International Women Drivers’ Day set for June 24
New initiative highlights importance of women in the automotive worldA significant date on the calendar, June 24, has been marked down as International Women Drivers’ Day, a global initiative promoted by Women’s World Car of the Year to celebrate the significance of women in the automotive world.
On June 24, 2018, the women of Saudi Arabia were granted permission to drive – a move that overturned repressive laws and paved the way for large-scale feminist reform in a country that grapples with equality.
This seemingly small win for the women of Saudi Arabia made world news and fuelled a united front as women celebrated driving and its direct correlation to personal freedom.
This year, the Women’s World Car of the Year (WWCOTY) panel, which consists of 55 female motoring journalists from 40 countries, has nominated June 24 to be International Women Driver’s Day to recognise the growing number of women thriving in a global industry .
Marta Garcia, executive president of WWCOTY, said: “The percentage of young women university students is already higher in developed countries. Wage parity is starting to be an achievable goal, boards of directors are no longer exclusively male and in the lists of the richest people in the world it is not unusual to see more and more women’s names.”
Garcia added that the female voice is more important than ever as technology fuels a culture of online information and influence where peer-to-peer advice and recommendations are key.
She said the female presence has multiplied on Instagram where the number of female users reaches 50.8 per cent globally, 77.1 per cent on Pinterest, 43.8 per cent on Facebook and 44 per cent on TikTok.
“This is particularly important because of the very high female environmental awareness in the field of mobility. It is not only about performance and safety, but also about saving the planet without losing the right to the freedom to come and go as and where you please,” she said.
International Women Driver’s Day is not only about reflection and celebration, but about the road ahead in which equality and diversity is a must for the sake of our economic, social and environmental future.
Women’s World Car of the Year is the only car awards group in the world composed exclusively of women motoring journalists.
It was created by New Zealand motoring journalist Sandy Myhre in 2009.
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