Women Finally Allowed to Drive in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has finally granted women in the country the right to drive.

A royal decree signed by King Salman bin Abdulaziz has ended a policy that has been widely criticized worldwide as a human rights violation. Until now, Saudi Arabia has been the only country in the world that didn’t allow women to drive and it has received a lot of criticism for detaining women who broke the law by getting behind the wheel. The order is effective immediately, although the rollout could take months, said the Saudi Press Agency.

The decree said women can drive “in accordance with the Islamic laws.”

SEE ALSO: Ford Mustang is Favorite Sports Car Among Women in US

Late last year, a member of the Saudi royal family began making a push to make it legal for women to drive in the country. At the time, it was a small step in hopes of breaking the outdated rule and it appears to have helped make an impact.