Saudi Woman To Be Lashed For Driving

[Philtaz]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/...-middle-east-15079620

Only 10? It'll take more than that to instill decent driving skills into her.....!

Seriously, how can their government give Saudi women the right to vote yet continue to enforce such draconian laws?

[askyourgran]

No wonder they are all queueing to get here. Mediaeval laws and behaviour towards women.

[hc4361]

I feel I don't have the right to comment on the laws of Saudi Arabia, although I firmly believe in equal rights etc in the UK.
I object to other countries interfering in the laws and lifestyle of the UK.

What I will never fathom is why women in the UK choose to wear the burqa when many Muslim women choose not to, even in Muslim countries.

[Philtaz]

Agreed AYG. Look on the bright side though, they've only got another 3 and a half years before they're allowed to vote!

[Dolt]

There's no laws in Saudi Arabia that make it illegal for women to drive, I think it's to do with religion that prevent women from driving, or opening bank accounts, obtaining passports or even going out in publci without the presence of a male.

[birdie1971]

They can do so because they are operating under the guidance of religious beliefs. You can allow or forbid anything in the name of religion – it's highly flexible. It can outlaw one activity by one group of people and allow it by another based purely on the fine art of religious interpretation.

Even though King Adbullah has recently declared that women can vote and stand for local elections in 2015, Saudi Arabia is still ranked 129* out of 134 (by The World Economic Forum in 2010) for gender equality. On the issue of 'political empowerment', Saudi Arabia scored zero – the only country in world to achieve this.


* The others were Côte d'Ivoire (130), Mali (131), Pakistan (132), Chad (133) and finally Yemen (134). North Korea may have even less equality but figures are impossible to come by.

[hc4361]

If there is no such law in Saudi, why has the court ordered the punishment?

[birdie1971]

Dolt - “... There's no laws in Saudi Arabia that make it illegal for women to drive...”

Why is the Saudi government charging women with the offence then? Surely if it's not illegal, the woman mentioned in the above link wouldn't be being charged. Is the BBC story inaccurate?

[Philtaz]

Splitting hairs that one Dolt. Statute law or not, in Saudi Arabia a woman is going to suffer for having the audacity to drive, end of.

[hc4361]

This is what causes me to pull my hair out!
In countries like Saudi that forbid women to take part is so many normal day to day activities women are risking their lives to have the right to vote, to drive, have bank accounts, to go out without wearing the burqa...


In this country some Muslim women are insisting on wearing the burqa!
I cannot get my head round it. Maybe the women who want to wear it should move to Saudi, and the Saudi women who don't want it should move here.

[birdie1971]

Hc4361

I agree. It amazes me that some women in the UK (and in other 'western' countries) wear a full body covering because they claim that it empowers them and/or that it is a religious duty to wear it. I am even more incredulous that some people on this website and in the wider media concur with that view. I find it utterly astonishing that a quite obvious symbol of cultural, religious and sexual oppression is being touted as a symbol of personal freedom.

[mike11111]

I used to be against the burkha but after reflection I realise that it is indeed a symbol of freedom and equality. It allows ugly women to go out with their heads held high just like the pretty ones. Mind you, going on a blind date would be a bit of a lottery!

[joko]

it is one on of my biggest bugbears when people say of horrific practices in other countries "who are we to comment" and "none of our business, its tradition" and "its not for me to say" etc...what utter craap... just because something is in another country does not mean i cannot have a valid opinion on it...and just because something is " just the way it is" most certainly does not make it ok!
if a country is practising evil and sickening laws and behaviours, then it is every HUMAN BEINGS right to oppose it! not sit back and shrug and say..." well its just their way"

there is NO defence for this kind of barbaric nonsense and claiming 'tradition' is feeble and utter reprehensible

[bunkmoreland]

my friend was caught up in a controlling relationship,where she was dictated to and was totally submissive. "Submissive" is the problem here,we are nowadays expected that women and men are equal in this country and the law reflects that and is adhered to. Unless you are a muslim woman who's husband has a problem with modern uk law and does not wish to comply to it! There are many women here who are living enforced lives:-(

[IggyB]

the burkha obviously has different cultural meanings in different countries but to be basic about it the people that refuse to wear it in saudi are probably very similar to the women who insist on wearing it over here - they are both singling themselves out; though for quite different reasons.