Saudi women to receive unhindered access to services

By Fares Karam

RIYADH

Saudi King Salman Bin Abdul Aziz has instructed the kingdom’s relevant authorities not to demand the consent of female citizens’ guardians when providing certain public services, the Saudi Human Rights Commission said Thursday.

The decision -- which will apply to all government bodies -- was taken based on proposals made by the Saudi cabinet aimed at resolving problems related to women's rights, according to a statement issued by the rights commission.

The king’s directive instructs relevant government agencies and affiliated bodies to review current procedures related to public services provided to female citizens of the kingdom.

The royal order extends to all services that require the consent of women's guardians, calling for this requirement to be lifted within a period not exceeding three months from the date of the order’s issuance.

The rights commission, however, did not specify which public services -- or how many of them -- would be affected by the decision.