DUBAI // Hanan Rebdi believes the image of Saudi women has for too long been driven by limited perceptions.
"I'm so tired of the stereotype of a Saudi woman: that she only looks a certain way, dressed in abaya and headscarf, and that she can't drive," said Mrs Rebdi, a Dubai resident in her late 20s. "We are more than that."
And so last month, as she watched and rewatched King Abdullah announcing Saudi women will have the right to vote and stand in municipal elections and sit on the Majlis Al Shura, she was almost in tears.
"King Abdullah is pro-women," said the interior designer. "He honours us and always says only good things come from women. His own daughter Princess Adela is so active and a role model for us."
After the announcement, her husband Nabeel Al Moalimi was the first to encourage her to stand in the municipal elections, or for the Shura.
"She has the right personality and the drive to become a great politician," said Mr Al Moalimi. "Our women have a lot to give but were never given the chance."
The family of four - they have two sons, Omar, 4, and Abdullah, 8 - moved to Dubai in 2005.
Mrs Rebdi spends much time on yoga and "spiritual self-discovering" when not driving her sons to and from school.
"I don't enjoy the responsibility of driving back and forth to school and would prefer a driver so I can spend quality time with my children in the back seat," she said.
"But I want the option of being able to decide whether or not I want to do the driving myself."
The couple agree the right to drive would also have been welcome.
"This issue has been dragging on for decades - enough already," said Mr Al Moalimi, aged in his 40s, who works in audit and is an artist.
"Let us move forward and focus on more positive things that make Saudi Arabia special."
He said there were other issues that needed to be addressed.
"There is this fundamental fear in Saudi Arabia that the minute women and men are allowed to mix, it will lead to unholy acts and sex. There is no understanding of respectful platonic relationships."
Moving to the UAE helped Sarah Dundarawy, a single Saudi journalist and TV presenter, to launch her career.
"It is very difficult to be a female journalist in Saudi Arabia. You can't just show up and drive to your meetings," she said. "You remain dependent on a man there. Here, you can be on your own and be yourself."
Having covered political and social issues in Saudi, she believes women's journey to power there is likely to be bumpy.
"Women don't support other women as they should," Ms Dundarawy said. "You hear things like I would never go to a female doctor, or to a female dentist. Women should trust and support other women."
rghazal@thenational.ae
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
The specs
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed auto
Power: 420 bhp
Torque: 624Nm
Price: from Dh293,200
On sale: now
THE SPECS
Engine: 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged V12 petrol engine
Power: 420kW
Torque: 780Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh1,350,000
On sale: Available for preorder now
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
LIVERPOOL SQUAD
Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk, Georginio Wijnaldum, James Milner, Naby Keita, Roberto Firmino, Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, Joe Gomez, Adrian, Jordan Henderson, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Adam Lallana, Andy Lonergan, Xherdan Shaqiri, Andy Robertson, Divock Origi, Curtis Jones, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Neco Williams
The biog
Name: Dhabia Khalifa AlQubaisi
Age: 23
How she spends spare time: Playing with cats at the clinic and feeding them
Inspiration: My father. He’s a hard working man who has been through a lot to provide us with everything we need
Favourite book: Attitude, emotions and the psychology of cats by Dr Nicholes Dodman
Favourit film: 101 Dalmatians - it remind me of my childhood and began my love of dogs
Word of advice: By being patient, good things will come and by staying positive you’ll have the will to continue to love what you're doing
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
MATCH INFO
Newcastle United 1 (Carroll 82')
Leicester City 2 (Maddison 55', Tielemans 72')
Man of the match James Maddison (Leicester)
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
