‘Saudi women’s lives dictated by guardianship’

Saudi Arabia’s guardianship system remains the most significant impediment to realising women’s rights in the kingdom, according to a new report.

Under the system, women are barred from travelling abroad, obtaining a passport, marrying or exiting prison without the consent of a male relative.

The Human Rights Watch (HRW) study comes as the kingdom works to implement its ‘Vision 2030’ and ‘National Transformation Plan’ to wean it off its dependence on oil, including government targets to boost women’s participation in the workforce.