Saudi Crown Prince MbS Dismantles Guardianship System on Saudi Women's Clothing

• The de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia has announced the knocking down of guardianship system on Saudi women’s clothing
• Prince MbS has now allowed women to make clothing choices of their own, without seeking male permission

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has made a remarkable announcement stating that women in Saudi Arabia can now hold the right to choose their attire without taking the permission from male guardians. This move serves as a step forward towards the ongoing social and economic reforms of the kingdom under the Vision 2030 initiative.

Formerly, Saudi women were obligatory to wear an abaya for decades, which is a long, loose-fitting robe accompanied by a headscarf while carrying strict enforcement by the religious police. However, Prince MbS specified that were not obligated to wear the black abaya specifically while modest dress was required in 2018. This announcement brings the elimination of ambiguity, ensuring that women hold the full authority over their clothing choice.

Recently, the Saudi government has also gone through a shift that moves it towards a more modernized approach for gender equality. The guardianship system’s knock down has been one of the most revolutionary factors of these reforms that required women to look out for male permission for matters like traveling, marriage, and even medical procedures.

Since the announcement brings the authority back to women, the progress of economic and social impacts is expected to eventually rise. Besides, the kingdom has also observed an increase in the participation of female workforce, with more women accepting employment in diverse sectors that includes business, politics, and entertainment. This implies, giving women the right to be independent in terms of fashion choices shall make contributions to an expanding fashion industry, tourism as well as a more progressive international image for Saudi Arabia.