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King
Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud issued a decree authorizing the issuance of
drivers' licences for women — Saudi state TV
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Saudi Arabia said Tuesday
it would allow women to drive, the last country in the world to do so, sparking
euphoria and disbelief among activists in the ultra-conservative kingdom, where
social restrictions are increasingly being loosened.
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A woman
drives a car in Saudi Arabia October 22, 2013. (Reuters)
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AFP
report continues:
The
longstanding driving ban was seen internationally as a symbol of repression of
women in the Gulf kingdom and its repeal comes after years of resistance from
female activists.
The
shock announcement, which risks riling religious conservatives, is part of
Saudi Arabia's ambitious reform push aimed at adapting to a post-oil era and
improving a global reputation battered by its human rights record.
"King
Salman bin Abdulaziz al Saud has issued a decree authorizing the issuance of
drivers' licences for women in the kingdom," Saudi state TV said.
"The
decree will take effect in June 2018."
Saudi
Arabia will use the "preparatory period" until then to expand
licensing facilities and develop the infrastructure to accommodate millions of
new drivers, the announcement added.
Conservative
clerics in Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy ruled according to sharia law,
have long justified the ban arguing that lifting it would lead to promiscuity.
One of them claimed that driving harmed women's ovaries.
Many
women's rights activists have been jailed for flouting the ban.
The
surprise announcement was widely welcomed, both at home and abroad.
"A
glorious day. Can't hold back my tears," tweeted Saudi shura council
member Latifah Alshaalan. "Congratulations to the women of my
homeland."
Activist
Manal al-Sharif, who led the 2011 "Women2Drive" protest movement,
tweeted: "Today, the last country on earth to allow women to drive... we
did it."
"It
is a testimony to the bravery of women activists who have been campaigning for
years that... Saudi Arabia has finally relented and decided to permit women to
drive," rights watchdog Amnesty International said.
- Tight restrictions -
Saudi
Arabia has some of the world's tightest restrictions on women.
Under
the country's guardianship system, a male family member -- normally the father,
husband or brother — must grant permission for a woman's study, travel and
other activities.
It
was unclear whether women would require their guardian's permission to apply
for a driving licence.
After
Tuesday's historic announcement, the hashtags "I am my own guardian"
and "Saudi Women Can Drive" began gaining traction on social media,
while many openly lampooned conservatives who long favoured the ban.
One
Saudi woman tweeted a picture of three women in a convertible going shopping,
with the message: "Us soon."
The
policy could socially liberate women — heavily reliant on foreign drivers and
ride-sharing apps — and also boost the economy at a time of low oil prices by
increasing their participation in the workforce, experts say.
The
announcement follows a dazzling gender-mixed celebration of Saudi national day
at the weekend, the first of its kind, which aimed to spotlight the kingdom's
reform drive despite a backlash from religious conservatives.
Men
and women danced in the streets to drums and electronic music, in scenes that
are a stunning anomaly in a country known for its tight gender segregation and
an austere vision of Islam.
Women
were also allowed into a sports stadium — previously a male-only arena — to
watch a concert, a move that chimes with the government's Vision 2030 plan for
social and economic reform.
With
more than half the country aged under 25, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the
king's son and the architect of Vision 2030, is seen as catering to the aspirations
of younger people.
- 'A great step' -
US
President Donald Trump welcomed the decision as "a positive step toward
promoting the rights and opportunities of women in Saudi Arabia",
according to a White House statement.
The
US State Department called it a "great step in the right direction",
echoing a similar comment from UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres.
Tuesday's
announcement comes at a crucial time for Saudi Arabia.
The
oil kingpin is in a battle for regional influence with arch-rival Iran, bogged
down in a controversial military intervention in neighbouring Yemen and at
loggerheads with fellow US Gulf ally Qatar.
"Allowing
women to drive is the biggest PR win that Saudi Arabia — and Prince Mohammed — could have in a single swoop," said Jane Kinninmont, from London's
Chatham House.
Already
viewed as the de facto ruler controlling all the major levers of government,
heir apparent Prince Mohammed, 32, is seen as stamping out traces of internal
dissent before any formal transfer of power from his 81-year-old father.
His
gambit to loosen social restrictions, which has so far not translated into more
political and civil rights, seeks to ease criticism over a recent political
crackdown, some analysts say.
Authorities this month arrested more than two dozen people, including influential clerics and activists, in what critics decried as a coordinated crackdown.
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