The decree issued by King Salman, current ruler in Saudi Arabia, the only one State in which women were not allowed to drive, will take effect next June.
According to New York Times the news that women will be finally able to drive independently, was transmitted at the same time from Riyadh and from an event which was taking place in Washington.
So, we are in front of epocal event and for a long time awaited, how the number of protests shows us, awareness campaigns of different organizations and movements already active for years. We mentioned one of them, Women2drive, the aim of which, supporting women groups to drive and taking photos of them while they are driving, consisted of complaint this discrimination, perpetrated by the regime.
Numerous arrestes were made, among which Loujain al-Hathloul, when on 30 July 2014, was trying to cross the United Arab Emirates boarder by driving a car, and then she served her sentence 73 days in prison.
Saudi Arabia, an absolute monarchy, based on Shari'a and a Wahhabite interpretation of Islam, defined as "ultra-conservative", does not guarantee a full legal capacity to women, still subjected to many restrictions, nowadays.
If on one hand, we can decant this decision, which seems a start towards progress, we need to do a lot in this way, although warnings had already been found, like the chance for women to get into the King Fahd Stadium during the National Day which took place a few days ago.
Giving the ambitious programme of the young 32 years old King, the 2030 Vision, plan launched two years ago by the government to create an independent State from oil exports, starting a series of revolutionary reforms in the economic and social sphere, we hope this could be only the beginning of a successful path to equality. A milestone was placed for now.
Translated by Giorgia Melis
Redazione