Al-Riyadh

They claimed that Saudi society was conservative and did not believe in women driving. We responded by saying that Saudi society, like other societies, included the good and the bad. We further responded by saying that our laws and regulations were enough to deter violators, regardless of whether they were male or female.

They claimed that driving would harm a woman’s physical and mental health, and also her standing within her family. They defended their claims using unreliable sources. We answered saying that women in the rest of the world had been driving for decades and none of these claims could be substantiated. We even cited the example of Bedouin women in small Saudi villages who have been driving for decades and are in perfect health.

They claimed that Saudi women did not need to drive as they were respected at home and within their families. We responded saying that not all families were the same. There are, for example, many widows, divorced women and wives and daughters of soldiers who are away from home for months who need to drive and to be able to continue with their lives.

They claimed that having a paid driver who was unrelated to the women he chauffeured was the solution to the problem faced by women. We answered saying that not every family could afford a driver. They said that women driving would lead to a plethora of traffic accidents and sexual harassment. We answered this saying that their assessment was just a reflection of their thinking and the way they raised their own children.

They claimed that Saudi women would never get the chance to drive as they had made satirical videos making fun of them. We responded saying that none of this would ever stop the country from developing.

Now the time has come for which society has been waiting, as Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman has issued a historic decision granting women the right to be given driving licenses. This is a life-changing decision, which grants women a right that Islam had awarded them long before.

The Royal Decree contains a strong message to society, emphasizing justice, equality and respect for the rights of women. The Royal Decree does not force anyone to do anything that they do not want to do, but it gives people the choice and freedom to choose.

The beauty of this historic decision will be the laws and regulations that are to follow, which will ensure that female drivers are not deterred or harassed. As a result, Saudi women will soon start driving both confidently and comfortably in their own country.

Now there is nothing left for those who oppose women driving except the question of how women are going to do so. I will answer by saying that women in the rest of the world are no different than those in the Kingdom. Our women will indeed start driving and we will show society and the whole world who Saudi women are and what they are capable of.