Causes
The Sharia Law is the moral code and religious laws. It treats men and women as unequal. Religious beliefs in Saudi Arabia prohibit women from driving a car. In addition, giving women the right to drive would involve erosion of traditional beliefs and overcrowding of the streets which deprives young men the opportunity to drive. Women in Saudi Arabia are required to wear a hijab which covers their face. In order to drive the women would need to take off their hijab. If women were given the right to drive they would be out of the house more often and interact with non-mahrams. Mahrams are male relatives. Women are not allowed to leave the house without a mahram. Some say that "conservative traditions and religious views that hold giving freedom of movement to women would make them vulnerable to sins." Saudi Arabia is ranked 127th out of 136th in the gender gap. Some women have chosen to drive illegally in the campaign called Women2Drive.
Effects
Women's inability to drive and travel on their own make them dependent on men. They rely on men to drive them everywhere. Women have recently received the right to vote. King Abdullah has decided to allow women to participate in the government. Now 20% of the government are women. The king also sent 100,000 women to universities abroad to receive an education. In 1970, two percent of women were literate. Now eighty-one percent of women are literate. Women are receiving more jobs throughout the years. In 2009, 50,000 women were employed. Now 454,000 women are employed.