Breaking news coming out of Saudi Arabia on August 1, Saudi women over the age of 21 will now be able to apply for a passport and travel outside the Kingdom without requiring the approval of a male guardian. Amendments to travel regulations have been made specifically to grant the same rights to women and men above 21 years of age, as well as grant travel permits for custody, minors and those whose guardian has died only, emphasizing that these amendments “in a sense grants the right to adult Saudi women to travel without the permission of their guardians.”
This welcome news is being hailed as part of the nation’s larger efforts to empower its women, providing them with increased mobility and independence to lead, participate in the country’s social and economic advancement, and pursue their own visions. Indeed, this week’s travel amendments is one of many key changes and decrees that have been made over the last two years to dismantle controls over women and put them on an equal footing with men
According to the news sites, the amendments introduced in the regulation for travel documents include the amendment of Article Two, which states: “Every applicant holding Saudi Arabian nationality will be granted a passport in line with the executive bylaw.” In addition, Paragraph Two states: “If necessary, the Minister of Interior can issue a passport or a laissez passer to any person who does not hold a Saudi Arabian nationality in order to use it for traveling outside the Kingdom and returning to the Kingdom.”
Since ascending to his role in mid-2017, Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman has been working diligently on steering the Kingdom towards a new path in its economic and social advancement. Under Vision 2030, the Kingdom’s plan for economic reform and reduction on oil dependency spearheaded by the Crown Prince, the expansion of women’s rights and increased female participation in all facets of life has been placed at the forefront of reformation efforts. The young Crown Prince has particularly been a vocal and avid advocator of women’s rights in the Kingdom, loosening a number of restrictions on women such as on their movements, the way they dress, and access to work opportunities.
