Women in Saudi Arabia are legally able to drive from June 24, when a ban on female drivers was lifted.
On September 26, 2017, King Salman issued a decree ending the ban, which was implemented as early as 1957.
The historic moment has been celebrated as a milestone for women’s rights in the kingdom, giving women greater freedom and independence (CNBC).
Saudi Arabian women have for decades relied on about 800,000 foreign chauffeurs to get around.
About 2,000 licenses have already been issued to women who can drive in the kingdom. But there are concerns that women in the driver’s seat will face harassment from conservative men in the kingdom. “Some men have already vowed to menace women drivers” on Saudi roads, according to The Wall Street Journal.
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- Review reactions to lifting of the ban, including social media posts from prominent women’s rights activists, politicians, and Saudi Arabian media.
- Examine the contrast between reports of women being detained for protesting the ban, and greater personal rights and freedoms that lifting of the ban will grant women in Saudi Arabia.
- Events across Saudi Arabia as women take the wheel.