RIYADH – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Wednesday authoritatively revoked the guardianship system which allows single, divorced, or widowed women to live without a male partner.
The landmark move in the Western Asian country comes under Vision 2030 – the initiative launched by Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman which aimed to diversify the economy and steer the Kingdom towards a more moderate state.
The amended rule allows women in the Kingdom to stay in a private/separate accommodation without seeking approval from their father or male guardian.
Reports in Saudi news outlets cited that ‘authorities in the largest Middle East country have abolished Paragraph B of article 169 of the Law of Procedure before Sharia Courts. The amendment will enable single women to stay in their own separate accommodation’.
The amended law further added that ‘an adult [woman] has the right to choose where to live while the guardian of the woman holds the right to report her involvement in any crime.’ It further added that ‘if a woman is imprisoned, she will not be handed over to her guardian after the expiry of her sentence.’
International news agencies quoting legal expert Naif Al-Mansi said ‘families can no longer file lawsuits against the woman who choose to live alone.’
The recent yet historic change is one of the numerous changes the Kingdom mulls to enforce Saudi Vision 2030. Earlier, Kingdom allowed women aged 18 years and over to change their name on their ID card without the permission of their guardian.
In April, female security personnel have been deployed in Masjid Al Haram. Royal authorities introduce reforms that allow Saudi women to advance in various fields including the Armed forces.
Last year in December, the General Presidency for the Affairs of the Two Holy Mosques also appointed around 1,500 females. They were appointed in different departments to serve female visitors to the Grand Mosque in Makkah.
In 2019, Saudi women were allowed to travel without the permission of their male guardians. The initiative allowed women to apply for passports, register a marriage, divorce, or child’s birth, and be issued official family documents. It also allowed women to be the legal guardians of children.
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