Saudi women in the eyes of their Mauritanian peers

I heard about the ban lifted on Saudi women driving while I was in Nouakchott, Mauritania on a trip organized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for a group of Arab and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) journalists to cover the situations of refugees in Northern Africa. We were having dinner when a colleague congratulated everybody as Saudi women have finally been allowed to drive, which angered a Saudi journalist who insisted that women have no right to drive.

A long debate went on while the latter kept insisting on his contradicting opinion that Saudi women are free to drive anywhere worldwide except in Saudi Arabia, which led to the problem of double standards and people’s wrong beliefs.

The following day when we were on our way to the airport, the flight was cancelled due to weather problems. While waiting for a bus, we had a friendly chat with a Mauritanian family waiting at the airport where one of us mentioned how our Saudi colleague was against women driving, which angered the Mauritanian women who criticized him and noted that women were ‘half of societies’ and that they are ought to be respected.

They kept fiercely and logically arguing with him that driving is not a privilege and that women were free to choose whatever they wish. This is when I realized how powerful Mauritanian women were, which is rare in Africa. I liked the Mauritanian women’s feminist vision.

Even African female refugees in Mauritania have good chances of becoming strong feminists. I met a female refugee from Central Africa who was talking about the importance to educate women, their rights and empowerment, which was really amazing to come across in such a poor country.

Finally allowing Saudi women to drive despite all conditions was a step long awaited by women worldwide which was celebrated even in Africa. Saudi women made great achievements despite social restrictions on their rights. It is high time to let Saudi women fly high into creative skies.