Saudi Arabia FINALLY allows women to travel without male guardians

• Women in Saudi Arabia can now travel abroad without the permission of a male guardian.

• Women over the age of 21 to apply for a passport without authorization.

• The step has been taken to narrow the gender gap.

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The kingdom of Saudi Arabia has repeatedly come under criticism for their gender discriminatory rules suppressing women. Even in the 21st century, the women have been subjected to restrictions on driving, traveling without their male guardians and strict dress code.

However, in quite a breeze of fresh air, Saudi Arabia lifts the ban, allowing women to travel without a male guardian. Women can now travel abroad without a male guardian’s permission. The kingdom permits the women over the age of 21 to apply for a passport without authorization in a bid to narrow the gender gap.

Women can also now register births, marriage or divorce:

With the previous permission, women have also been given the right to register births, marriage or divorce. While Saudi Arabia is making efforts to relax social restrictions on women, it is also cracking down on women’s rights activists and has put a number of them on trial in recent months. The contradiction made them the center of criticism in the international community.

Previously, Saudi’s controversial male guardianship system allows husbands, fathers and other male relatives to make critical decisions about women. However, now the ban has been lifted and the women will not require permission to obtain or renew a passport and exit the country.

They have relaxed employment regulations, which means expanding work opportunities for women. Under the law, all citizens have the right to work without facing any discrimination based on gender, physical/mental disability or age.

How are the women reacting to the news?

It is 1 am in #NYC
And I can't sleep.

The changes that occurred today in setting سن الرشد the age of adulthood for women and men at 21 is so much more than lifting the travel permission.

It signals full equality in the eye of the law. It signals what modern Sharia is capable of

— Muna AbuSulayman منى (@abusulayman) August 2, 2019

I am elated to confirm that KSA will be enacting amendments to its labor and civil laws that are designed to elevate the status of Saudi women within our society, including granting them the right to apply for passports and travel independently. 1/4

— Reema Bandar Al-Saud (@rbalsaud) August 2, 2019

These new regulations are history in the making. They call for the equal engagement of women and men in our society. It is a holistic approach to gender equality that will unquestionably create real change for Saudi women. 3/4

— Reema Bandar Al-Saud (@rbalsaud) August 2, 2019

So before we all start rejoicing these reforms we need 2 remember that the Saudi government has set the bar so low for human rights that any minor reform will always seem monumental.

— MS SΛFFΛΛ (@MsSaffaa) August 2, 2019

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