Manama: Saudi Arabia’s Shura (Consultative) Council has turned down a proposal by security officials not to require photographs from women for their identity cards.
The proposal stressed the “significance of protecting the values of Saudi Arabia regarding women” and suggested that women be identified only by their finger imprints. However, the Shura, taking a stand in favour of modern administrative procedures, said that the proposal by the security committee could not be accepted and that identity cards bearing photos had become a necessity to deal with security and crime concerns as well as law violations.
The Shura has made it mandatory for all young women planning to join universities or applying for jobs and social security to obtain passports. The decision is part of a seven-year plan to ensure that all women in the country get formal national identification documents. Under the plan, the identity card is to become the only valid document for women to prove their identity.
Offices to process applications from women for identity documents will be set up throughout the country, the Shura said on Sunday.
The consultative chamber also stressed that all Saudi nationals must obtain identity cards at the age of 15. Children aged between 10-15 can also apply for the card, but need the approval of their parents, it said.
