The first female driver for Ubers Middle East’s rival has arrived, setting a new course for women integrating the patriarchal workforce.
After Saudi Arabia issued their first driver’s license to women, when they lifted the ban on June 24. Nearly, 10 women have received their license, including Saudi Arabia’s first professional driver.
Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world where women were not given the right to drive and therefore were limited to a lot of jobs and opportunities, but most importantly they were denied the right to independence.
Nearly 2,000 licenses are expected to be issued for women next week, according to a statement from the ministry Information.
“The general directorate of traffic today started replacing international driving licenses recognized in the kingdom with Saudi license, in preparation for allowing women to drive,” the official Saudi Press was said.
This has been a right that many Saudi Arabian women have been campaigning for and fortunately, they have been successful with it though at the cost of many women’s liberty.
Many of the activists who pushed for change are still detained. At least ten of the prominent Saudi activists have now been reported to still be in jail, after being labeled as traitors by the state.
According to the human rights organizations working outside the Kingdom, they warned the activist women about commenting on the lift on the ban of female drivers, due to the fact that it could have potentially put their life in danger. Saudi Arabia is a very patriarchal society and to this day refuse to accept women as powerful and influetial members of society.
Saudi Arabia guardianship system requires women to obtain permission from their fathers, brothers, husbands or in some cases even their sons in order to make an decision.
Having the right to drive allows women to experience a new independence.
It will would also allow women to continue exploring their borders and motivate other women to speak up about issues that matter to them and be part of the feminist movement.
“We know of a least nine individuals who have been arrested whose names are circulating on social media. We believe there are nine confirmed, but we fear that there may be others who will arrested in the comings days.” Said a source recently.
Social media has once been useful in the movement however and have made an effort in order to bring attention to the many issues, especially this particular movement where they are advocating for their liberty through hashtags.
The lifting of the driving that was announced, is part of the Crown Prince, Mohammed Bin Salman’s programme to modernise some aspect of Saudi society.
Since, Salman father became the King in 2015, the 32-year-old has become the most influential figure in the world’s leading oil exporter. He holds the position of crown prince, and since then he has made an active effort to give more women freedom and make the states more liberal
He has been able to lead the Vision 2030 programme to diversify the economy away from oil and open up Saudi society.
Unfortunately, though the ban is just the beginning, because to this day women still have to adhere to strict dress codes, must not associate with unrelated men, and if they want to travel, work or have access healthcare they must be accompanied by-or receive written permission from a male “guardian” though they themselves could be grown women and are in all the mental capability to make these decisions.
In addition, though women have the right to drive, they will most likely have to ask for permission to get their license and go anywhere. Therefore the right to drive is still a power that men influence and have in this patriarchal society.
Featured Image via Wikimedia
