Women Driving in Saudi Arabia - Report Example

24 March Women Driving in Saudi Arabia Driving has become a very essential activity in the world today; people have to transport themselves to various places in order to get their work done, interact with others etc. However, driving, globally, is an activity that many women in many places are not allowed to do. Saudi Arabia is one Islamist country that has placed a ban on women driving cars in the country; they are not allowed to drive themselves or others and thus fall back upon the process of development because of this glitch. This ban has been put for certain reasons which makes the Western world look upon the people of this country as backward in their thoughts and repressing women from carrying out activities as their male counterparts. However, he Kingdom of Saudi Arabia should allow women to drive because in the prophets (pbuh) days women rode camels, it will cut down pressure on men and the economy will get better with time. Then again, the question lies, whether or not women should be allowed to drive in the country only with a male present in the car? Everywhere that a woman has to go, a man is forced to be with her because she is not allowed to drive. The driving ban dates back to the establishment of the state in 1932. Saudis and residents who are familiar with the issue cite logistical and practical problems and concerns. The specific of the ban is fundamentally Islamic in origin, but women are highly protected in Saudi Arabia from exposure to sexual activity before marriage and the ban is part of the developed Islamic culture. The western world has a very stereotypical notion of the Middle East, and this view will not change in their minds especially if there are bans in the country which do not allow women to drive. Giving women the freedom to drive themselves and take care of themselves in a country like Saudi Arabia will bring about immense development and progress in the eyes of the foreign world. Also, those that think women are not allowed to drive because of religious reasons are wrong because women often rode horses and camels during the time of the Prophet and thus the country has simply backfired in its process of growth. In Saudi Arabia, women have no choice but to be dependent on men in order to take them here and there. This poses a lot of pressure on men who follow them all day long, without a choice. In turn, they do not get to finish their work and end up stressing over the fact that they must cater to the women in their family rather than get done with their daily routine. It thus becomes very irritating for men to travel in the heat and make sure that the women get where they need to be. Men have to accompany women on all their errands, pick them up after they are finished with their work, and practically be at their sides all day long, not because they want to, but because they have to. This makes them feel like they are hanging in their wake all day long. This may also result in a number of failed relationships in the country. Thus, women should be allowed to drive in order to cut down on the pressure that they put on men and in turn men will also be able to get their work done. Furthermore, if women are allowed to drive, they will naturally get their own cars and vehicles; this in turn will help the economy of the country to boost widely creating an increase in the sale of transport vehicles. Exports and imports relating to the automobile industry will then help the country’s economy to further inflate. Also, every woman in the country either hires a driver or makes someone in the family drive her everywhere. Allowing women to drive will cut down on the household expenses as a driver will not be required anymore, and the male family members will not be disturbed with respect to driving women everywhere instead of spending their time as they would like to. This will also help to boost the morale of women and raise their level of independency and bring them at par with the women of the western world by helping them feel empowered. If women are allowed to drive, then the country fears that it would backstab its culture because people would begin to date and indulge in premarital intimacy. They say it is bad as it is. Girls pretending to be out for school and social events go for dates! Give them cars and see what happens! A large part of the continued ban is the perception of the role of women in Saudi Arabia, which extends from an interpretation of the Sunni (Salaf) Islamic religion. “Some scholars claimed that within ten years of lifting the ban, ‘no more virgins’ would be left in the Islamic kingdom. They corroborated their point of ‘moral decline’ by observing that in other Muslim countries where women are allowed to drive the moral decline is already visible.” (Pakistan Today) Also, women would have to compromise on their traditional attire with western wear in order to be comfortable enough to drive, which means again going against their religion. Also, there are notions that people have all over the world that women make some of the worst drivers and are the causes for road blockages creating traffic jams and being part of accidents on the road. However, this is again a myth because every individual is only as good at driving as he has practised and it is all about focus and concentration which comes with time and practice, nothing to do with being a man or a woman. In other Islamic countries where there has been no such ban, women didnt have to compromise their modest dress code to drive.  Some suspect that if women are allowed to drive, it will make it much easier for dating and pre-marital affairs. They say it is bad as it is. Girls pretending to be out for school and social events go for dates! Give them cars and see what happens! A large part of the continued ban is the perception of the role of women in Saudi Arabia, which extends from an interpretation of the Sunni (Salaf) Islamic religion. Women need to feel like they have some sort of equal footing with men, and this feeling of liberty will only come with the lifting of this ban. Furthermore, people outside the country need to know that religion cannot be blamed for the establishing of this rule because it is not religion but the culture that Saudi Arabia has to an extent with respect to the intermingling of men and women. Giving women so much freedom frightens the male counterparts and thus in order to protect them from the evilness of other men in the country, they have imposed this ban so that they may be able to keep a check on what their women are doing. “It warned that allowing women to drive would “provoke a surge in prostitution, pornography, homosexuality and divorce. Within 10 years of the ban being lifted, it claimed, there would be “no more virgins” in the Islamic kingdom.” (Ghanem, Sharifa) This however, is a very conservative thought, and ultimately, according to personal opinion, providing them with the power to drive will only help to uplift them and provide them a much better place to live in. Which individual would not want to visualize themselves as an independent person? Every woman, in the same manner, wants to view herself as having her own liberty, just like a man does, and this will come largely when she gets to drive herself to and fro place rather than depending on a man to help her do the same. Works Cited MacFARQUHAR, NEIL. "Saudis Arrest Woman Leading Right-to-Drive Campaign." New York Times. 23 May 2011. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. . Sharma, Pallavi. "Saudi Arabia Irresolute of Allowing Women to Drive | TopNews New Zealand." TopNews New Zealand. 2 Dec. 2011. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. http://topnews.net.nz/content/220435-saudi-arabia-irresolute-allowing-women-drive Omran, Ahmed Al. "A Historical Moment: The Saudi Women Challenging A Government By Driving." NPR. NPR, 19 June 2011. Web. 20 Mar. 2012. . "Middle East Policy Council." Middle East Policy Council. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. . "Women Should Be Allowed to Drive: Alwaleed." - Arab News. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. . "Arab News Newspaper." Arab News Newspaper. Web. 24 Mar. 2012. . "Don’t Expect Virgins If Women Allowed to Drive: Saudi Clerics Don’t Expect Virgins If Women Allowed to Drive: Saudi Clerics Don’t Expect Virgins If Women Allowed to Drive: Saudi Clerics."Http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2011/12/03/news/foreign/don%E2%80%99t-expect-virgins-if-women-allowed-to-drive-saudi-clerics/. 3 Dec. 2011. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. . Ghanem, Sharifa. "No More Virginity in Saudi If Women Drive, Says Council." - Bikya Masr. 2 Dec. 2011. Web. 28 Mar. 2012. . Read More