DAMMAM (Saudi Arabia): Women are seen in line at a railway station here on Wednesday. The kingdom has begun implementing a landmark reform allowing women over the age of 21 to receive passports and travel without permission from a male ‘guardian’.—Reuters
DAMMAM (Saudi Arabia): Women are seen in line at a railway station here on Wednesday. The kingdom has begun implementing a landmark reform allowing women over the age of 21 to receive passports and travel without permission from a male ‘guardian’.—Reuters

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia has begun implementing a landmark reform allowing women over the age of 21 to receive passports and travel abroad without permission from a male “guardian”, authorities said late on Tuesday night.

The reform, announced earlier this month, weakens the restrictive guardianship system that has long been a symbol of restrictions against women.

“The passport department has started receiving applications for women aged 21 and above to issue or renew passports and to travel outside the kingdom without permission,” the department said on Twitter.

Saudi women have long required permission from their male “guardians” — husband, father and other male relatives — for these tasks, a restriction that drew international censure.

The reform comes after high-profile attempts by women to escape alleged guardianship abuse despite a string of reforms by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, including a landmark decree last year that overturned the world’s only ban on women drivers.

In other changes unveiled earlier this month, Saudi women were also granted the right to officially register childbirth, marriage or divorce and to be recognised as a guardian to children who are minors — same as men.

The reforms were widely celebrated, but they also drew backlash from arch-conservatives, many of whom shared old video sermons on social media by Saudi clerics advocating guardianship laws.

Some also denounced the change as “un-Islamic” in a society that traditionally sees men as protectors of women.

The reform comes as Saudi Arabia reels from low oil prices and seeks to boost employment opportunities for women — currently facing chronic joblessness.

Published in Dawn, August 22nd, 2019

Opinion

Editorial

‘Source of terror’
29 Mar, 2024

‘Source of terror’

ALTHOUGH dealing with the presence of terrorist groups in Afghanistan is a major political, security and strategic...
Chipping in
29 Mar, 2024

Chipping in

FEDERAL infrastructure development schemes are located in the provinces. Most such projects — for instance,...
Toxic emitters
29 Mar, 2024

Toxic emitters

IT is concerning to note that dozens of industries have been violating environmental laws in and around Islamabad....
Judiciary’s SOS
Updated 28 Mar, 2024

Judiciary’s SOS

The ball is now in CJP Isa’s court, and he will feel pressure to take action.
Data protection
28 Mar, 2024

Data protection

WHAT do we want? Data protection laws. When do we want them? Immediately. Without delay, if we are to prevent ...
Selling humans
28 Mar, 2024

Selling humans

HUMAN traders feed off economic distress; they peddle promises of a better life to the impoverished who, mired in...