Saudi varsity to open women’s driving school
Decision allowing women to drive is expected to push more women into the the country’s workforce
Auniversity in Saudi Arabia has said it will open a driving school for women, in a first after a ban on women driving was lifted.
“Princess Nourah University is preparing to set up a driving school in cooperation with the relevant authorities,” the women’s university said on Saturday.
“This is the first such announcement following this week’s order by King Salman to allow women to drive,” it said.
Saudi Arabia on Tuesday said it would allow driving permits for women under a royal decree to take effect in June next year, sparking euphoria and disbelief among activists who have long fought the ban.
Princess Nourah University says it has more than 60,000 female students in Riyadh and other cities.
Boom for carmakers
Tuesday’s decision is expected to push women into the workforce and boost car sales, especially in the coming months before a scheduled imposition of a government value-added tax in January 2018.
Carmakers including Nissan, Chevrolet and Ford have rushed to congratulate Saudi women, as millions of women are expected to hit the road in the kingdom in coming years.
In the royal decree read live on state television, June 2018 A Saudi woman has insisted her husband-to-be give her a car on the occasion of their marriage, Saudi media reported.
She listed two other conditions in her marriage contract: 1) the right to live in an independent home and 2) the right to continue her studies and work.
The groom accepted the conditions.
The picture of the marriage contract circulated on social media prompting users to share and comment.
Most users commended the bride for demanding her rights.
“It is great to have the conditions and wishes spelled out since the beginning,” Bint Al Dair posted.
“That way, the groom knows what to expect. He either accepts it or continues to live at home with his mom.”
One user said the car demand was a bit materialistic.
was set as the official date when the reversal would take effect.
Saudi leaders hope the new policy will help the economy by increasing women’s participation in the workplace.
Many working Saudi women spend much of their salaries on drivers or must be driven to work by male relatives.
There has never been a law in Saudi Arabia prohibiting women from driving but more of an unofficial ban was in place that restricted women from obtaining drivers licences.
Detractor to be arrested
Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor issued an arrest warrant on Saturday for a Twitter user who called for anyone who supports women
“The worst thing is to set material conditions that might cause financial problems at a driving to be killed days the royal decree.
The Twitter user, who was not named, was alleged to have referred to men who support women driving as “cuckolds who should be killed”, according to state-linked Asharq Al Awsat newspaper.
The prosecutor’s announcement comes two days after a separate arrest warrant was issued for a man who threatened in a video clip posted online to attack women drivers.
Many Saudis welcomed Tuesday’s announcement by King Salman lifting the ban, but others expressed opposition online or in quiet conversations after decades of support for the policy.
after later stage,” Southerner said.
“Both should act rationally and not allow themselves be guided by whims. They can buy the car for instance at a later stage.”
Abdul Aziz said the set conditions were more of a “display of power than a marriage agreement”.
He said: “Once he accepts her useless and exaggerated conditions, she will dominate their life as a couple and their marriage will not succeed.”
Last week, King Salman issued an order allowing women to obtain driving licences from next year, effectively lifting the ban on their right to drive in the kingdom.
A ministerial committee was set up to look into all necessary arrangements and to give its recommendations.
The ban will be lifted on June 24, 2018, after all required measures are implemented.