RIYADH (Web Desk) – Saudi women are going to vote today (Saturday) for the first time in elections but still face a host of other restrictions, among the tightest in the world.
Here is a list of things women can or cannot under Saudi policies and practices:
Drive
Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world banning women from getting behind the wheel.
Travel
Women in Saudi Arabia cannot travel without the consent of a male family member known as a guardian.
Marry
Women in the conservative kingdom cannot marry without the consent of a guardian.
Work
Women cannot work without the consent of a guardian in Saudi Arabia.
Public Appearance
Women in the Saudi Arabia cannot appear in public without covering herself in a black abaya robe from head to toe.
Divorce
Divorce is not as easy as a man for women in Saudi Arabia.
However, Saudi women can:
Vote in municipal elections, the kingdom’s only polls for public officials.
Sit on the Shura Council, an appointed body which advises cabinet.
Executive Job: Hold the most senior corporate executive posts.
Work in government administration and an expanding number of private sector areas, including as lawyers
Be forced to marry at a young age, as there is no legally defined minimum age.
