Fahad Al-Khalidi
The only reason why Saudi women cannot drive in the Kingdom is because of social norms and traditions. Many government officials have expressed their worry over how permitting women to drive can endanger their lives in some cases, such as when a woman has a puncture or an accident in a remote area. The fact that Saudi women cannot drive has not prevented them from excelling in various fields and make achievements on the local, regional and global levels.
Let us take, for example, Hanadi Al-Hindi, who made her father’s dream come true by becoming the first Saudi female pilot. Her father always wanted to be a pilot but could not make his dream come true, so he was very happy when his daughter became one. She studied aviation in Jordan and managed to fly the first time shortly after finishing the program.
Al-Hindi is a licensed pilot in the United Kingdom, the United States, and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. You can imagine the joy of her parents when she took them with her on a flight. Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal supported her and hired her to pilot his own private jet and even paid her tuition fees to become a licensed pilot in 2013.
This young lady proves that Saudi women have a lot of potential and support from the general public and senior officials. I would like to say to those who keep saying that Saudi women are not treated equally and are oppressed that they are wrong. I would like to ask them to stop worrying about Saudi women and instead start worrying about women in their societies who continue to suffer from discrimination and inequality.
For Saudi women, the sky’s the limit. Their ambition and hopes are high and will not be affected by something like the ban on driving a car in their own country. I would also like to emphasize that women driving is a social matter and will become a reality when the majority of public accepts it.
