Driving ban focuses on plight of women

The debate over Saudi Arabia’s ban on female drivers has been renewed since a woman drove her husband for medical treatment after he collapsed behind the wheel of their car.

“This woman was lucky that she knew how to drive. Many other Saudi women may be less fortunate. This episode illustrates the serious consequences of the driving ban by the Saudi authorities,” said Farida Deif, Middle East and North Africa researcher with the Women’s Rights Division of Human Rights Watch in New York.

It was not clear whether the driving violation, reported by Al-Watan newspaper, was being pursued by Saudi authorities.

“The traffic department has to take care of [that]. … In an emergency, you can’t ban people from actions that save human lives,” said Nail al-Jubeir, a spokesman for the Saudi Arabian Embassy.

The couple were driving from Dammam to Riyadh when the husband began having difficulty breathing and lost consciousness, according to Al-Watan. His wife got behind the wheel and drove about 10 miles to get him help.

The man said later that he had taught his wife how to drive during trips outside urban areas, Al-Watan reported.

Islamic fundamentalists are afraid that if Saudi women are allowed to drive, it would undermine Islamic morality and encourage women to discard their veils and mix with men. They also fear driving would make it easier for women to leave home and would oblige them to interact with strangers in case of a breakdown.

A proposal to lift the ban on female drivers was rejected by the kingdom’s consultative Shura Council in May. Interior Minister Prince Nayef bin Abdul Aziz said the issue wasn’t a priority.

Although Saudi Arabia has signed the U.N. Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), Saudi women are still constrained.

Despite high education rates, women are excluded from most employment because of traditions that separate men and women. Saudi women aren’t allowed to travel without being accompanied by a legal male guardian, or to leave home without wearing a black “abaya.”

“There is nothing to do with religion here. [The driving ban] is a cultural issue, and the Saudi society is split over what is acceptable and what isn’t. Our country has to deal with its pros and cons at the right time,” Mr. al-Jubeir said.

“There is nothing in Islam that prevents women from driving,” said Farzad Darui, spokesman for the Islamic Center in Washington.

Driving is not the only “cultural issue” facing Saudi Arabia.

“Saudi Arabia is now the only country that continues to deny women the right to vote,” said Miss Deif, of Human Rights Watch.

“Adult women in Saudi Arabia are treated like perpetual legal minors. By all accounts, violence against women is also a silent epidemic in the kingdom,” she said. “The Saudi government should recognize the fact that the empowerment of women is a vital element of any reform effort.”

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