United Nations?Secretary-General?Ant¨®nio Guterres has welcomed the decision by Saudi Arabia to allow women to drive cars in the country.
In a tweet, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ chief noted that ending the restrictions represents an ¡°?in the right direction.¡±
According to reports, under the new law, women can legally obtain a driving licence without asking a male guardian for permission.
Also welcoming the announcement, the Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women () ¡°?that the move would ¡°start the journey¡± to substantive equality for women and girls in the country, with more access to public spaces and life, increased participation in the job market and a life free of violence in all spheres.
¡°Women being able to apply for a driver¡¯s licence in Saudi Arabia, and subsequently drive, is a long-awaited milestone in the [country], that puts them at par with their male counterparts in this one area of public life and gives them a right to a life-saving skill that they should never have been denied,¡± said Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, the Executive Director Ä¢¹½ÊÓÆµ Women, in a statement today.
¡°The ability to move independently within their country is a vital step to the other freedoms that are their right as economic, political and social actors, and that bring benefits to all of society,¡± she added.