Daijiworld Media Network - Riyadh (SHP)

Riyadh, Aug 2: The women of Saudi Arabia now have the right to travel abroad without permission from a male guardian. In the past, the restriction caused women to run away from the country and had brought Saudi Arabia a lot of flak.

A new law stated that women over the age of 21 no longer require permission of a man to obtain passports or leave the country. The kingdom's official gazette had tweeted the new improved rules to travel. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, loosened these social restrictions to transform Saudi Arabia.

Over the past few months, the government brought significant developments, it removed the authoritative powers from the kingdom's infamous religious police, relaxed gender segregation and lifted the ban on women driving. Although, it continued to tighten domestic criticism and apprehend most prominent women's rights activists.

The women's rights activists in Saudi have voiced against the guardianship system for a long time, because the law made women completely dependent on the men. One of the women activists who fought for this is Loujain Al-Hathoul. Loujain is behind bars like many other women activists who campaigned against the system, some are reported to have even fled the country.

A lot of Saudi women who were against the restriction shared celebratory messages on twitter, one of them tweeted, "A thousand congratulations to our girls, and no tears are shed for those who opposed this in order to protect their interests and authority."

Hamsa Sonosi, a Saudi female writer and researcher also tweeted, "From my heart, I'm rejoicing for the situation of many I know who suffer subjugation because of this issue."

However, it must be noted that the amendments will not completely thrash away the existing guardianship system but will reduce the restriction to a great extent. Meanwhile, it is not that everyone will accept the new policy; there is a possibility of conservative Saudis disapproving it and the guardianship will continue to remain popular among several men and women who say they view it as a religious mandate that protects women.