of switching to a Saudi one simple.
“I have never seen such ease in obtaining my Saudi license, the easiest
license I’ve ever gotten in my life,” said Noor Ashadawi, 36. a finance
manager in Alkhobar.
“After going through Absher and making an appointment at the Traffic and
Road Safety Department website, we got an appointment for early Ramadan
in Alkhobar. It was canceled, but I was given a new one for the next
day.”
“The process didn’t take more than 15 to 20 minutes maximum. The staff
inside were extremely friendly. I could say they were just as happy as
we were to be there.
“It’s very exciting and reassuring to see that everyone is on board and
supporting us. I am, as are many, simply overjoyed, and can’t wait.”
Al-Fassi said: “I felt strange going in the front door of the main
traffic department, one of the taboo places for women in Saudi Arabia.
But I was well received and guided to the licenses section immediately.”
Norah Al-Jaser, an employee at a telecommunications company, has
registered in the driving school in Riyadh and hopes to obtain her
license soon. She has recently started attending theoretical driving
lessons. “Attending the classes has given me insight into the traffic
laws in place. I can see that unfortunately they’re not being
implemented by many drivers, but I plan on abiding by the laws.
“I intend following the rules to the letter, or else what would be the
point of taking all the necessary theoretical and practical lessons?
The material is very thorough and I believe it’s the most ideal lessons
to ensure we succeed and drive safely on our roads.”
Many women plan to hit the road on June 24 and enjoy their new travel
independence, without the need for a man to drive them. Others will wait
it out for a while, in case the first few weeks on the road are hectic
and chaotic.
“After driving for 18 years abroad, I’m elated with the fact I had my
Saudi licence issued to me with tremendous ease,” said Najla Redwan, a
home business owner and examiner at the Jeddah Advanced Driving School.
“I am also an examiner at a school and I would like to drive in my city,
Jeddah, which I hope to do soon.
“As an examiner, it’s my job to evaluate students and give them a
passing or failing grade before they head to the Traffic and Road Safety
Department. But I can see how driven and determined the students are to
commit to the material being taught at the school and how much of a
burden will be lifted once they get their chance at driving.
“The class has people from all walks of life, but one thing’s for sure,
they’re here to learn and are determined to be the best they could be
for their sake and the sake of this given right.”
And what will these women do on their first day at the wheel? “I’m
planning to drive with my husband and children around Riyadh,” Al-Fassi
said. “Celebrating will be the first aim, then I will see where I need
to go on that day.”
“The gym and office, of course!” said Ashadawi, with a laugh. “I’m
finally going to drive myself to work instead of quarreling with my
sister over who takes the driver first. It’s going to be good and I
can’t wait.”
Just five days ahead of women being able to drive in Saudi Arabia, Reuters published this story on June 18, 2018. A link to the story is here, and the text is pasted below. Note: I am unable to reproduce the images from the story so you'll have to go to the link to see them.
DHAHRAN, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - On June 24, when Saudi women are
allowed to drive for the first time, Amira Abdulgader wants to be
sitting at the wheel, the one in control, giving a ride to her mother
beside her.
“Sitting
behind the wheel (means) that you are the one controlling the trip,”
said the architect, dressed in a black veil, who has just finished
learning to drive. “I would like to control every single detail of my
trip. I will be the one to decide when to go, what to do, and when I
will come back.”
Abdulgader is one of about 200 women at the
state oil firm Aramco taking advantage of a company offer to teach
female employees and their families at its driving academy in Dhahran to
support the social revolution sweeping the kingdom.
"We
need the car to do our daily activities. We are working, we are
mothers, we have a lot of social networking, we need to go out - so we
need transport," she said. "It will change my life."
Women
make up about five percent of Aramco’s 66,000 staff, meaning that 3,000
more could eventually enroll in the driving school.
Last
September, King Salman decreed an end to the world’s only ban on women
drivers, maintained for decades by Saudi Arabia’s deeply conservative
Muslim establishment.
But it is his son, 32-year-old Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who is the face of the wider social revolution.
Many
young Saudis regard his ascent to power as proof that their generation
is finally getting a share of control over a country whose patriarchal
traditions have for decades made power the province of old men.
For Abdulgader, June 24 will be the day to celebrate that change, and there is only one person she wants to share it with.
Slideshow (17 Images)
“On
June 24, I would like to go to my mother’s house and take her for a
ride. This is my first plan actually, and I would like really to enjoy
it with my mother. Just me and my mother, without anyone else.”
On June 14, 2018, the Saudi English language daily the Arab News reported this story. A link to the story is here, and the text is pasted in below.
JEDDAH: Chevrolet Middle East will help to put women in the driving seat
by offering its 24/7 roadside assistance service to all female drivers
in the Kingdom once the ban is lifted on June 24.
The service will be available to all women regardless of the brand of car that they drive.
Making this program available beyond the standard offer that comes with
its new cars for four years, Chevrolet aims to deliver the same level of
confidence to all women deciding to join the Kingdom’s driving
community.
The roadside assistance program will start once the ban is lifted as part of the decree issued by King Salman.
FASTFACTS
Chevrolet’s extended 24/7 roadside assistance will be available for
women drivers in KSA for eight weeks from June 24. The service will
include recovery after an accident, flat tire changes, courtesy
transportation to get drivers home, fuel deliveries of up to 20 liters,
recovery after being stuck in sand, emergency towing, and battery-jump
starts.
Molly Peck, chief marketing officer at General Motors Middle East, said:
“Safety is part of our very foundation at Chevrolet and we continuously
work to find ways to deliver on this promise to our customers, their
cars, and their security on the road, and KSA is no different. Engrained
in the Saudi community for more than 90 years now, we have been a
constant companion providing dependable means of transport to both men
and women, which is why extending our 24/7 roadside assistance program
to all women drivers in Saudi was a natural step for Chevrolet.”
“With our #UpToMe campaign earlier this year, we greeted His Majesty’s
announcement with optimism to recognize Saudi women’s new-found
possibility to decide, emphasizing that from this June onwards, it’s up
to them,” she said. “I am extremely proud that with this move, women
exercising their choice to drive in the Kingdom can now have complete
peace of mind thanks to the response, security and convenience of our
24/7 roadside assistance program, regardless of what brand of car they
decide to drive.”
The regional roadside assistance program already offers 24/7 emergency services to customers across the GCC, Jordan and Lebanon.
In September 2017, a royal decree announced the end of a decades-long ban on women driving.
Saudi women nationwide are counting down to June 24 to make history and
take the wheel. Some have already enrolled in driving lessons offered by
five Saudi universities, while others exchanged their existing
international license with a Saudi one.
Story by Ashleigh Stewart in The National on June 11, 2018, about the first European and the first American women to get drivers licenses in Saudi Arabia. You can link to the story here, and read the whole article below. Note: the linked story has some great images. I couldn't capture them all here.
Laura Alho and Kelly Downing show off their new driving licences in Riyadh. Abdul Ahad for The National.
Sheer
determination: that's what friends Kelly Downing and Laura Alho believe
got them two of the first driving licences issued to foreign women by
Saudi Arabia.
The pair had been keen to get their licences as soon as possible
after Saudi authorities announced the ban on female drivers was to be
lifted. However, they didn't quite expect to become the first westerners
to receive them.
"It still feels very surreal. It's very exciting," Ms Alho told The National. "I have been waiting for this thing forever."
She even owns a jacket with "June 24 2018" — the date she will
finally be able to use her new licence — and the corresponding date in
the Islamic calendar, embroidered on the back.
The positive impact on Saudi women becoming drivers has been widely
acknowledged. But it is also going to influence their foreign
compatriots — those who may have already been drivers in their home
countries.
Ms Alho is in her 11th year of living in the kingdom. She arrived as a
single Finnish woman to take up a nursing job. Now she is married with
two children, running a full-time Saudi-focused travel blog.
Ms Downing moved from the suburbs of Washington DC to Riyadh in late 2012, after her Saudi husband finished his MBA. She met Ms Alho
through mutual friends months later, and the pair have been excitedly
watching the succession of reforms in the country ever since.
Driving licences were issued to 10 Saudi women last Monday, just
weeks before Saudi Arabia's ban on female drivers is to be lifted on
June 24.
The Ministry of Information said another 2,000 licensed female drivers would join their ranks this week.
"It's been a rapid rise of changes recently," Ms Downing said. "The ways things are currently, I'm very, very happy to be here.
"Having the ability to choose is wonderful, I don't miss going to
movies or sports stadiums, but driving has been a big thing for me."
The two friends made sure they were among the first to register when
the system for booking appointments opened on May 21. They opened their
Absher accounts on the Ministry of Interior website, submitted their
documents — including a medical report and translations of their foreign
licences — and managed to book the first spots on the first day expats
with foreign licences could have their paperwork converted.
"As soon as I saw that the system was up for appointments, I woke my
husband before prayer and said I had to do it," Ms Downing said.
"He knew from the beginning that I wanted to be the first, so he
helped me navigate the websites and get everything in order and
everything submitted correctly."
However, a couple of days later their appointments were cancelled as the system was not ready.
Laura Alho's jacket counts down to the day she'll be able to finally get behind the wheel. Abdul Ahad for The National.
Last Tuesday, they both received messages at night saying their appointments had been scheduled for the next morning.
Ms Downing was scheduled for 11.20am, soon after the traffic department opened, and Ms Alho was scheduled for soon afterwards.
After having their thumbprints taken and licence information entered
into the system came a short driving test around a course in the car
park. It lasted only a couple of minutes, Ms Alho said. She had to
demonstrate a three-point turn and a parallel park as the driving
instructor watched from outside, following the car along the course.
"Laura arrived moments after I was handed my licence and it was
incredible to hug her and share my happiness in that moment," Ms Downing
said.
"It was so straightforward, it was amazing. I was prepared to wait
all day if I had to, but everyone was in a great mood. I keep saying
it's the best DMV experience I've ever had."
"The guy gave me the thumbs up, but then I went back inside he said
to my friend 'you passed' and to me, 'you didn't pass'," Ms Alho said.
"And I said are you serious? He said 'no, of course you passed'."
When they collected their new licences moments later, they asked
whether they had indeed managed to be the first expatriates to get their
licences. They were told they had, being the first American and first
European respectively, with several Saudi women and one Lebanese woman
just sneaking in before them that day.
"It felt incredible, I was just so happy. It means so much for my
life here. I already have a say in my life because my husband gives me a
say, but now I'm independent and I can leave the house without worrying
about a driver," Ms Downing said.
Ms Alho agreed. "I think it's a really great time to be here, it's
such a historic moment and we've been waiting for so long," she said.
"It's going to make such a huge difference in everyday life. You can do
spur-of-the-moment things, like going to restaurants or to the park. You
always had to plan those in advance before."
And, come June 24, the duo have agreed that, whether it be a road
trip or simply taking in the sights of Riyadh, they'll be on the road
somewhere, together.
Women in rural Saudi Arabia have been driving for years. This June 8, 2018 story from Okaz and Saudi Gazette was picked up by the western media. Here is a link to the story and the text (her picture too) are pasted in below. The story is by Ali Al Robai.
Amsa Hathel, 60, was the first woman to sit behind the wheel in the southwestern Saudi province of Al-Baha 40 years ago
AMSA Hathel was the first Saudi woman to drive in the southwestern Saudi
province of Al-Baha around 40 years ago and today she is the first
Saudi woman in the region to get a driver’s license.
“I have been
driving for the last 40 years and never have I made an accident or
broken traffic rules. I always drive on the outskirts of the city near
where I live and never in my life have I been criticized by any of the
residents,” she said, adding that she learned how to drive by herself
and nobody taught her.
Amsa, who is over 60 years old now, is
happy that women in the Kingdom will finally be able to drive and enjoy
one of their basic rights granted to them by the country's law.
Amsa
said when she was young, she used to ride with her uncle and run
errands. She picked up driving skills from him and learned to fix the
car if it broke down. The harsh life of the village and her mother’s
illness encouraged her to learn driving because she had to drive her
mother to the hospital on a monthly basis.
She would use unpaved roads to avoid being spotted by traffic officers. Her father died long time ago leaving them alone.
She
told her future husband that she would only marry him if he allowed her
how to drive. And he did, but her husband had to move to Riyadh later,
leaving her on her own. But Amsa managed to fend for herself by driving
on a daily basis.
“I always drive carefully and never engage in any behavior that might risk road safety,” she said.
On June 5, 2018, the Saudi Gazette reports reactions to the first Saudi women being granted drivers licenses. A link to the story is here and the text is pasted below. JEDDAH — Many Saudis celebrated the historic day when Saudi Arabia began issuing its first driving licenses to women on Monday.
“Ten
Saudi women made history on Monday when they were issued driving
licenses,” said the Information Ministry’s Center for International
Communication (CIC).
“Expectations are that next week an additional 2,000 women will join the ranks of licensed drivers in the Kingdom.”
The
video of the first Saudi woman Ahlam Al-Thenayan receiving her driving
license at the General Directorate of Traffic went viral on social
media.
Esraa Al-Batti expressed joy on Twitter and said it was “an indescribable feeling of happiness.”
Hanadi
Alsunaid said she’s “looking forward to drive in her own country and go
to work by herself, thanking the leadership for continuously empowering
women.”
Wafa Mohammed Humaid enthusiastically shared her new ID
calling it a historic day and is waiting for the next historic moment
when women start to drive in the Kingdom.
Rema Jawdat said it was an exceptional day for her receiving her driving license and posted, “Finally, it’s a dream come true.”
Commenting
on the number one trending news on Twitter, media personality and
writer Nawal Al-Jabr told Saudi Gazette that she plans to enroll in a
driving school and learn how to drive.
“The royal decree allowing
women to drive aims at reinforcing the Saudi woman’s status and
position in society and enabling her to be an independent and productive
citizen enjoying all her rights,” said Al-Jabr, a full-time working
manager who lives with her husband and son.
Fatima Al-Zahrani, a
medical student, said, “I’ve been driving for almost eight years now in
Canada or whenever I travel to other countries and I like the
independence and the ability to explore. Although there are some
benefits to having a driver especially after an overnight shift, not
everyone can afford to have a driver.”
Writer and analyst Dr.
Abdulmajeed Al-Jallal said, “Finally, Saudi women’s dreams have come
true and turned into a wonderful reality during the era of King Salman. I
congratulate the women and the future looks bright for them!”
In
a poll of some 350 respondents about their plans for driving, around 37
percent said they are eager to join a driving school to learn driving
while others said they either have an international driving license or
don’t wish to drive.
The Ministry of Interior has created a
specific website (www.sdlp.sa) for Saudis and expats to register for the
issuance and replacement of licenses.
“Dear sister, you need to
register in Abshir to benefit from all services,” says the portal asking
users to apply online through Abhsir for the replacement or issuance of
licenses.
On June 5, 2018, the BBC reports about the first ten licenses being granted to Saudi women who had international drivers licenses and who passed a driving test. A link to the story is here, and the text is pasted in below.
Ten women swapped their foreign licences for Saudi ones on Monday in cities across the country.
However, women's rights activists have complained of a new crackdown - with several being arrested.
A flood of applications is now expected in the run-up to 24 June when the ban will end.
Saudi
Arabia's laws require women to seek male permission for various
decisions and actions, and that extends to the ban on women driving.
Media captionSaudi woman receives driving licence as the kingdom prepares to end its banPreviously, that meant that families had to hire private drivers to transport female relatives.
But
rights groups in the kingdom have campaigned for years to allow women
to drive, and some women have been imprisoned for defying the rule.
Several activists, men and women, were arrested last month, accused of being "traitors" and working with foreign powers.
Loujain al-Hathloul, a well-known figure in the campaign for women's driving rights, was believed to be one of those held.
Rights
group Amnesty International described the arrests as "blatant
intimidation tactics". On Sunday, Saudi prosecutors said 17 people in
total had been detained, but said eight had been released "temporarily".
Ms Hathloul has been detained previously, including once in 2014 when she attempted to drive across the border from the United Arab Emirates. She served 73 days at a juvenile detention centre as a result, and documented many of her experiences on Twitter.
'A dream come true'
"Expectations
are that next week an additional 2,000 women will join the ranks of
licensed drivers in the kingdom," a statement from the Saudi information
ministry said.
It added that the 10 women who had collected their new Saudi licences had "made history".
"It's
a dream come true that I am about to drive in the kingdom," Rema
Jawdat, who received a licence, was quoted as saying by the ministry.
"Driving to me represents having a choice - the choice of independent movement. Now we have that option."
The lifting of the driving ban was announced last September and
is part of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's programme to modernise
some aspects of Saudi society.
Image copyrightEVNImage caption
A woman buckles her seatbelt before doing a driving test
He has spearheaded the Vision 2030 programme to diversify the economy away from oil and open up Saudi society.
But there are still limits on what Saudi women can do.
Saudi law enforces a strict form of Sunni Islam known as Wahhabism and is known for its gender segregation rules.
Women
have to adhere to strict dress codes, must not associate with unrelated
men, and if they want to travel, work or access healthcare they must be
accompanied by - or receive written permission from - a male guardian.
Today, June 4, 2018, is another historic day - one of many for Saudi women.
Al-Arabiyya.net reports on the video of the first Saudi woman to receive a driving license.
A link to the story is here, and the story is pasted in below.
storic moment unfolded in Saudi Arabia on Monday when, after months
of preparations, the first driving license was issued to a woman.
A
video, that quickly went viral, showed the woman being handed over the
driving license by the officials. “Thousands of congratulations to the
daughters of the homeland, being issued the first license in Saudi
Arabia,” the tweet read.
Earlier last month, the date of the issuing of
licenses was announced. Saudi women will be allowed to start driving in
the kingdom from June 24, the General Department of Traffic Director
General Mohammed al-Bassami had then said.
“All
the requirements for women in the kingdom to start driving have been
established,” Bassami was quoted as saying in a statement released by
the government on May 8.
In September 2017, a royal decree
announced the end of a decades-long ban on women driving — the only one
of its kind in the world.
Women from US, Canada, Wales to train female driving instructors in Saudi Arabia
Women 18 years of age and older will be allowed to apply for a driver's license, Bassami said.
Driving schools for women have been set up across five cities in the kingdom, and teachers will include Saudi women who obtained their licenses abroad.
Women
with foreign driving licenses will be able to apply for a local one
through a separate process, which will also assess their driving skills.
ALSO: Saudi women learn road safety measures ahead of driving license procedures
"It is no secret that many women in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia hold driving licenses from abroad," the statement added. Saudi women have previously petitioned the government for the lifting of the ban, and even taken to the wheel in protest.
Crown
Prince Mohammad Bin Salman, 32, is seen as the force behind the lifting
of the ban, part of a series of reforms being pushed.
His
Vision 2030 reform plan for a post-oil era seeks to elevate women to
nearly one-third of the workforce, up from about 22 per cent now.
The decision to allow women to drive could give them the much-needed mobility to join the workforce.
Last Update: Monday, 4 June 2018 KSA 17:13 - GMT 14:13
