Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is taking a stand for women's right to drive in Saudi Arabia.
In an open letter titled "It is High Time that Saudi Women Started Driving their Cars," posted on his Twitter account, Talal emphasized the importance of progress in today's world.
Talal compared a woman's right to drive with her right to an education and a career.
“Preventing a woman from driving a car today is an issue of rights similar to the one that forbade her from receiving an education or having an independent identity,” he wrote.
Talal said that a social stigma was previously associated with these two things. With time, these aspects of Saudi life have changed for women in the kingdom.
The country "sought to adopt a patient strategy, allowing Saudi to evolve according to its own pace and wishes."
Now, it is "high time that Saudi women started driving their cars, and it is high time that we turn the page on this issue the way we did on tens of other major ones," Talal wrote.
A driving ban is in fact an "infringement on a woman's rights."
There are more than one million Saudi working women in need of transportation to and from work every single day. Driving is no longer a "social luxury" but a necessity.
Talal pinpointed the various financial, economic and religious factors associated with the ban. The ban has taken a toll on the national economy, as it undermines the productivity of the workforce.
The ongoing debate about women's right to drive in the kingdom has intensified over the past few years. Under the current law, there is no official prohibition on women driving in Saudi Arabia. But, officials do not issue driver's licenses to women.
In April, two female council members expressed optimism about reopening the debate surrounding the issue. But in early November, the Shura Council refused to even study the issue.
Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world that does not allow women to drive.