The Saudi government’s decision to lift the ban that prohibits women from driving in the Kingdom is clearly a positive step for women’s rights and could potentially have a significant economic impact by increasing the very low female labour force participation rate and boosting potential GDP growth. But we would caution that there remain many other hurdles that hinder the employment of women in Saudi Arabia. Moreover, having given ground on this issue, the religious establishment may try to reassert its authority on other reforms, such as changes to the education system.
Become a client to read more
This is premium content that requires an active Capital Economics subscription to view.
Already have an account?
You may already have access to this premium content as part of a paid subscription.
Sign in to read the content in full or get details of how you can access it
Register for free
Sign up for a free account to gain:
- Unlock additional content
- Register for Capital Economics events
- Receive email updates and economist-curated newsletters
- Request a free trial of our services