Women Take the Wheel

The ban on driving is just one of many restrictions on women in Saudi Arabia. The country has some of the strictest gender-segregation rules in the world.

Girls in Saudi Arabia attend separate schools from boys. Saudi women must wear black head-to-toe cloaks called abayas in public (see photos). They eat in special sections of restaurants, separate from the areas used by single men. The capital, Riyadh, has women-only stores, gyms, and a mall.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has taken some small steps toward democratic reforms. But women there still lack basic rights that those in the West, and even in many Arab nations, take for granted.

A Saudi woman needs a male relative’s written permission before she can get a job, leave the country, travel within Saudi Arabia, or even have a medical procedure. In court, a woman’s testimony carries less weight than a man’s.

Such restrictions are part of the country’s very conservative interpretation of Shariah (shuh-REE-uh). That is a code of laws based on sacred texts of Islam. However, many Muslims say Islam doesn’t require these limits.

“It’s hard to think of another country where women’s rights are so systematically restricted,” says Christoph Wilcke of Human Rights Watch.

The ban on driving is just one of many limits women in Saudi Arabia face. The country has some of the strictest gender-segregation rules in the world.

In Saudi Arabia, girls and boys go to separate schools. Saudi women must wear black head-to-toe cloaks called abayas in public (see photos). In restaurants, women eat in areas that are separate from the areas single men use. The capital, Riyadh, has women-only stores, gyms, and a mall.

In recent years, Saudi Arabia has taken some small steps toward democratic changes. But women there still lack basic rights that women in the West, and even in many Arab nations, take for granted.

A Saudi woman needs a male relative’s written permission before she can get a job or travel. That is so for traveling within Saudi Arabia as well as to another country. She even needs his approval for medical care. In court, a woman’s statements carry less weight than a man’s.

Such limitations are part of the country’s conservative practice of Shariah (shuh-REE-uh). Shariah is a code of laws based on sacred texts of Islam. But many Muslims say that Islam does not demand such limits.

“It’s hard to think of another country where women’s rights are so systematically restricted,” says Christoph Wilcke of Human Rights Watch.

The driving ban has long hurt the image of Saudi Arabia, a close ally of the United States. Only radical groups like ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) and the Taliban have the same policy.

Saudi leaders hope the change will help their economy by getting more women into the workplace. Many Saudi women find it difficult to have a job because it can cost half their salaries to pay for drivers to take them to and from work.

Saudi Arabia “cannot afford keeping the women in the back seat,” activist Manal al-Sharif told CNN. She launched a movement in 2011 to get Saudi women on the road as a first step toward gaining more rights. “You can’t assign a woman to be in . . . a government position [if] she still can’t drive her own car.”

The push for women’s rights has gained momentum in recent years with the rise of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the king’s 32-year-old son. The prince has laid out a plan to modernize Saudi Arabia. In 2015, women gained the right to vote and run for seats on local councils. And increasing numbers of women are working.

Despite disapproval from some Saudis, the kingdom’s ambassador to the U.S., Prince Khalid bin Salman, says he doesn’t expect the change to face strong resistance.

“This is the right time,” he says. “Our society is ready.”

Over the years, the driving ban has hurt the image of Saudi Arabia, a close ally of the United States. Only extremist groups like ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) and the Taliban have the same rule.

Saudi leaders hope the change will help their economy by getting more women into the workplace. Many Saudi women find it difficult to have a job. That is because they have to pay drivers to take them to and from work. That can cost half their salaries.

Saudi Arabia “cannot afford keeping the women in the back seat,” activist Manal al-Sharif told CNN. She started a movement in 2011 to get Saudi women on the road. She saw it as a first step toward gaining more rights. “You can’t assign a woman to be in . . . a government position [if] she still can’t drive her own car.”

The push for women’s rights has grown stronger in recent years as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has gained power. He is the king’s 32-year-old son. The crown prince has laid out a plan to make Saudi Arabia more modern. In 2015, women gained the right to vote. They also can now run for seats on local councils. More and more women are working.

Some Saudis still do not approve of women driving. But the kingdom’s ambassador to the U.S., Prince Khalid bin Salman, says he does not expect the change to face strong resistance.

“This is the right time,” he says. “Our society is ready.”