It might seem like the most insignificant of tasks to us, but as it stands, women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed to drive. Until now, that is, when the country announced it will allow women to drive for the first time in the ultra-conservative kingdom.
The kingdom, which announced the change on Tuesday this week, was the only the country in the world to bar women from driving and for years had garnered negative publicity internationally for detaining women who defied the ban.
Women’s rights activists since the 1990s have been pushing for the right to drive, saying it represents their larger struggle for equal rights under the law.
The state-run Saudi Press Agency and state TV reported the news late Tuesday evening, saying a royal order was issued for both men and women to be issued drivers’ licenses.
The move has received a welcome response all across the world, even from the likes of celebrities including Rihanna, who posted about it on Instagram.
"Love to see progression", she wrote alongside a cartoon depiction of a Saudi Arabian woman sitting on top of a car.
The BBC reports a ministerial body will now be set up to give advice on the issue within 30 days, and the new, liberal royal order will be implemented by 24 June 2018.
Cat is Cosmopolitan UK's features editor covering women's issues, health and current affairs. news, features and health. The route to her heart is a simple combination of pasta and cheese (somewhat ironic considering the whole health writing thing), and she finds it difficult to commit to TV series so currently has about 14 different ones on the go.
