The Economist: Are women on their way at last?

The Economist gives a recap about the amazing changes brewing in Saudi Arabia - the ideas about women and men mixing and yes, women driving. It's been quiet for a while in the English language press on the issue, but as the article says, it's a hot topic of discussion on the ground in the Kingdom itself. You can read the article by clicking on the title of this post, and it's listed on the right as well.

Op-ed Piece Opposing Proposed Network of Women-Only Buses

Saudi writer Sabria Jawhar argues that the proposal, currently before the Saudi Shoura Council, to set up a network of 600 buses to transport Saudi women, is a 'band aid' approach to the problem of women's transport. She argues that the Kingdom should be working instead toward giving women the right to drive. Click below or on the headline to read her article, which appeared in the Saudi Gazette on March 10, 2010. I'll also post it in the list of news stories at right.

Band-aid approach to solve women's transport problems

Visit Sabria's blog: Sabria's Out of the Box

Can They or Can't They? Do They or Don't They?

Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world where women are not allowed to drive. It's true that Saudi women can't get a driver's license to drive in public on the roads.

However, a few lucky women DO drive. Who are they?

1. The students, staff and faculty of the new university, "KAUST", the King Abdullah University for Science and Technology. Within the campus facility, women can drive.

2. Women within the big city-sized compounds of Saudi Aramco (the government run oil company) can drive. They are issued driving permits within the compounds. Some of these compounds are as big as a large California suburb.

3. Women in rural areas - in tiny villages and among the bedouin - have been driving for decades.

Outside of these areas though, women can't drive.

But do they????? YES! Some women have admitted to dressing up like men in order to get behind the wheel. Also, in emergencies, women have been known to drive. In late November, 2009, devastating floods stranded many motorists and many people were drowned. One young Saudi girl single-handedly saved the lives of people stuck in their cars. See the previous entry for that story.

A Saudi Girl Saves Lives - Despite the Driving Ban

The title of this entry links to an amazing news story about a Saudi girl who saved many people by towing them out of the water during the recent floods in Saudi Arabia. What can we learn from this? Saudi families are teaching their daughters to drive. Out in the desert, or while they are abroad. And what else can we conclude? Saudi girls are brave and courageous.
One more amazing thing? The first name of the courageous driver, Malak, (I think it's pronounced Mal-LAAK) means "Angel". Link on the title to read the story.

Saudi Woman Pilot and Driver in Cleveland.com

Photo by Thomas Ondrey

At right, and below, I've linked to a story in Cleveland.com about Nawal Alhawsawi, a Mecca-born Saudi woman who lives with her American husband in Cleveland. She's going for her pilot's license. In this, she's not the first, since Prince Waleed bin Talal has a Saudi woman pilot to help fly his aircraft. But Nawal is doing it on her own, with support of her husband and family. I'm including her story here because, first, she tells the journalist writing the story that she's done a midnight drive back home, which I believe is much more common than generally known outside Saudi Arabia. And second, because the issue of driving is on her mind, which she's not afraid to speak.  Here's a quote from the article by Robert L. Smith.

"...Alhawsawi loves her new home but she loves her homeland, too, and she moves between the two worlds like a time traveler, at once tourist and guide -- a modern American Muslim and a daughter of Mecca.

Which is why she says things like, "King Abdullah is a really awesome king. I think it's just a matter of time before women will drive cars, actually."

She drives a 1999 Hyundai around Northeast Ohio. Her goal of flying jetliners will have to wait. A new dream emerged from her work with battered women as a social worker for Cuyahoga County. It's a quest that will again break taboos back home...."

I totally recommend the story, and wish Ms. Alhawsawi all the best in both her worlds.
Here is the link:   http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2009/12/post_150.html

Please Let Us Drive - Link to Blog by a Saudi Woman

Here is a link to a wonderful blog entry about Saudi women driving from the Saudi Woman blog written by a Riyadh native and mother of three named Eman Al-Nafjan. The blog is great. The entry on driving has two wonderful video clips and many comments.

http://saudiwoman.wordpress.com/2009/09/26/please-let-us-drive/

As an aside, to pile on arguments in favor of Saudi women driving, a few years ago, I met a prominent Saudi female economist. She told me that the sheer amount of cash flowing out of Saudi Arabia to foreign drivers would be so much better reinvested locally...if families didn't have to pay for drivers. It would help diversify the economy, and would give those with fewer means the wherewithall to consider doing things like opening a service business.

Happy Saudi National Day - Happy KAUST Inauguration

September 23rd is Saudi national day - and a fitting day on which to officially inaugurate the founding of the King Abdallah University of Science and Technology. Within its walls, the university has similar, if not identical social rules to that of Saudi Aramco, the Saudi oil company that is managing the university. Women can drive, and men and women mix on campus and in the classroom. I think the press has been paying more attention to this than to the academics of the place. I have to say it intrigues me, but having visited Aramco's Dhahran headquarters and known friends who lived and worked there, I'm confident that it will be an amazing place. I hope they can transplant the Aramco ethic of behavior to the new university campus.