(CNN) In a first for the conservative religious kingdom, Saudi Arabia has declared that women will finally be able to drive, the culmination of years of activism and appeals both from within and outside the Gulf nation.

The royal decree, announced live on state television Tuesday, will come into effect in June next year. A newly-formed committee will present its findings within 30 days on how the policy should be implemented.

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Saudi Arabia, which adheres to some of the strictest interpretations of Sunni Islam in the world, has long prevented women from taking on a larger role in its society.

The 2016 Global Gender Gap Report by the World Economic Forum ranked the kingdom 141 out of 144 countries on gender parity . Trailing behind Saudi Arabia were Syria, Pakistan and Yemen.