Saudi Arabia Overturns Ban That Kept Women from Driving

King Salman of Saudi Arabia announced in a televised statement that Saudi Arabia will overturn the ban that kept women from driving in the Kingdom. A ministerial body will be established to advise on the process within 30 days and the royal order is slated to be implemented by 24 June, 2018.

It will take a while for drafting and implementing the policies with regard to women driving on the roads. The ministries of finance, labor, internal affairs and labor will work jointly on these policies that will pave the pathway for women to at last get the legal right to drive. It is not yet clear how soon women will be able to get access to driver’s education so that they can proceed with getting their driver’s licenses.

The move is seen as a measure that will significantly enhance the image of the country and help women to take up employment. Earlier, women had to use ride sharing services like Careem and Uber to get from one point to another. Many working women spent a major chunk of their income on such services.

Saudi Arabia was the only country in the world where women were not allowed to drive. Last year, the Saudi government had launched its Vision 2030 plan in a move to modernize the country’s economy. The removal of the ban is expected to have a major effect on the automotive sector in Saudi Arabia.