On Tuesday, a royal decree which was read live on state television and in a simultaneous media event in Washington revealed that Saudi Arabia would now allow women to drive.
This policy is expected to encourage the participation of women in the workplace seeing that women currently spend much of their salary on drivers or must be driven to work by their male relatives.
In the statement released, the decision highlights the damage that the ban on women driving has done to the kingdom’s international reputation and its hopes for a public relations benefit from the reform.
The change, which will take effect in June 2018.
