DAMMAM — Saudi women still need the permission of their husbands to travel even with their fathers. Senior Scholars Council member Sheikh Abdullah Al-Munai said that husband is the legal guardian of a woman. She is not allowed to go out or travel without her husband's permission. "If a husband prevents his wife from travel for no legitimate reason, the case can be taken to court and a judge can intervene," said Al-Munai. Eastern Province Passports Department spokesman Col. Muallah Al-Otaibi said once a woman is married she is registered under her husband's guardianship. "A woman has to have her husband's permission for travel even if she is traveling with her father. The legal guardian of a woman is her husband and his permission is needed regardless of who she is traveling with," said Al-Otaibi. The guardian can issue or cancel a travel permit through the e-portal Abshir, he added. "The Passports Department is open to receive any inquiries through its Twitter account. We interact with users and answer their inquiries regularly," said Al-Otaibi. Lawyer and legal consultant Abdulrahman Al-Lahim said the charter of travel documents does not enlist that the guardian must give the woman permission to travel. "A woman who is financially independent and manages her own affairs is her own guardian. There is no legal or religious justification for a travel permission from the husband or the father. The permission of guardians on many of the affairs should be annulled," said Al-Lahim. The permission of a guardian is only applied to minors and people classified as mentally ill, he said, adding that adult women do not fit any of these descriptions. Former judge and legal consultant Saleh Al-Shabramy said every woman has the right to sue her guardian if he abuses her in any way. "The Islamic Shariah protects women's rights. If a woman is oppressed or abused by her guardian, she has the right to sue him," said Al-Shabramy. Saudi Arabia gives all the needed freedom to women. They are granted the right to work without male permission. Under the Kingdom's ambitious economic reform plans, women are encouraged to enter the workforce and companies are given incentives to boost female employment. Other reforms have included granting Saudi women the right to obtain national identity cards without male permission. Recently, the government issued a directive allowing divorced and widowed women to obtain family cards, which grants them the ability to enroll their children in school, for example. A law was passed in 2013 that criminalizes domestic abuse, and women can seek protection in shelters without the approval of a male guardian.
