Saudi Arabia continues with its ongoing reforms allowing women to join its armed forces

SAUDI Arabia has relented on one of its highly discriminatory and conservative traditions by passing new laws that permit women to join the kingdom's armed forces in what is seen as part of an ongoing reform process.

Probably the most conservative nation on earth, Saudi Arabia treats women as second class citizens, banning them from participating in many occupations. Women are also prohibited from driving motor cars and from serving in the armed forces under Saudi Ar4abia's strict Sharia code of governance.

Under a new law just passed, however, women are now permitted to enlist in the army as the kingdom continues to enact reforms granting females more access to a wide range of previously forbidden careers. Females are now able to apply for positions with the rank of soldier in the provinces of Riyadh, Mecca, al-Qassim and Medina.

A list of requirements says applicants must be Saudi citizens and aged between 25 and 35 with a high school diploma. Under Saudi Arabia’s guardianship system, women who apply to join the army must also have a place of residence in the same provinces as the job’s location with their male guardians, usually husband, father, brother or son.

This recruitment of female soldiers is one of many reforms enhancing women’s rights introduced in recent months in the kingdom. Already, the country announced plans to allow women to drive from June and ride-hailing apps are getting prepared to hire female drivers.

Furthermore, in January, Saudi women were given permission to attend football matches and to open their own businesses without the consents of male relatives. Saudi Arabia’s public prosecutor’s office said this month it would also begin recruiting women investigators for the first time.

In addition, the kingdom has also opened 140 positions for women at airports and border crossings, a historic first that the government said drew 107,000 female applicants. However, human rights activists say Saudi Arabia’s discriminatory male guardianship system remains intact in spite of government pledges to abolish it.