Three million Saudi women ‘on the roads by 2020’

The lifting of the ban on women driving marks a milestone for women in the Kingdom who have had to rely on drivers, male relatives, taxis and ride-hailing services to get to work, go shopping and simply move around. (AP)
Updated 07 July 2018
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Three million Saudi women ‘on the roads by 2020’

  • Kingdom likely to save between SR9bn and SR12bn annually after phasing out foreign drivers
  • The employment landscape in Saudi Arabia will be transformed by the historic start to women’s driving, said a report released by the online recruitment firm GulfTalent.

RIYADH: Several Shoura members, diplomats and rights activists have hailed the landmark decision of the Saudi leadership allowing women to drive, which will cut reliance on foreign workers and boost job growth in the Kingdom. 

“It will empower women and also change the employment landscape of the country,” said Mohammed Al-Khunaizi, a member of the Shoura Council.

Expressing his happiness over this historic moment, Al-Khunaizi told Arab News that “the number of expatriate drivers in the country today exceeds one million.” “The Kingdom will save between SR9 billion and SR12 billion annually after phasing out foreign drivers,” said the Shoura member, while calling the day (June 24) “the biggest day in the history of the Kingdom.”

He said that “the female driving will help create more and diverse job opportunities for women, a move which is in line with the Saudi Vision 2030.” 

“In fact, a large number of Saudi women, as far as I know, have decided to drop their kids to schools, go to supermarkets and visit government offices themselves, ensuring more cohesion, security and dignity for women,” added Al-Khunaizi.  

“It is indeed a courageous step of the Saudi government and its institutions,” said the Shoura member, while referring to the support extended by Shoura Council to this decision.

Commending the decision, which is like history in the making before his own eyes, German Ambassador Dieter W. Haller said: “June 24 marks another important step on Saudi Arabia’s way to modernity. It helps the families and it will boost the Saudi economy… and we welcome it and commend the Saudi leadership for this wise decision.”

“I am very proud to witness this historic moment in the Kingdom,” said Luca Ferrari, Italian ambassador.

He said women driving is a major milestone in the implementation of “the economic and social transformation plan wisely envisaged by King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.”

The Italian envoy, while referring to the reforms in the Kingdom, said: “Women empowerment is a crucial step toward a more inclusive society and a balanced economic growth.” 

Referring to the move, Dr. Ibrahim Al-Quayid, a founding member of the National Society of Human Rights (NSHR), said women driving will boost mobility and ease pressure on family members. 

“Earlier, husbands without drivers were obliged to drive their wives if they need to go to a doctor or for shopping,” said Al-Quayid, adding that the driving by women will boost productivity.

“Most employers, at least in the public sector, accept the cultural norm, implying that driving one’s wife is a legitimate reason not to be present at work,” he added. “This makes lifting the ban on women driving an essential step by the Saudi government in order to make the Saudi economy more efficient in the long run,” he said.

In fact, the employment landscape in Saudi Arabia will be transformed by the historic start to women’s driving, said a report released by the online recruitment firm GulfTalent.

Based on the findings of a survey, the report said that “the career advancement is a major factor in empowering women, which is one of the goals of Saudi Vision 2030.” 

The survey predicts driving will lead to a wave of employed women moving to more lucrative jobs in other companies or institutions.

Many of the survey respondents admitted that they previously had to settle for jobs with lower wages because of the transport constraints. “The move now will have positive implications, especially helping the women working in health and banking sectors,” said Shahzad M. Siddiqui, a senior banker, while referring to a large number of Saudi women joining banking and health sectors. 

By 2020, an estimated 3 million women are forecast to be driving in the Kingdom, according to a report compiled by audit firm PwC.

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Gaza victims praise Saudi Arabia’s lifesaving humanitarian efforts

Updated 20 sec ago
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Gaza victims praise Saudi Arabia’s lifesaving humanitarian efforts

Riyadh: Palestinians in Gaza who received Saudi aid have expressed gratitude to the Kingdom for its humanitarian support through aid agency KSrelief.

They likened the Saudi assistance to rain that quenches their thirst for hope, alleviates suffering and rekindles optimism amid immense challenges, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

Samaher Eid Awkal, 47, said she struggled with health issues while living in Khan Younis with her blind mother in a basic tent. She thanked KSrelief for providing her family with a suitable tent, which has eased their hardship and restored hope.

A Gaza mother who endured freezing conditions with her children without shelter also expressed appreciation after receiving essential aid. She described the support as a source of joy and hope during difficult times.

Mahmoud Nabil Abu Alwan, displaced from Rafah to Mawasi in Khan Younis, thanked KSrelief after he received a new tent. He previously lived in a dilapidated tent borrowed from relatives amid shelling and harsh displacement conditions.


Saudi Orchestra performance in Tokyo helps ‘bridge cultural boundaries,’ CEO says

Updated 23 November 2024
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Saudi Orchestra performance in Tokyo helps ‘bridge cultural boundaries,’ CEO says

TOKYO: Paul Pacifico, CEO of the Saudi Music Commission, who is in Tokyo with the Saudi National Orchestra, says music “bridges cultural boundaries and has a very important part to play in each of the three main pillars of Vision 2030” as it represents a proud nation, a vibrant society and diversified economy.

Bringing the Saudi National Orchestra to Tokyo, he said, gives people the opportunity “to communicate with our language and it allows everybody to come together and share an experience that allows us to appreciate each other’s cultures and really to be in harmony. And that’s why I think it’s so special that the orchestra is here for the first time.”

The program includes traditional music directed by Saudi Director Reab Ahmed, as well as the Japanese Imperial Court Orchestra “Gagaku.”

“We’re able to show Saudi culture on one of the most prestigious stages in one of the world’s great cultural capitals here at Tokyo Opera City, and we’re doing that with authentic Saudi music, authentic traditional Japanese music with Gagaku,” he said. “But also with that great fusion between the two sets of musicians coming together and doing something really unique and beautiful.”

“The Saudi National Orchestra and choir is really at the vanguard of developing the music landscape in Saudi Arabia as it builds the depth and richness and uniqueness of its beautiful culture, both traditional and modern.”

Pacifico said it was “an honor” to share the stage with the Imperial Orchestra Gagaku performers. “It also shows how our cultures are different and yet similar, the regard for tradition and modernity, the appreciation of music, the sense of formality in public, but warmth and a sense of fun as well in private.”

He hopes that Friday’s performance is not a one-off but becomes the foundation of a rich and long-standing collaboration with “our Japanese friends, the Tokyo College of Music, who we’re collaborating with on this concert.”

“We hope that Saudi artists will start to have opportunities to play on stages here in Tokyo, like the Blue Note and Billboard Live and the Cotton Club, or festivals like Summer Sonic or Fuji Rock. And equally, we’d love to see Japanese artists playing more in Riyadh and all over the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has a very exciting story to tell.”

This article originally appeared on Arab News Japan


Saudi aid agency KSrelief provides medical and food assistance in Yemen 

Updated 23 November 2024
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Saudi aid agency KSrelief provides medical and food assistance in Yemen 

RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has helped a Yemeni prosthetics center provide medical services to 536 people in October.
The Prosthetics and Rehabilitation Center in Taiz Governorate provided various medical services Yemeni beneficiaries who have lost limbs, the Saudi Press Agency said.
During the project, 1,757 services were provided including measuring, manufacturing, fitting, delivering and maintaining artificial limbs and prosthetics, in addition to rehabilitation and physiotherapy services.
KSRelief also signed a deal with a Yemeni civil-society organization to provide shelter for the neediest families affected by floods and torrents in Hadhramaut.


KSrelief continues humanitarian outreach in Jordan, Afghanistan and Lebanon

Updated 23 November 2024
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KSrelief continues humanitarian outreach in Jordan, Afghanistan and Lebanon

  • KSrelief provided medical services and distribution of basic needs to individuals

RIYADH: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) continues its humanitarian activities in Jordan, Afghanistan and Lebanon with the provision of medical services and distribution of basic needs to individuals.

At Jordan’s Zaatri Camp, the Saudi aid agency provided medical services to 2,738 patients during the second week of November. General practitioners treated 657 patients, internists saw 125 patients dealing with diabetes, hypertension and asthma.

The pediatric clinic examined 270 children, while the emergency department attended to 297 patients. Meanwhile, dentists attended to 183 patients

The gynecology clinic served 182 women while ear, nose, and throat doctors clinic treated 57 patients for conditions such as sinusitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, and otitis media.

The ophthalmology clinic assisted 51 patients and provided them with medications. The cardiology clinic received 27 patients, and the diagnostic radiology clinic conducted examinations for 25 patients.

Other medical services provided also included laboratory tests, x-rays and vaccinations.

In Afghanistan, 200 shelter kits and 200 tents have been handed out for the benefit of 1,200 individuals as part of a project for returnees from Pakistan to Afghanistan and those affected by flooding.

In Lebanon, KSrelief distributed 530 purchase coupons to orphans and people with disabilities in Akkar region, Beirut, central and western Bekaa and Armoun.

The coupons allow recipients to buy winter clothing of their choice from approved stores.


Saudi GEA chief named most influential personality of last decade at MENA Effie Awards

Updated 22 November 2024
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Saudi GEA chief named most influential personality of last decade at MENA Effie Awards

  • Turki Alalshikh’s contribution to Kingdom’s entertainment sector honored

RIYADH: The head of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority was named the most influential personality of the last decade at the MENA Effie Awards ceremony in Riyadh, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The event, which was held on Thursday as part of this year’s Riyadh Season calendar, honored Turki Alalshikh’s contribution to the Kingdom’s entertainment sector and its emergence as a global hub for world-class events, the SPA added.

Alalshikh thanked Saudi Arabia’s leadership for their support in his acceptance speech, attributing the achievement to the “collaborative efforts of the nation’s people.”

He added that the recognition was a nod to the Kingdom’s growing global stature in the entertainment sector.

The 15th year of the MENA Effie Awards, which were hosted in Saudi Arabia for the first time, celebrated innovation and excellence in the marketing and advertising sectors across the Middle East and North Africa.

This latest accolade followed Alalshikh’s recent distinction as one of the 50 most influential figures in the world of boxing and mixed martial arts, awarded by the British online newspaper The Independent earlier this year.

Under Alalshikh’s leadership, the GEA has transformed the Kingdom’s entertainment sector, with Riyadh Season becoming a flagship event attracting millions of visitors each year.