I am a divorced woman with two small children. In addition to bringing up my children, I am also responsible for my two elderly parents, one of whom is my disabled father who has had a stroke. I am a government employee and part-time student hoping to improve both my academic and work status. I recently bought a car to provide transport for my family and me since the small rural area where we live has no public transport and local traditions prohibit women from sitting in the car with someone who is not a mahram (male guardian). My cousin and foster brother used to drive me to and from work and school as well as to the marketplace. My other brother is a troublemaker and always refuses to help when I ask him. When I request that our foster brother drive the car, my trouble-making brother makes all kinds of problems and quarrels with him. Finding myself caught in a difficult situation, I decided to drive myself. In our area women who face similar difficult situations drive. The problem is that strict laws prevent women from driving. If a woman decides to hire a driver, he must be a mahram and if she wants to hire one who is not, he must be accompanied by his wife. I am a low-level government employee and my modest salary barely supports us, let alone enables me to hire a driver.

Members of the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice do not want women to drive though they are well aware of my difficult circumstances. Nor do they want anybody to drive me unless they are fully satisfied of their credentials. Before I bought the car, and when they noticed I used to go to the market regularly to buy what we need, they often harassed me. After I bought the car in order to do my shopping once a week instead of having to shop every day, they began to threaten me if I did not stop. What shall I do? How can I get a driving license and what are the circumstances and conditions, if any, under which a woman is granted a license? I continue to suffer, as do my little children and parents for whom I bear great responsibility. I want a solution. I write this letter as an appeal to the authorities to consider my case and solve my problem.

- Arab News From the Local Press22 May 2003