After taking several darts on its human rights records, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia implemented another reform, which came as abruptly as some of its previous amendments. The Arab country would be allowing women to travel without the permission of a male “guardian”, according to the new laws.

Earlier this month, the approved royal decree specified that all citizens can apply for a Saudi passport, and that people above the age of 21 will be able to travel without permission. The state news agency reported last week that under latest regulations, Saudi women would also be able to exercise more control over family matters.

The ultra-conservative Islamic nation granted them the right to register child birth, marriage or divorce, and to be issued official family documents and be eligible guardian to minors.

Women in Arab nation have witnessed a long history of suppression and second-class citizen treatment. Citing their status, the country has remained under a pile of condemnation from international human rights groups and activists. The move, being considered one of its “boldest decisions”, also came after extensive criticism from across the world over Saudi laws for its female citizens.

However, where the reforms are introduced overnight, their existence at the ground level remains in dark. One of the most recent example of such deceiving tactics of Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman would be the permit for women to drive.

The world is well-aware of how the Kingdom ended the ban on women driving last year, and detained the campaigners who demanded the change. As of now, the “travel without permission” regulation is also expected to cross the same path of hoax and obscurity. While the move is being considered a game changer, the women’s rights activists who induced the reform remain behind the bars.

MbS’ revolutionary moves have been creating a whole lot of swirl in the system, which are crucial for the Crown Prince’s Vision 2030 project.

However, the major cause of the pivot laws remains the dissidents, who have been spreading the brutal reality of Saudi Arabia. The Gulf nation, on the other hand, has been on the mission to shush them.

Moreover, some of the Saudi women — Rahaf Mohammed Alqunun, Maha al-Subaie, Wafa al-Subaie and others — also fled the country because of the guardianship laws. These women are believed to have prompted shift “in the opinion about women’s role in society” and led to such a “social change”.

Despite reaching such a landmark of reforms, the country is still holding one hand with the conservative ideology, while using the other to manipulate the global opinion over its humanitarian records. A society where women have been seeking consent of their male guardians for making every significant decision of their lives, bringing a massive shift to freedom and empowerment would take more than just an overnight announcement.

Saudi’s female population will still rely on men to marry or divorce, get a job, or to leave the prison or women’s shelter. Although appearing to be progressive, the new laws show up to be as hollow as its ideology.

Source — https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-saudi-women/saudi-arabia-implements-end-to-travel-restrictions-for-saudi-women-agency-idUKKCN1VA1ON