سعودی عرب میں خواتین سے متعلق قانون سازی کا تاریخی جائزہ

A Historical Overview of Legislation Regarding Women in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The legal status of women in Saudi Arabia has undergone significant changes across different historical phases. Rooted in Islamic law and tribal traditions, early legislation offered women very limited access to education, employment, and public life. The discovery of oil and the establishment of modern institutions gradually opened new opportunities, most notably the introduction of girls’ education in the 1960s. The conservative wave of the late 1970s, however, reinforced strict guardianship laws and restrictions on mobility, limiting women’s legal rights for several decades. By the 1990s, international pressures and domestic debates encouraged modest reforms, particularly in higher education and selective employment sectors. A major shift occurred in the twenty-first century with reformist policies under King Abdullah and later the Vision 2030 agenda of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Landmark legal changes—such as granting the right to vote, lifting the driving ban, easing guardianship restrictions, and expanding professional participation—marked a transformation in women’s role within Saudi society. This article reviews these developments chronologically, showing how women’s legislation in Saudi Arabia reflects an ongoing negotiation between tradition and modernity. It concludes that while legal reforms have expanded women’s rights, cultural attitudes and conservative interpretations remain significant challenges.