Saudi Arabia to allow adult women to travel, register divorce

Saudi Arabia has amended national regulations to allow adult women to register a marriage or a divorce and become eligible for guardianship of children below legal age, Trend reports citing Sputnik.

According to the media report, Riyadh has also altered the national passport system, travel permissions and civil affairs regulations, which will also allow Saudi women to travel without permission.

In particular, the decisions issued in a series of royal decrees published by the official gazette on Friday stipulate that a Saudi passport should be issued to any citizen that applies for it and that any person above the age of 21 does not need permission to travel, Reuters reported.

The amendments to regulations also grant women for the first time the right to register childbirth, marriage or divorce and to be issued official family documents and be eligible as a guardian to children who are minors, according to Reuters.

The rights of women in Saudi Arabia, an ultraconservative kingdom on the Arabian peninsula, have been limited reportedly even in comparison to other nations across the Muslim world. Though Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman advocates ambitious reforms for the country's females, women remain in the shadow of men. They have to follow strict dress codes and seek permission from male guardians for marriage or divorce.

Women in the country have only recently been permitted to drive and have been allowed to enter sports events.