Saudi women could be allowed to drive

3 posts / 0 new

Fri, 2014-11-07 14:35

robbie_dee

Progress?

Quote:

RIYADH, Saudi Arabia - A Saudi official says the kingdom's advisory council has recommended to the government for the first time the partial lifting of the ban on women driving, but with conditions: Only women over 30, only during the day, and no makeup allowed while driving.

The official told the Associated Press on Friday that the Shura Council made the recommendations during a secret, closed session in the past month.

The council, which is appointed by the king, advises the government but its recommendations are not mandatory.

The official, a member of the council, spoke on condition of anonymity because the recommendations had not been made public.

The driving ban, unique in the world, is imposed because the kingdom's ultraconservative Muslim clerics say "licentiousness" will spread if women drive.

[url=http://www.thespec.com/news-story/4977016-saudi-women-could-be-allowed-t... Spectator[/url]

Fri, 2014-11-07 15:58

I am guilty of making fun of Saudi laws such as thing one. There was even a story about how a cleric said women shouldnt be able to go the library.

Seriously though, they are so many migrant women in the Kingdom who are treated badly by Saudi both women and men. We've all heard those stories about domestics from East and South Asia and Africa being sexually abused, tortured for years and killed in the most horrible way.

Some the source countries are changing or altogether banning women from going to Saudia Arabia. These source countries are also to blame for relying so much on remittances from these women.

I am more concerned for those men and women who are beheaded for such crimes as witchcraft and sorcery in the kingdom. Yes, you read it right - for practicing magic. I am not making this stuff up, you can look it up. These women and men are for the most part Muslims from other countries.

Gulf and Arab countries, even ones that have an certain European image like Lebanon (which has had many cases of abuse and torture domestic workers from Africa) need to look what kind of societies they want.

This doesnt mean that Saudi women shouldnt be allowed to drive or vote or have full rights as their male counterparts. I just think we often overlook serious human rights abuses by only focusing on the driving ban.

Fri, 2014-11-07 16:52

Unionist

Thanks for the reality check, NS. My thoughts exactly.