GODSPEED, SAUDI WOMEN!
YOUGOV POLL FINDS 8 IN 10 SAUDIS BACK MOVE TO LIFT BAN ON WOMEN DRIVING
Almost eight in 10 Saudis who reside in the kingdom agree with the recent decision to allow women to drive, with the majority of women saying they plan to apply for a licence and hit the road as soon as the law permits. One of the top reasons they cited: Driving is a basic human right.
Almost eight in 10 Saudis who reside in the Kingdom agree with the decision to allow women to drive, with the majority of women saying they plan to apply for a license, an Arab News/YouGov poll has found.
The wide-ranging poll of more than 500 adults revealed the models of car favoured among Saudi women and found that most think getting behind the wheel will ‘transform’ their lives.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz of Saudi Arabia last month issued a decree that will allow women to get behind the wheel by June next year. The current ‘ban’ is considered a social issue in the Kingdom, as there is no actual law or religious edict that prohibits women driving.
The Arab News/YouGov poll, which was conducted in early October, found that 95 per cent of Saudis are aware of the decision to allow women to drive, with a generally positive reaction to the move.
A total of 77 per cent of Saudis polled said they agree with the decision — although the move was more popular with women than men. Seven in 10 males agree that women should have the right to drive, compared with 82 per cent of females.
Freedom of movement for women and the belief that driving “is a basic human right” were the top reasons cited by those in agreement with the decision to lift the driving ban.
But among those who disagreed with the move, 54 per 141cent believe “it is not safe for women to drive,” while 36 percent said “it is against local cultural traditions.”
When asked about the impact of women driving, mainly economic factors were cited by the Saudi men and women polled.
Four in 10 said the move would help boost the economy, while 35 percent said it would allow more women to work.
Most women in Saudi Arabia currently rely on male relatives to drive — with 75 per cent of the poll respondents saying that is how they get around.
But about a quarter of those polled said they have driven a car in another country, and 65 per cent say they plan to apply for a license in Saudi Arabia.
The poll illustrates how the decision will have a huge impact on society, with two thirds of women questioned saying that it will significantly ‘transform’ their lives, and half saying it will allow them to get to work more easily.
The automotive industry can also expect a massive financial boost from the move to allow women to drive, with 85 per cent of Saudi women who plan to drive saying they will buy a car, the poll revealed.
Budget models are favoured, with 44 per cent saying they expect to spend just SR40,000 ($10,666) or less on a motor.
The YouGov poll also delved into the ideal models of automobile for purchase by Saudi women. The top colours chosen were black (29 per cent) and pearl white (12 per cent) with the least popular being pink, grey and brown.
Medium sized sedans are the most favoured among Saudi women, with Toyota, BMW and Jeep named among the top brands.
Kailash Nagdev, managing director of YouGov in the Middle East and North Africa, agreed that the move to allow women to drive in Saudi Arabia would likely boost the economy.
“Undoubtedly this historical decision has had overwhelming support at home with 77 per cent of Saudi nationals voting in favour of lifting the ban,” in the poll, he said.
“Its impact is seen as not only offering greater freedom to women but also the significant opportunities it will bring to households and the Kingdom’s economy. With six in 10 Saudi women who want to drive planning to do so as soon as possible, it looks like the automotive sector will be in for a boost.”
The survey sampled a total of 503 Saudi nationals residing in the Kingdom, with an equal split of men and women. The sample of KSA residents used in the YouGov poll was representative of the online adult Saudi population in terms of age and gender. — news@khaleejtimes.com
Its impact is seen as not only offering greater freedom to women but also the significant opportunities it will bring to households and the Kingdom’s economy.