Saudi King Issues Decree Allowing Women to Drive

Well this is a positive action! The Kingdom must continue to grant women the equality that civility, and Islam itself demands! Now if they can just drive with more than a slit for visibility they should be able to avoid a sudden surge in vehicle accidents.

Saudi Arabia Agrees to Let Women Drive
Saudi Arabia announced on Tuesday that it would allow women to drive, ending a longstanding policy that has become a global symbol of the repression of women in the ultraconservative kingdom.

FOXNews
According to the Saudi Press Agency, the decree reportedly ordered the establishment of a committee, who is expected to give advice on how to proceed with the new law within 30 days, BBC reported. The order is expected to be in effect by June 2018.

RT
Saudi women would not need permission from a male guardian to obtain a driving license after the new rules take effect, Saudi Arabia's ambassador to the US said. He added that Saudi authorities believe the time has come for a change as the Arab country now has a “young, dynamic and open society.”

He went on to say that women from the Gulf Cooperation Council member states, who have a driving license, would also be allowed to drive in the kingdom.

Official Decree from the Saudi Government:
Arab
English (google translated)

Jeddah 26 Muharram 1439 H corresponding to 26 September 2017 SPA
A supreme order was issued today, which reads as follows:
His Royal Highness the Minister of the Interior
Peace, mercy and blessings of God :
We refer to the negative consequences of not allowing women to drive the vehicle, and the positive aspects of allowing it to do so, taking into consideration the application of the necessary Shari'ah regulations and compliance with them.
We also refer to the view of the majority of the members of the senior scholars on the leadership of women of the vehicle that the legitimacy of this is in terms of origin permissibility, and that the views of the reservation is focused on considerations related to blocking the possible pretexts that do not reach the certainty and the predominance of the thought, and do not see impediment To allow it to lead the vehicle in the light of finding the guarantees of legitimacy and order necessary to avoid those pretexts, even if they were within the scope of doubtful possibility.
And that the state is - with the help of God - guardian of the values ​​of legitimacy, it is the preservation and care in the list of priorities, whether in this matter or other, will not hesitate to take all that would maintain the security and safety of society.
Adopt the application of the provisions of the Traffic Regulations and its Executive Regulations - including the issuance of driving licenses - to both males and females, and to form a high-level committee of ministries (internal affairs, finance, labor and social development) to study the necessary arrangements for enforcement; And the implementation shall be - God willing - as of 10/10/1439 AH and in accordance with the approved Sharia and regulations, and the completion of what is required by it.
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Prime Minister
// is over //
21: 53

They still have a long way to go before I can support the KSA, but this is a step in he right direction.

I have to disagree. Its all about getting women into working roles. What this means now is that husbands can basically have their women work as slaves to bring more money into the household. Plus can you imagine when a female driver gets hit? regardless of actual fault its going to be hers. They still care little for women's rights

This is window dressing to make the otherwise brutal House of Saud seem all warm and fuzzy

a reply to: worldstarcountry

So them being the leader of the UN Civil rights council will only be slightly less ironic.

a reply to: FredT
I pretty much came to the same conclusion. But I promise you with much assumed certainty, that most of the women in that country are celebrating this as a victory for themselves. They are, after all, the individuals who will now enjoy this once restricted privilege. Even if its going to be a year before it happens, you can bet they are thankful!
a reply to: CriticalStinker
maybe not as ironic as you may think. Someone could surmise that perhaps being the head of the UNHRC has made them see the folly of their ways, and are taking small strides to make amends?

a reply to: worldstarcountry

This is a good step in the right direction! It is frustrating that changes in societies can evolve very slowly. Especially, when one has grown up in a western society. I constantly have to remind myself, change is generational even here...it takes time and small steps. It is for the best, for big leaps often create chaos and division. Small steps create acceptance in the long run. This may not seem like much to westerner women...but it is definitely a step up for the women in SA!

President Donald Trump and his wife Ivanka, worked with the Saudi Prince in May, to bring more equality for Saudi Arabian women.

Full Story: www.independent.co.uk... st-trip-a7747646.html

Great job Donald and Ivanka!

Good news, baby steps..

He added that Saudi authorities believe the time has come for a change as the Arab country now has a “young, dynamic and open society.”

I wonder if this evolution will be just for SA or for Sharia law in general? Good to see a major follower of the Qur'an can also modify it's interpretation to apply to today's world. Still a looong way to go but I guess this is progress.

I wonder what resistance women will come up against at first, because surely there will be a lot of men that don't approve of this. Well with over 50% of population being under 25 and about equal male/female ratio, this move seems inevitable and I hope it opens the door a little more for more human rights .

I could have sworn this change was one of the ones he promised when he took over in '15 after Abdullah died. I may be mistaken there, it was over 2 years ago, but if not, then certainly don't give Trump credit for something SA was already planning on doing. Doing so just trivializes it.

originally posted by: Nyiah
I could have sworn this change was one of the ones he promised when he took over in '15 after Abdullah died. I may be mistaken there, it was over 2 years ago, but if not, then certainly don't give Trump credit for something SA was already planning on doing. Doing so just trivializes it.

If a KING DICTATOR promised this in 2015, then I don't feel so bad about our Congress taking a decade to get something done.

a reply to: carewemust

Ivanka is this stunning example of a woman, not his wife. Melania bro, Melania is the wife, and she is quite an amzing lady herself.

Man the Trumps are so badass they even make the Saudi's change their fundamental beliefs!
I think it went something like this:
"Hey Mr. Saud, I see you stop selling oil in USD to China, but you are still a good customer of our wares. Check this out man, ima let that slide since its just one shopper, but if you don't throw us a bone we may have to Libya your ass! So like, let the chicks drive man, it will stimulate your economy and they can buy more of our stuff in your market too!
Do it, or else!"

Damn Clinton and Obama or their wives did not seem to care enough to really give them a nudge.

originally posted by: carewemust

originally posted by: Nyiah
I could have sworn this change was one of the ones he promised when he took over in '15 after Abdullah died. I may be mistaken there, it was over 2 years ago, but if not, then certainly don't give Trump credit for something SA was already planning on doing. Doing so just trivializes it.

If a KING DICTATOR promised this in 2015, then I don't feel so bad about our Congress taking a decade to get something done.

Hey, give him credit on this one. If a King Dictator can get something he promised done in 2 years, why the hell can't our politicians?
Reflect on that, that's a lot of eggs on our face.

a reply to: Nyiah
This may be what you remembered from 2015

CBSNews
The kingdom had held out on allowing women to drive, despite a number of social openings and gains for women, including granting women the right to vote and run in elections for the first time in late 2015.

a reply to: FredT

Its all about getting women into working roles. What this means now is that husbands can basically have their women work as slaves to bring more money into the household.

So basically they're catching up with the rest of the world? We're all slaves to the global economy of debt.

originally posted by: worldstarcountry
a reply to: Nyiah
This may be what you remembered from 2015

CBSNews
The kingdom had held out on allowing women to drive, despite a number of social openings and gains for women, including granting women the right to vote and run in elections for the first time in late 2015.

That may indeed be what I was thinking of, though I thought that was done in '16, not '15. Either way, I probably "misfiled" both mentally.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Did you see the cars they are required to drive?????

a reply to: Nyiah
It may have went into effect in 2016, just like this technically goes into effect next year.

What if all the women just got in cars and just drove away?

a reply to: worldstarcountry

"Hey Mr. Saud, I see you stop selling oil in USD to China, but you are still a good customer of our wares. Check this out man, ima let that slide since its just one shopper, but if you don't throw us a bone we may have to Libya your ass! So like, let the chicks drive man, it will stimulate your economy and they can buy more of our stuff in your market too!
Do it, or else!"

Are you in Lalaland, by any chance?

America could never “Libya” Saudi Arabia without threatening their own economic stranglehold.



Anyways...
Capitulating for Greater Israel...
Funding mosques across the globe with Wahhabi doctrine...
Arming and training ISIS...
Worst human rights record in modern history...

“Yeah let’s give women the right to drive, that’ll distract them all.”


Jesus wept.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

A fine step they took in the depopulation agenda.


Joking aside, this is definite progress and a shame it took this long to happen. Anyone who can pass the exam and prove themself on the roads deserves that privilege.

I bet most will agree the exams should be a bit tougher though. They are far too easy in most U.S. states. And who remembers when Illinois was caught literally selling driver's licenses several years back?

Thumbs up to the Saudi's. Hope they keep improving equality for all deserving people!

a reply to: FredT

That's one possibility. But you don't think it's also possible that they're simply progressing by enacting a driving policy that every other Muslim nation already has? If we're only being cynical, we might as well say that all countries only allow women to drive for those same negative reasons.

Either way, it's about time they did this. I wish its implementation was immediate because I still have my doubts about this. But we'll see.