The World Reacts to Women Finally Being Able to Drive in Saudi
by Amaliah Team in World on 27th September, 2017
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On Tuesday the 26th of September the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia announced that women were now allowed to drive. Whilst the change will be effective as of June 2018, the move signals a shift in attitudes and treatment towards women.
The amount of women working in Saudi has increased across a range of professions, in 2015 women were also granted the right to vote and run for positions in local councils.
The fight hasn’t been easy, Saudi rights groups and activists have been campaigning for years to overturn the ban and give women the right to drive, women have been imprisoned for instigating protests or driving itself.
One of the main activists Manal Al-Sharif who advocated for women’s right to drive and even wrote the book ‘Daring to drive’ 2011 she filmed herself driving in and posted it on Youtube. In her TED talk she shared:
2011 she filmed herself driving in and posted it on Youtube. In her TED talk she shared:
“So I drove. I posted a video on YouTube. And to my surprise, it got hundreds of thousands of views the first day. What happened next, of course? I started receiving threats to be killed, raped, just to stop this campaign.”
It’s important to recognize the women behind the move like Manal who were imprisoned as a result of trying to fight for the right. She also commented that “ I have no clue, really, how I became an activist. And I don’t know how I became one now. But all I know, and all I’m sure of, in the future when someone asks me my story, I will say:
“I’m proud to be amongst those women who lifted the ban, fought the ban, and celebrated everyone’s freedom.”
#Manal-al-Sharif, wonderful book –#daringtodrive & your activism has paid off, #SaudiArabia decrees that women will drive, finally…
— FKate (@FkateBritPerth) September 27, 2017
The reaction has been mixed, the moment is bitter-sweet, a reminder of how oppressed the women have been versus those who see it as a positive move for the world over and a win for women around the world.
There’s been celebration…
Great NEWS ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? #SaudiWomenCanDrive #الملك_ينتصر_لقياده_المراه pic.twitter.com/xmmrqeBTD9
— Anna MacMillan (@annamacmillan) September 26, 2017
Congrats #SaudiArabia women can finally drive!!! ???? #SaudiWomenCanDrive
— Mariah Idrissi ???????? (@MariahIdrissi) September 27, 2017
"Saudi Arabia allows women to drive" … Yeeeah Baby!!#SaudiWomenCanDrive pic.twitter.com/Pu5K5vdIiH
— Osman Khan (@Osman303) September 26, 2017
#NewProfilePic#Women2Drive @LatuffCartoons ❤️ pic.twitter.com/KQ4n0Zblp1
— منال مسعود الشريف (@manal_alsharif) September 26, 2017
One item off the list #SaudiWomenCanDrive pic.twitter.com/Se2p4Cr56J
— Alaasatir △⃒⃘ (@alaa_satir) September 26, 2017
#Rihanna posts Instagram support of Saudi women’s license to drive https://t.co/3fQRkMsVsS #SaudiWomenCanDrive pic.twitter.com/0YdujtHS9m
— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) September 27, 2017
Questions have been raised
The secularisation of Saudi should not be overlooked in celebrating the removal of the unislamic & nonsensical law that the driving ban was
— shariahaisha (@shariahaisha) September 26, 2017
Was this ban only lifted cause Saudi Gov wanted to change West perception of women in Saudi? Is this cause "feminism" is hot in West rn?
— Mariam (@helloiammariam) September 27, 2017
Concern for the drivers who will lose their livelihood
While I am really glad for the Saudi women at the same time worried for the Pakistani drivers losing their jobs. #SaudiWomenCanDrive
— Arslan (@mylifeinjaypeg) September 26, 2017
Concern for safety. Is society in Saudi ready?
#SaudiWomenCanDrive honestly I’m kinda worried about the sexual harassment, women get enough shit on foot, hope they’re safe.
— bagel (@maj_oib) September 26, 2017
Manal tweeted in response to the recent move, reminding us that change starts with one step and one person.
You want a statement here is one: "Saudi Arabia will never be the same again. The rain begins with a single drop" #Women2Drive ❤️
— منال مسعود الشريف (@manal_alsharif) September 26, 2017
Amaliah Team
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