October 12th, 2010

An Afghan woman taking her driving test in Kabul

Via Life.com

In the region of Herat, in Afghanistan, the number of female drivers is on the rise. According to an article by Sudabah Afzali, an Afghan reporter for the The Institute for War & Peace Reporting: in the region 600 women have obtained licenses this year and the number of women taking driving lessons has increased 60% over the last year.

Granted there are people in the region who are against women driving. The article refers to one Afghan woman who “Not[ed] that women were banned from driving under Herat’s former governor, Ismail Khan, she said most of the harassment comes from conservative clerics or members of armed factions, because “these people do not want women driving.” She goes on to note “Even if the problems get worse, I will not give in to the unfortunate views of biased, conservative people. I will fight for my rights.”

That said, many other people in the region are supportive and encourage women to keep driving. The father of a 26-year-old woman had this to say, “What our relatives say about my daughter driving is of no consequence to me. What’s important to me is her development.”

Perhaps Naimatullah, a student at Herat University, summed it up best: “The idea of restricting women’s rights is outdated ... Women driving is a sign that a society has a high cultural level.”

We agree! While for some driving a car is a fun activity for many it is a basic human right that all people deserve to have.