#SaudiWomenCanDrive
The news on Tuesday that Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman issued a decree to lift the driving ban on women was certainly welcomed from many sides. Joy came particularly from activist groups in the country, some of whose members have previously been imprisoned for campaigning against the ban or for defying the rule over recent years. Is this the first sign that the historically strict conservative Islamic kingdom is set to change?
Social media has been quick to pick up the hashtag #SaudiWomenCanDrive, with Saudi feminist activists like Loujain Hathloul and Maysaa Al Amoudi, who were previously jailed for defying the driving rule, tweeting notes of celebration.
We cannot deny this is certainly a step forward for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia and the jubilance is well deserved. The ban has long been highlighted by the outside world as demonstrating the oppression that women face in the Kingdom. Now, with its lifting, it signals a step towards promoting greater gender parity in the country and demonstrates a relaxing of Sharia law. It will give women greater independence and freedom to go about their everyday lives. Many women who have previously had to rely on paying drivers to get to work or to go about their daily lives will now have their budgets loosened and will thus have more opportunity to participate in the economy. Women who could not afford a driver will no longer be restricted to their households. Economic need was indeed one of the main arguments pushed by activists in bringing the change about.
However, we should remember that this is only the first step in a long overdue process. To maintain its momentum, this act must be followed by further progressive policies. This is indeed something which the Crown Prince seems to be moving towards with his ‘Vision 2030’, a plan which seeks to modernise society in line with progress internationally, while also rejuvenating sectors such as tourism and entertainment.
There are still prominent voices in conservative arenas in the country condemning the decision as going against Sharia law, making it clear that societal change is far from imminent. One Saudi cleric recently weighed in on the issue claiming in a lecture that women “don’t deserve to drive because they only have a quarter of a brain.” Whilst many were critical of his comments, it still shows the gulf of opinions across society when it comes to matters of gender, and even with legislative change it is likely women drivers will still face opposition and criticism from such a conservative part of society. Just recently, the decision to allow women to partake in National Day celebrations, as part of Salman’s ‘Vision 2030’, sparked similar criticism across social media from those seeing women’s participation as sinful.
True equality cannot be achieved until society fully supports it, and this is where the Crown Prince will face the most difficult test: how the regime will deal with such criticism, even within its own ranks. Nevertheless, the move signals that Salman is no longer bound by the conservative politics of the past and is willing to address social change by pushing against the traditional political environment. It shows he will not give in to pressure from prominent clerics that have for a long time had significant political clout in governance and have been vocal against the relaxing of such laws.
Still, there is a lot of work to be done in Saudi Arabia. Women still can’t walk alone; they can’t raise their voices; they must adhere to a strict dress code; they cannot travel, work or access healthcare without the company of or written consent from a man. They cannot live a free life. Even with this latest move, women may still need permission from a male to drive, under the legislative restrictions of male guardianship. It is still unclear whether they will need this permission to apply for a licence and is a point that has been less mentioned in news reports.
So, while this move is certainly a welcome step in the right direction, women remain a long way from achieving full citizenship and equality.
Feature Image: Carlos Latuff .
