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Lady Non-Drivers

By
EURSOC Three
Published: 
05 May, 2008

In Saudi Arabia, a woman can buy a car but she is not allowed to drive it. It's true, some Saudi ladies can't help themselves getting behind the wheel. And there have been a few (unreported) accidents. (Driving lessons in Riyadh are more of of an imaginary concept).

Four years ago, the government of Saudi Arabia organised a 'Human Rights Commission' . After their deliberations the commission agreed that women would be allowed to drive cars "In the near future". (How near this future will be is anyone's guess).

Driving an automobile is the least of the worries for women in the kingdom. For example, theoretically, women have no longer the need for a 'male guardian's permission' to travel abroad after the age of 45. Yet, male airport officials routinely demand the right of a male relative's permission anyway.

More than half of female university students in Saudi Arabia, who are female, get a mere chance to be included in the over-all workforce. For female jurisprudence graduates, the ministry of justice is unlikely to licence any practice.

Rich Saudi women are known today to prefer a black Mercedes-Benz SLK 200 K (average price 27,900 euros).

Some female residents of Riyadh, after avoiding a car-crash, ask their chefs and Indian-origin servants, to prepare a favourite dish of Muffalatta, or Molokhiyya or Umm Alin for their dear husband.




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