Officials in Saudi Arabia have announced a new royal decree stating that women in the country can travel without needing the permission of a male guardian, ending decades of the restrictive policy.
The BBC and CNN report that the rule, which goes into effect at the end of the month, allows women over the age of 21 to apply for a passport without the consent of a family member or other legal guardian, as well as register marriages, births and divorces without a male guardian present.
{mosads}Saudi Arabia’s male-dominated guardianship laws have long been a target of criticism. The lifting of the restrictions is one of a number of reforms that Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has included in his plans to modernize the country, according to CNN.
Reema Bandar al-Saud, the first woman to serve as Saudi ambassador to the U.S., celebrated the changes on Twitter, stating that she was “elated” women would soon receive the same traveling rights as men.
“I am elated to confirm that KSA will be enacting amendments to its labor and civil laws that are designed to elevate the status of Saudi women within our society, including granting them the right to apply for passports and travel independently,” she tweeted.
“These developments have been a long time coming. From the inclusion of women in the consultative council to issuing driving licenses to women, our leadership has proved its unequivocal commitment to gender equality,” she added.
Crown Prince Salman’s work to approve greater rights for women, including giving them the right to drive last year, come as the CIA and United Nations issued reports saying he had authorized the killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Congress has been furious at the kingdom over the killing and has passed numerous resolutions targeting the nation.
Last week, President Trump vetoed three congressional resolutions that would block arms sales to the kingdom. This came after the president vetoed a previous attempt by Congress to end U.S. military support to Saudi Arabia in Yemen.