Saudi Arabia's women move from behind the wheel to under the hood
World
Saudi Arabia's women move from behind the wheel to under the hood
JEDDAH (AFP) - An auto repair garage in Saudi Arabia is turning to an untapped source for new car mechanics: Saudi women, who just four years ago weren t even allowed to drive.
At the Petromin Express garage in Jeddah, on the Red Sea coast, new female recruits check oil and change tyres alongside their male counterparts, part of a nationwide push to bring more women into the workforce.
Yet the women trainees have, perhaps inevitably, encountered a host of barriers as they enter a field that is male-dominated the world over - and even more so in the conservative Muslim kingdom.
"It s something new for them... After years of only seeing men, now comes a woman."
As she struggled to learn the basics, Ahmad had moments when she wondered if such men might have a point.
"I used to go home with swollen hands, crying and saying: This job is not for me. It looks like their words were correct, " she recalled.
But as her skills improved, so did her confidence - aided by other customers who were more encouraging.
"One man came and said, I m very proud of you. You are honouring us. You are a crown on our heads ."
Helpful husbands
Expanding women s rights is central to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman s Vision 2030 agenda, intended to diversify the oil-dependent economy while softening Saudi Arabia s radical image.
The highest-profile change came in 2018, when Prince Mohammed, the kingdom s de facto ruler, oversaw the end of a decades-old ban on women driving.
The country has also eased so-called "guardianship" rules that give men arbitrary authority over female relatives.
These moves have burnished Prince Mohammed s reputation as a women s rights champion, despite a crackdown on dissent that has ensnared some of the very activists pushing for reform.
Yet women mechanics in Jeddah told AFP they could never have started working without their husbands consent.
Ola Flimban, a 44-year-old mother of four, first heard about the jobs from a social media post, and immediately asked her husband, Rafat Flimban, if she could apply.
Rafat agreed and helped his wife prepare for the interview by teaching her the names of spare parts.
"Now she has experience in different car types, how to change oil, how to check cars. She s even checking my car," he said.
The support at home has made it easier for Ola to deal with wary customers at the garage.
"They are surprised that girls work in this field, and ask us to explain how we fell in love with this field," she said. "That is the most common question."
As she spoke, 20-year-old Mechaal drove up in his silver sedan for an oil change.
He admitted being "shocked" that the task would be carried out by a woman, but he soon came around.
"If they are here, it must mean they are trained," he said, "and maybe they understand my car better than me."
Petromin vice-president Tariq Javed said his company was "confident that this initiative will encourage more women to join the automotive industry in all stages".
The company says its training covers "all express services, including oil, battery, tyres, A/C, and other automotive requirements".
