Support for women driving shows public on board for Saudi reforms

Updated 24 June 2018
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Support for women driving shows public on board for Saudi reforms

LONDON: Saudi society supports a recent decision to lift the long-standing ban on granting women driving licenses, with 77 percent of participants in favor of the decision, according to a recent Arab News/YouGov poll.
The survey of more than 500 Saudis residing in the Kingdom showed 82 percent of women and 71 percent of men were behind the decision. 
Commentators said that the move to lift the driving ban — one of many social and economic reforms underway in Saudi Arabia — shows the Kingdom is modernizing, but in a way that does not abandon its traditions. 
“Conservatives saw the ban on driving for women as a way to resist progressive policies. To them, reversal of the policy would mean a bow to Westernization,” said Ola Salem of the Arabia Foundation. 
“Saudi Arabia is nonetheless making it clear that the direction of change is toward an embrace of modernization without abandoning traditions and customs the country holds dear.”
Senior Saudi religious figures were among those voicing their support in the aftermath of the announcement, including the commission of top Islamic clerics, which tweeted, “May God bless the king who looks out for the interest of his people and his country in accordance with Shariah law.”
Sheikh Khaled Al-Mosleh, a professor of religion in Saudi Arabia, also tweeted: “Women driving is not against Shariah and women will choose what best suits them.”
More freedom of movement and easier access to employment for women were among the main reasons cited in the poll for supporting the decree, which will come into effect by June. 
Many participants felt that driving is a basic human right, while some said it would help to ensure more equality in society. 
“Lifting the ban on driving will have a big impact on women’s lives here and it’s about time,” said Maha Akeel, a Saudi writer.
Salem pointed to a series of “monumental changes” in Saudi Arabia this year, particularly in promoting women’s rights. 
“From the introduction of physical education in government schools to reviewing the country’s guardianship law, to allowing women into stadiums to celebrate national day, these changes show that women are a priority in the country today,” she said.
Boosting the economy was another reason cited for supporting the move, seen by some as a major step in a series of far-reaching reforms being ushered in under the banner of Vision 2030. 
Part of the plan is to harness the capacity of women to help drive a modernized Saudi economy, with an initial aim to increase female participation in the workforce to 30 percent.
“Lifting the ban on women driving is part and parcel of Vision 2030, which is all about building sustainable economic and social structures that are uplifting for all,” said John Sfakianakis, director of economic research at the Gulf Research Center in Riyadh.
The benefits are likely to resonate through all aspects of life in the Kingdom, where traditionally male family members have had to set aside time for driving-related errands or allocate income to pay for a driver. 
Lifting the driving ban allows women to take on a more equal distribution of tasks, freeing up time and resources to use for other purposes like retail and entertainment, said Hala Kudwah, financial services consulting leader at PwC in Saudi Arabia.
“There’s this productivity black hole where male members of the family take time off work to collect kids from schools, respond to emergencies, pick up the groceries etc. When women are able to drive it will increase the efficiency of the system.”
“Planning transport logistics can be quite demanding, particularly if your husband is busy or there are no men available to drive,” she added.
Despite the advantages, 23 percent of participants in the poll expressed their discomfort with the decree, with many claiming that women driving is unsafe and flies in the face of local cultural traditions. Other factors included concerns that it will create too much freedom in society as well as a belief that women should be accompanied by a male relative in public, while some said women driving violates religious teachings.
The announcement that the ban on women driving would be lifted generated a huge response on social media, with many expressing their congratulations. 
The Arab News/YouGov poll found that 98 percent of women and 92 percent of men said they were aware of the decision, with 27 percent of women and 13 percent of men saying they felt happy or ecstatic at the news. 

• For full report and related articles please visit: #SaudiWomenCanDrivePoll


OIC discusses draft humanitarian funds statute

Updated 3 min 18 sec ago
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OIC discusses draft humanitarian funds statute

  • It discussed the draft humanitarian funds statute
  • Taha added that it was important to make every effort to finalize the statute of these funds

JEDDAH: The general secretariat of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation held a meeting of the open-ended Group of Governmental Experts in Jeddah on Thursday.
It discussed the draft humanitarian funds statute, in accordance with the Council of Foreign Ministers.
OIC Secretary-General Hussein Ibrahim Taha said that the meeting was held amid difficult and harsh humanitarian circumstances that required concerted efforts and collective action to adopt actions to help contain humanitarian crises and hardships.
In his speech, Taha added that it was important to make every effort to finalize the statute of these funds, undertake the necessary reforms to their working mechanism and support them with the financial resources to enable them to fulfil their role.
The statement delivered by assistant secretary-general for humanitarian, cultural and social affairs, ambassador Tariq Ali Bakhit, on behalf of OIC’s secretary-general, highlighted the significant challenges faced by member states in the humanitarian field.


KSrelief distributes shelter supplies in Afghanistan

Updated 6 sec ago
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KSrelief distributes shelter supplies in Afghanistan

  • KSrelief will distribute 4,882 shelter items, such as tents, blankets, plastic mattresses and other supplies

KABUL: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center has launched a shelter project for people returning from Pakistan to Afghanistan and victims of the 2024 floods.

It will distribute 4,882 shelter items, such as tents, blankets, plastic mattresses and other supplies across the provinces of Kabul, Ghazni, Bamyan, Badakhshan, Kunduz, Baghlan, Parwan, Kapisa, Panjshir, Herat, Nimroz, Nangarhar and Laghman. The project will help 29,292 people.

The scheme is part of the Kingdom’s humanitarian and relief efforts, through its humanitarian arm, KSrelief, to alleviate the suffering of the Afghan people.


KSrelief wins Global Humanitarian Achievement Award

Delano Roosevelt, CEO of National Council on US-Arab Relations, presents the award to the supervisor general of KSrelief.
Updated 14 November 2024
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KSrelief wins Global Humanitarian Achievement Award

  • Delano Roosevelt, the council’s second president and CEO, presented the award to the supervisor general of KSrelief, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, in Washington
  • Dr. Al-Rabeeah said the award is an international acknowledgement of Saudi Arabia’s leading role in relief efforts

WASHINGTON: The Saudi aid agency KSrelief was honored with the Global Humanitarian Achievement Award by the National Council on US-Arab Relations, in recognition of relief efforts that have made a substantial impact in crisis regions around the world.

Delano Roosevelt, the council’s second president and CEO, presented the award to the supervisor general of KSrelief, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, in Washington, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Dr. Al-Rabeeah said the award is an international acknowledgement of Saudi Arabia’s leading role in relief efforts.

He underlined the Kingdom’s commitment to assisting people in need, supporting those affected by crises, and assisting refugees wherever possible.

He also affirmed that Saudi Arabia has consistently been a leader in charitable and humanitarian initiatives and is at the forefront of donor countries on regional and international fronts.


4th Saudi Green Initiative Forum hosted in COP16 Green Zone in Riyadh next month

Updated 14 November 2024
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4th Saudi Green Initiative Forum hosted in COP16 Green Zone in Riyadh next month

RIYADH: The Saudi Green Initiative announced on Thursday that the SGI Forum 2024 will take place on Dec. 3-4 under the theme “Action is in our nature.” 

The flagship climate and environment action event, now in its fourth year, will return to Riyadh for the first time since its launch in 2021 by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, prime minister and chairman of the Supreme Committee for the Saudi Green Initiative.

The SGI Forum 2024 will coincide with the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties, or COP16, of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, or UNCCD. 

According to an SGI press release, the Riyadh COP16 (Dec. 2-13) will be the largest-ever UNCCD conference, the first to be held in the Middle East region, and the largest multilateral conference hosted by Saudi Arabia.

At this year’s SGI Forum, hundreds of policymakers, business leaders and subject-matter experts from across the world will convene in a dedicated SGI Pavilion in the UNCCD COP16 Green Zone. 

Dozens of tailored sessions will explore best practices, innovations and progress against SGI targets, with the goal of deepening collaboration and scaling up action for a greener future.

Since the launch of SGI, a significant positive impact has been achieved, with 4+ GW of renewable energy capacity installed, more than 95 million trees and shrubs planted, and more than 1,660 endangered animals re-wilded across the Kingdom.

For the duration of COP16, the SGI will welcome the public to a 4,000 sq m SGI Pavilion, where visitors can enjoy an interactive journey through Saudi Arabia’s whole-of-society climate and environment efforts in the SGI Gallery. 

A multimedia showcase and a broad range of experts will enable guests to learn more about the more than 80 initiatives already launched as part of SGI. 

Visitors can also attend and exchange ideas during daily SGI Talks, an expert-led speaker series that launched in 2023.

The SGI was launched by the crown prince in 2021 to drive climate action across all levels of society and achieve Saudi Arabia’s ambition to achieve net-zero emissions by 2060. 

The initiative demonstrates the Kingdom’s dedication to improving the quality of life for current and future generations and addressing the region’s environmental challenges, including high temperatures, low rainfall, dust storms and desertification.

In 2022, the SGI Forum was held in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt, in tandem with UNFCCC COP27. The event revealed major climate action projects, including the launch of a circular carbon economy knowledge hub, and the establishment of a regional center for advancing emissions reduction with UNESCWA.

In 2023, the third SGI Forum took place in conjunction with UNFCCC COP28 in Dubai.

During the event, the Kingdom unveiled a 300 percent increase in installed renewable energy capacity since 2022, and more than 43 million trees were planted toward the goal of 10 billion.


Film review: ‘Gladiator II’ — entertaining, and a fun romp

Updated 14 November 2024
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Film review: ‘Gladiator II’ — entertaining, and a fun romp

RIYADH: After years of waiting, “Gladiator II,” a sequel to the epic saga “Gladiator” (2000), has finally hit the screen.

The film, released in VOX Cinemas, Saudi Arabia on Nov. 14, had a premiere at VOX Cinemas, Roshn Front in Riyadh on Tuesday evening.

Directed by legendary filmmaker Ridley Scott, “Gladiator II” continues the epic saga of power, intrigue and vengeance in Ancient Rome.

Starring Pedro Pascal, Joseph Quinn, Paul Mescal, Denzel Washington and Fred Hechinger, the action genre release offers full entertainment, and serves as a follow-up to Scott’s “Gladiator,” released almost 25 years ago.

Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist.

With rage in his heart and the future of the empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.

With “Gladiator II” expected to have its work cut out trying to prove it can stand toe to toe with Scott’s highly regarded epic, the film is not exactly what fans have been expecting. It is no patch on the original, to be sure, but it is still a good fun time at the movies, with Mescal and Washington stealing the show. It is entertaining, and a fun romp.

Scott’s return to the Roman arena is something of a repeat, but it is still a thrilling spectacle and Mescal a formidable lead.

Set about 25 years after “Gladiator,” we are reintroduced to Lucius (Mescal), the now grown son of Lucilla (Connie Nielsen) and Maximus (Russell Crowe). He lives with his wife and child in Numidia as a respected warrior, but a far cry from his birthright. When a battalion of Roman soldiers, led by General Marcus Acacius (Pedro Pascal) invades his land, his wife is killed in the battle, resulting in Lucius’ capture and enslavement. Passed along, he ends up in Rome, seen as fodder for the masses.

Obviously inspired by the similar predicamen    t of Maximus, Lucius quietly resolves to fight as a gladiator in the Colosseum. His silent reasoning and overwhelming abilities are noteworthy, capturing the attention of Macrinus (Denzel Washington), a former slave. Macrinus has designs on the throne of Rome, plotting to overthrow young emperors Caracalla (Fred Hechinger) and Geta (Joseph Quinn), taking Lucius under his wing in the process. As all of these people come together and realize Lucius’ connection; blood is spilt and lives are lost, but in the end Lucius takes his revenge.

“Gladiator II” is a good time at the multiplex, both for fans of the first one and those who do not have any extra affection.