At last, Saudi women have won the right to drive

Sep 27, 2017

Female driver Azza Al Shmasani alights from her car after driving in defiance of the ban in Riyadh June 22, 2011. Saudi Arabia has no formal ban on women driving. But as citizens must use only Saudi-issued licences in the country, and as these are issued only to men, women drivers are anathema. An outcry at the segregation, which contributes to the general cloistering of Saudi women, has been fuelled by social media interest in two would-be female motorists arrested in May.

Moving forwards: Women will soon be entitled to drive in Saudi Arabia Image: REUTERS/Fahad Shadeed

Ceri Parker

Previously Commissioning Editor, Agenda, World Economic Forum

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