Saudi Arabia gives women independent travel rights

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has lifted the restriction on women to travel with the approval of a male “guardian”.

The new rule announced on Friday allows women over the age of 21 to apply for a passport without authorisation, putting them on an equal footing to men.

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This is coming after reported cases of high-profile attempts by women to escape their guardians which follows up the overturned ban on female motorists, Saudi Arabia’s first female ambassador to the United States Reema Bandar Al-Saud said;

“These new regulations are history in the making. They call for the equal engagement of women and men in our society. These developments have been a long time coming.”

Pro-government Okaz newspaper and other local media platforms reported that the regulation effectively allows women over the age of 21 to obtain passports and leave the country without a male guardian’s permission.

Saudi’s male guardianship system gives husbands, fathers and other male relatives the authority to make critical decisions about women.

The changes also allow women for the first time to register their children’s births, marriages, divorces and also covers employment regulations that expand work opportunities for women.