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Saudi ban on female drivers to be lifted

Saudi ban on female drivers to be lifted

Ralph Hanson January 22nd, 2008 Ralph Hanson By Ralph Hanson Author January 22nd, 2008
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December 31st, 1969 It’s hard to believe that in this day and age women are still not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. This is all about to change because the Saudi government has succumbed to public outrage and is now planning to lift the ban. The ultra-conservative law was first introduced when the Saudi Kingdom was established back in 1932 and it’s still being supported by the royal family. But women have been protesting the law for years by driving through the Islamic state in full defiance of threats of detention, reports the Daily Telegraph. Those against the lift say the move “will only bring sin” and that the “evils it would bring - mixing between the genders, temptations, and tarnishing the reputation of devout Muslim women - outweigh the benefits.” Government officials, however, have confirmed the landmark decision and plan to issue a decree by the end of the year. Other asinine laws making it harder for women to start their own businesses or to own certain assets will also be overturned.
Saudi ban on female drivers to be lifted

Saudi ban on female drivers to be lifted

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It’s hard to believe that in this day and age women are still not allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia. This is all about to change because the Saudi government has succumbed to public outrage and is now planning to lift the ban. The ultra-conservative law was first introduced when the Saudi Kingdom was established back in 1932 and it’s still being supported by the royal family.

But women have been protesting the law for years by driving through the Islamic state in full defiance of threats of detention, reports the Daily Telegraph. Those against the lift say the move “will only bring sin” and that the “evils it would bring - mixing between the genders, temptations, and tarnishing the reputation of devout Muslim women - outweigh the benefits.” Government officials, however, have confirmed the landmark decision and plan to issue a decree by the end of the year.

Other asinine laws making it harder for women to start their own businesses or to own certain assets will also be overturned.

Tags: Odds and ends

Posted in: News


Comments (11 total)

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  1. By bambam #1, Posted: 1/22/2008

    alright. Go Ladies.
    Its better for every1.
    Thank You and about time.

  2. By chris #2, Posted: 1/22/2008

    ah yes, saudi arabia, the country where i read just yesterday that a marriage was annulled against both husband and wife's will because the wife's family does not approve. so she's asking for the king to intervene or shes going to kill herself.

    great country. love your oil. makes my car go fast.

    I love how the government basically says "this will end all good and the heathen white devil's culture will ruin us all...... but we'll allow it".

  3. By bambam #3, Posted: 1/22/2008

    Dam! I drive a corolla they drive a v8.

  4. By Mohammad AlGammal #4, Posted: 1/22/2008

    Hello there,
    First of all banning women from driving does not come from the Quran.
    The origin came from not leaving women to wander unattended for their own safety as it was several hundred years ago. But unfortunately, the Saudi government applies some laws so strictly that the Saudi residents break them freely abroad! "which explains the concern of the government".

    As for Women having their own business, assets and financial independence Islam doesn't prohibit any of this. Although some rules may apply in some cases.

  5. By James #5, Posted: 1/22/2008

    This weired world... It's 2008 and there are still countries with such unspeakably unfair and - I don't know how to else put it - animal-level laws. But anyways - nice to hear something is going to change for the better.

  6. By admin #6, Posted: 1/22/2008

    We have had to delete some racist comments on the site. Please keep your comments civil or don\'t comment at all. Thank you.

  7. By evolutionium #7, Posted: 1/22/2008

    Saudi males are the craziest drivers ever I've ever seen, imagine driving at 160 KPH in the left lane, and suddenly your car glow by full-deam flashes as a Camry is approaching you at 200+ KPH, thats a normal scene in Saudi highways, where the danger lane is often called the Camry lane!!!!

    These are their men. I wonder how would their women drive?? would it be possible for women to drift and go sideways in rentals cars??

  8. By Gus #8, Posted: 1/22/2008

    'Bout time!
    I hear they are building a massive university as well. Maybe they get the fact that they can either catch up with the rest of the world, or die when the oil is no longer needed...

  9. By Shamsul #9, Posted: 1/22/2008

    the ban on women is not a law derived fromt eh Koran, If they claim that then they're lying its was thought up by some loony wahabbi

  10. By Hala Alturki #10, Posted: 1/22/2008

    "The ultra-conservative law, which was derived from the Koran"
    This statement is not true, there is nothing in the Quoran that states such as law. In fact the Islamic religion has clearly advocated and instructed Muslims to teach their sons and daughters from an early age to ride horses, equivalent in this age to driving.

  11. By Asad #11, Posted: 5/9/2008

    In fact that restriction is not based on Quran and no one is claiming that it is taking from Quran. The reality is that in Saudi Arabia mans are driving very fast and the accidents rate in Saudi Arabia is very high around the world. The Government should control the accidents first then they can allow womens to drive.

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