Saudi Arabia on Friday published new laws that loosen restrictions on women by allowing all citizens , women and men alike. To apply for a passport and travel freely, ending a long-standing guardianship policy that had controlled women’s freedom of movement.
The new laws, a potential game-changer for Saudi women’s rights, are to go into effect by the end of the month.
The kingdom’s legal system has long been criticized because it treated adult women as minors, requiring they have a man’s consent to obtain a passport or travel abroad. Often a woman’s male guardian is her father or husband, and in some cases a woman’s son.
The changes were widely celebrated by Saudis on Twitter, with many posting memes showing people dashing to the airport with luggage and others hailing the 33-year-old crown prince believed to be the force behind these moves. But the changes also drew backlash from conservatives, who posted clips of senior Saudi clerics in past years arguing in favor of guardianship laws.
