Nick the Pilot
Well-Known Member
Saudi Arabia may ease ban on women driving | The Japan Times
"The Saudi king’s advisory council has recommended that the government lift its ban on female drivers, a member of the council said Friday. The change would apply only to women over 30, and they must be off the road by 8 p.m. and could not wear makeup behind the wheel, but it is still a startling shift.
"The Shura Council’s recommendations are not obligatory on the government, but simply making the recommendation was a major step after years of the kingdom staunchly rejecting any review of the ban.
"There have been small but increasingly bold protests by women who took to their cars over the past year. The driving ban, which is unique in the world, is imposed because the kingdom’s ultraconservative Muslim clerics say “licentiousness” will spread if women drive.
"The council member said the Shura Council made the recommendations in a secret, closed session held in the past month. The member spoke on condition of anonymity because the recommendations had not been made public.
"Under the recommendations, only women over 30 would be allowed to drive and they would need permission from a male relative — usually a husband or father but, lacking those, a brother or son. They would be allowed to drive from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Saturday through Wednesday and from noon to 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, the weekend in the kingdom.
"The conditions also would require that a female driver wear conservative dress and no make-up, the official said. Within cities, they could drive without a male relative in the car, but outside of cities, a male would be required to be present."
(cont.)
"The Saudi king’s advisory council has recommended that the government lift its ban on female drivers, a member of the council said Friday. The change would apply only to women over 30, and they must be off the road by 8 p.m. and could not wear makeup behind the wheel, but it is still a startling shift.
"The Shura Council’s recommendations are not obligatory on the government, but simply making the recommendation was a major step after years of the kingdom staunchly rejecting any review of the ban.
"There have been small but increasingly bold protests by women who took to their cars over the past year. The driving ban, which is unique in the world, is imposed because the kingdom’s ultraconservative Muslim clerics say “licentiousness” will spread if women drive.
"The council member said the Shura Council made the recommendations in a secret, closed session held in the past month. The member spoke on condition of anonymity because the recommendations had not been made public.
"Under the recommendations, only women over 30 would be allowed to drive and they would need permission from a male relative — usually a husband or father but, lacking those, a brother or son. They would be allowed to drive from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. from Saturday through Wednesday and from noon to 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, the weekend in the kingdom.
"The conditions also would require that a female driver wear conservative dress and no make-up, the official said. Within cities, they could drive without a male relative in the car, but outside of cities, a male would be required to be present."
(cont.)