6.56 PM Thursday, 28 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:57 06:11 12:27 15:53 18:37 19:51
28 March 2024

Saudi women launch drive against driving

Published
By Staff

A group of Saudi female activists are planning to appeal to King Abdullah not to bow to pressure and allow females to drive cars as local women brace for a fresh campaign for mass driving on October 26, a newspaper reported on Monday.

The activists from universities and other institutions in the conservative Muslim Gulf Kingdom have already prepared a letter highlighting what they described as the social and security hazards of permitting women to drive.

The letter will be presented to the Saudi Royal Court this week in response to the October 26 campaign by many female activities seeking to break an age-old ban on female driving in the oil superpower, the only country to bar women from driving.

The women said they would ask the Royal Court to reject recent proposals by three female members of the Shura council (appointed parliament) to allow women to drive.

They said their letter would also draw attention to the recent decision by the Kingdom’s Supreme Scholars Authority, which prohibited women from driving cars.

“The letter has been signed by many female activists and it will be presented to the Royal Court shortly,” Sabq daily said, quoting female activist Rowda Al Yousuf.

She said the letter highlights social threats to any decision to lift the ban on female driving as it means women would start spending more time outside their homes and detract them from looking after their families.

“As for security, some men could start disguising as women by covering their faces and this will give rise to crime,” she said.