Saudi Gazette report

RIYADH — The Human Rights Commission (HRC) has lauded the faster tempo in empowering Saudi women thereby enhancing their rights. It said the recent announcement on abrogation of male guardianship proves that the government, led by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, is moving steadily through its successive reforms and revision of laws and regulations to support women empowerment.

In a statement, the HRC said the amendment in rules is in accordance with the religious and social values and the Kingdom's Vision 2030, which views women as an important partner.

The amendments recently announced include travel documents, civil status, labor regulations and social insurance systems.

Commenting on the amendments in the travel documents system, the HRC said it included the right to grant a passport to every applying Saudi citizen. Granting a passport and a travel document to persons under custody and minors whose guardian has died is in line with what is stipulated by the executive bylaw of the regulation.

The commission added that the amendments in the Civil Status Regulation covered several articles that specified the place where the minor is residing as the place where his parents or guardian is staying. Also, the mother or one of her relatives has been granted the right to report the birth of a child. Earlier the right to report the birth of a child was restricted to male relatives only. The amendments also included granting the “wife” the right to report a marriage, divorce, returning the wife to the marital home, and the woman divorcing her husband. They also included the application for obtaining a family register from the Civil Status Administration.