Prince Mohammed bin Salman says women should choose for themselves whether they want to wear black robes and face coverings. Although his remarks could signify a big step for women's rights, there was one catch.
Saudi Arabia's religiously conservative rules constraining the actions and attire of women are showing signs of possibly relaxing. In an interview with US broadcaster CBS on Sunday night, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said women should be able to choose what they wear.
"The laws are very clear and stipulated in the laws of Shariah (Islamic law): that women wear decent, respectful clothing, like men," Prince Mohammed said in an interview with the CBS show "60 Minutes."
"This, however, does not particularly specify a black abaya or a black head cover," he added. "The decision is entirely left for women to decide what type of decent and respectful attire she chooses to wear."
The interview aired ahead of Prince Mohammed's visit to the United States, where he is due to meet with US President Donald Trump on Tuesday.
In recent years, Saudi Arabia has lifted its driving ban on women and made other strides toward granting women equal rights. But progress is incredibly slow, and lags far behind the rest of the world.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/H. Ammar
1955: First school for girls, 1970: First university for women
Girls have not always been able to go to school like these students in Riyadh. Enrollment at the first school for girls, Dar Al Hanan, began in 1955. The Riyadh College of Education, the first higher education institution for women, opened in 1970.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/F. Nureldine
2001: ID cards for women
At the start of the 21st century, women could get personal ID cards for the first time. The cards are the only way for them to prove who they are, for example in disputes relating to inheritance or property issues. IDs were only issued with the permission of a woman's guardian, though, and to the guardian instead of directly to the woman. Only in 2006 were women able to get IDs without permission.
Image: Getty Images/J. Pix
2005: End of forced marriages - on paper
Saudi Arabia banned forced marriage in 2005, but marriage contracts continue to be hammered out between the husband-to-be and the father of the bride, not the bride herself.
Image: Getty Images/A.Hilabi
2009: The first female government minister
In 2009, King Abdullah appointed the first female minister to Saudi Arabia's government. Noura al-Fayez became the deputy education minister for women's affairs.
Image: Foreign and Commonwealth Office
2012: First female Olympic athletes
Saudi Arabia agreed to allow female athletes to compete on the national team for the Olympics for the first time. One of them was Sarah Attar, who ran the women's 800 meter race at the 2012 Olympics in London wearing a headscarf. Before the Games, there was speculation that the Saudi Arabian team might be banned for gender discrimination if they didn't allow women to participate.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/J.-G.Mabanglo
2013: Women are allowed to ride bicycles and motorbikes
Saudi leaders allowed women to ride bicycles and motorbikes for the first time in 2013 — but only in recreational areas, wearing full Islamic body covering and with a male relative present.
Image: Getty Images/AFP
2013: First women in the Shura
In February 2013, King Abdullah swore in the first 30 women to the Shura, Saudi Arabia's consultative council. This allowed women to be appointed to these positions, soon they would be allowed to actually run for office...
Image: REUTERS/Saudi TV/Handout
2015: Women can vote and get elected
In Saudi Arabia's 2015 municipal elections, women were able to vote and run for office for the first time. By contrast, New Zealand was the first country to give women the vote, in 1893. Germany did so in 1919. At the 2015 Saudi polls, 20 women were elected to municipal roles in the absolute monarchy.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/A. Batrawy
2017: First female head of the Saudi stock exchange
In February 2017, the Saudi stock exchange names the first female chairperson in its history, Sarah Al Suhaimi.
Image: pictur- alliance/abaca/Balkis Press
2018: Women to be allowed in sports stadiums
On October 29, 2017, the country's General Sports Authority announced that women would be allowed into sports stadiums for the first time. Three previously male-only arenas will soon be open for women as well, starting in early 2018.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/F. Nureldine
2018: Driving ban eliminated
On September 26, 2017, Saudi Arabia announced that women would soon be allowed to drive, causing a flurry of driving courses for women to prepare for June 2018, when they would no longer need permission from their male guardian to get a driver's license or need their guardian in the car when they drive.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/H. Jamali
2019: Saudi women to be notified by text message if they are divorced
The new law, designed to protect them from having their marriage ended without their knowledge, will allow women to check their marital status online or visit a court to get a copy of divorce papers. Human rights defenders say the law does nothing to address the fact that Saudi women can only obtain divorces in exceedingly limited cases — such as with her husband’s consent or if he has harmed her.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/H. Ammar
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'Respectful' clothes open to interpretation
An abaya is a loose-fitting, full-length robe that is typically black. In recent years, Saudi women have started wearing more colorful abayas as well as more open ones over jeans or long skirts.
Although Prince Mohammed's statement appears to signal another opening for women's rights in the conservative kingdom, the prince's emphasis on "decent and respectful attire" means women will still not likely be allowed to wear whatever they would like to.
Although Saudi Arabia has no written legal code to accompany Sharia law, the judiciary and police have enforced a strict dress code requiring women to wear abayas and cover their hair and faces in public. They have also jailed women for not covering themselves in public.
Prince Mohammed has pushed through some reforms benefiting women, but rights groups say he hasn't gone far enoughImage: picture-alliance/AP/Egyptian Presidency
Criticism remains over women's rights
As the 32-year-old prince has risen to power, he has pushed through a number of social reforms that have included more freedom for women, including allowing women to attend public sporting events — albeit in a "family" zone segregated from the rest of the all-male fans. Women will also be allowed to drive starting this summer.
Although these measures certainly indicate progress, the gender-segregated country continues to be criticized for its ongoing guardianship system.
The system requires women to get the permission of a male family member in order to study abroad, travel or carry out other activities.
The Quran calls for women to dress "modestly," though interpretations as to what that means vary. Here is an overview of the most common types of clothing worn by Muslim women.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B. Roessler
Hijab
Most Islamic scholars agree that the hijab, which covers the head and neck, and comes in any number of shapes and colors, must be worn by Muslim women. American teen Hannah Schraim is seen wearing one here while playing with her brother.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/J. Martin
Chador
The chador, which is usually black, is a body-length outer garmet often worn in Iran and among modern-minded women in the Gulf States, as here in Saudi Arabia. It is not fastened with clasps or buttons and therefore has to be held closed by the wearer.
Image: picture alliance/JOKER/K. Eglau
Niqab
A niqab is a veil and scarf that covers the entire face yet leaves the eyes free. It covers a woman's hair, as it falls to the middle of her back and some are also half-length in the front so as to cover her chest. Here it is being worn by women attending a rally by Salafi radicals in Germany.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B. Roessler
Abaya
An abaya is a loose-fitting, full-length garment designed to cover the body. It may come in many different styles, as seen here at an Arab fashion show, and is often worn in combination with hijab or niqab.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/A. Haider
Burqa
The burqa is the most extensive of all Muslim garments, covering the entire body from head to toe. It traditionally has a woven mesh area around the eyes, severely restricting the wearer's vision. Here they are seen casting their ballots in Pakistani parliamentary elections.
Image: AP
No veil
Queen Rania of Jordan says that Islam does not coerce women to wear any head coverings and that it is more important to judge a woman by her ethics and values, rather than what she wears. She is seen here meeting refugees in Greece.
