Women Driving in Saudi Arabia and Changes in Arabia in the Next 10 Years
Women Driving in Saudi Arabia and Changes in Arabia in the Next 10 Years
Introduction
Human rights in Saudi Arabia depend on the Islamic religious laws and the rule of the Saudi royal family. Critics have criticized the Saudi Arabian government for mistreatment of religious minorities, women and other groups. Women in Saudi Arabia face discrimination in different areas of their lives including driving. Islam and tribal customs define the rights of women in the country. Women should have a male guardian irrespective of their age. Women have been segregated for long as they cannot hold public positions and do not hold political positions.
Saudi Arabia has been ranked 130 out of 134 globally in terms of gender parity based on the global gender Gap report in 2009. Women in Saudi Arabia have no say, and the society believes that the place for women is at home. Women should care for their husband and family. The Saudi Arabian government banned driving among women in 1990 after introducing a law to prevent women driving in the country. Women’s driving was considered unofficial until the introduction of the law. The legislation was introduced after 47 women drove through the Riyadh streets.
Though driving is illegal in the country, women outside the cities drive. Women driving in Saudi Arabia has become a national and global issue as people have pushed for women to drive. Saudi women have protested because of the laws that prevent them from driving. Some women have been arrested for driving in the country and campaigning for women right to drive. Women in Saudi Arabia and around the world have called for reforms so as to prevent sex discrimination and inequality. However, the government has tried to prevent women from campaigning for their driving rights to protect the society (Weston 2011).
Discussion
Polls have shown that a 1/3 of women in Saudi Arabia know how to drive. The women acquired driving skills and knowledge in different countries such as Europe, US, UAE and Kuwait. Most women in Saudi Arabia were pleased when king Abdullah approved women driving in public. Though, the country is not ready to allow women to drive. Leaders and citizens have mixed reactions towards women driving in the country. Some leaders believe that they cannot allow women to drive as it is against the Islamic law and religion. Others think women will start driving with time after the society approves women driving(Weston 2011).
Making women driving legal in Saudi Arabia will have a key effect on the country. Saudi Arabia will change greatly in the next 10 years after legalizing women driving. Saudi Arabia has a conservative culture, unlike other countries in the world. Legalizing women driving will erode the conservative culture. The conservative culture will be replaced with a liberal culture and society(Esposito 1998). Islam law offers the foundation for the conservative custom practices and social practices. The conservative culture has led to segregation of women and men. Segregation is common in public areas. Men and women should minimize their social interaction.
Sex segregation is practiced in many places such as workplace and learning institutions. Also, public transportation systems are segregated to reduce social interactions. Men and women should maintain minimal interaction in functions. In addition, segregation is practiced in homes as men and women have different entrances. The Saudis link private space with women and public space with men (Weston 2011).
Gender mixing is common in some areas of daily life. Men and women mix when driving a taxi. Females are required to take a taxi driven by a male. Permitting women to drive will end sex segregation in the country as women and men will mix freely. Women will be able to drive publicly without fear of arrest and prosecution. Saudi Arabia will become a liberal and democratic country in the next 10 years if the government permits women to drive. The government will encourage freedom of the citizens. It will not use Islamic religion and cultural customs and traditions to impose behaviors and life style on the citizens. Creating a liberal and democratic Saudi Arabia will enable the country to keep up with the change and globalization. This will ensure men and women do not maintain minimal interaction in public places due to end of sex segregation (Nicki 2007)
Further, allowing women to drive in Saudi Arabia will promote equality in the country. Saudi Arabia does not encourage equality as women and men have different positions in the society. Men and women work in different sectors. Most women work in the education industry. This is to maintain minimal interaction between males and females (Weston 2011).
Women have not had the opportunity to go to work in distant places as they do not drive. Women take taxi driven by a man when going to work or outside the house. Thus, the families spend a lot of money on taxi instead of meeting other needs. Legalizing women driving in Saudi Arabia will encourage women to work in distant places. Women will not be required to perform domestic chores. Saudi Arabian women will have equal rights like men and enjoy their freedom of movement. Currently, the women do not go out without permission from their guardian.
The guardian who is a man approves what women do, and this has lagged the country behind. Saudi Arabia has not managed to keep pace with changes in women rights in the world. It has not accorded women equal rights with men and hence is considered the country with the highest gender disparity globally. Therefore, the country will achieve economic and social growth by recognizing the importance of women in the society (Morgan 1996).
Many people believe that encouraging women to drive will affect the Islamic religion and erode traditional values. The Islamic religion has played a significant duty in the political, social and economic aspect of the country. Leaders and citizens have integrated the Islamic religion in different aspects of their life. Islamic religion influences gender roles and interactions in the country. Granting the women the right to drive will lead to openness experienced in western countries and affect traditional values. Saudi Arabia does not encourage openness.
Privacy is a fundamental value in Saudi Arabia and people maintain privacy inside and outside the home. Citizens do not share information with strangers and even relatives. Relatives have a right to maintain silence regarding issues affecting them including divorce, sickness etc. Conversely, people in western countries are open and share a lot with strangers. They do not value privacy much like Saudis. Most Saudis believe that encouraging women to drive will affect privacy as they will interact with many people. Women will be free to share with strangers.
Additionally, granting women a right to drive will erode the moral codes of the society by subjecting women to immorality. This is because relaxing the laws preventing women from driving will increase the level of interaction between men and women. Also, women will not need guardians to drive or go outside the house. Therefore, the changes might have negative consequences on the societal norms, moral codes and traditional values in the next 10 years(Federal research division 2004).
Conclusion
Relaxing the laws preventing women in Saudi Arabia from driving might not be easy due to opposition from various people. Political leaders and citizens have objected permitting women to drive in the country. They believe that granting women a right to drive is against the Islamic teaching. Also, they believe allowing women to drive will erode the country’s conservative culture, moral and traditional values. Saudi women will adopt western lifestyle, culture and values that might be detrimental to the country. In addition, lack of access to the criminal justice system might hinder Saudi women from fighting for the legalization of women driving.
However, legalizing women driving in Saudi Arabia will transform the country greatly in the next 10 years. It will reduce gender parity caused by the Islamic law and cultural traditions and customs. Women and men will have equal rights to drive and work. This will enable Saudi women compete with other women in the world. The women have not had a chance to compete globally with other women due to gender segregation and laws that affect women rights (Weston 2011).
Reference
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