Riyadh: Saudi Arabia will allow women to travel abroad without permission from a male guardian, according to the Okaz newspaper.
Authorities have approved amendments to laws governing travel documents and civil status, allowing women over the age of 21 to obtain passports and leave the country without securing the consent of a guardian, the paper reported on Thursday, without saying where it got the information.
The kingdom’s official gazette tweeted that amendments to travel rules, the labour law and civil status law would be included in its next edition.
Crown Prince Mohammad Bin Salman has put loosening social restrictions at the heart of his economic transformation plan for Saudi Arabia, which relies on diversifying away from oil and attracting foreign investment.
The latest changes remove language that dictates a woman’s place of residence is with her husband and will allow women to report marriages, divorces and births similarly to men, Okaz reported.
The guardianship system requires women to seek permission from their guardian — typically a father or husband, but sometimes a brother or son — to marry, apply for a passport or leave the country.
The amendments mentioned by Okaz would not completely dismantle the guardianship system, but they would be a significant move in that direction.
