Saudi Arabia: Economic benefits of allowing women to drive are very welcome

[TomSea]

Economic benefits of allowing women to drive are very welcome
Basil M.K. Al-Ghalayini

April 22, 2018 00:37

As of June, Saudi women will finally be allowed to drive on the Kingdom’s roads. To many, this is going to be a historic event.

As a child growing up in Riyadh in the 1970s, it was not the norm for women to sit in the front seat, let alone drive. Now, I will get the chance to teach my eldest daughter Sara how to drive. What a contrast witnessed in my lifetime.

In addition to the civil rights aspect, the lifting of the ban will definitely also have an impact on the economy and contribute to the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 in various ways. The change will contribute by increasing women’s participation in the workplace and making Saudi society less reliant on expats, as many working Saudi women either spend much of their salaries on drivers or must be driven to work by male relatives.

Read more at: http://www.arabnews.com/node/1289116