1. Go anywhere without a chaperone


Not all women have the freedom to go as they please.

Saudi women need to be accompanied by a male guardian known as a 'mahram' whenever they leave the house.

And it can't be any man, as Saudi women are limited to interacting with men they are not related to.

The guardian is often a male relative and will accompany women on all of their errands, including shopping trips and visits to the doctor.

Such practices are rooted in "conservative traditions and religious views that hold giving freedom of movement to women would make them vulnerable to sins," according to The Guardian.

2.Wear clothes or make-up that "show off their beauty"[b][/b]

The dress code for women is governed by a strict interpretation of Islamic law and is enforced to varying degrees across the country.

Saudi Arabia is one of the only Muslim-majority countries that legally imposes a dress code.

The majority of women are forced to wear an abaya – a long black cloak – and a head scarf.

The abaya covers their everyday clothing.

The face does not necessarily need to be covered, "much to the chagrin of some hardliners," says The Economist.

But this does not stop the religious police from harassing women for exposing too much flesh or wearing too much makeup.

The dress code was extended to all female television presenters earlier this year.

The king's advisory body, the Shoura Council, ruled that the women should wear "modest" clothes that do not "show off their beauty", according to Arab News.

Expats are given some leeway, especially in their private residences. Michelle Obama's visited Saudi Arabia in colourful, loose-fitting clothing and no headscarf in 2015

3. Eleven things women in Saudi Arabia cannot do

Saudi women have a 'male guardian system' from birth.

This can involve requiring permission to work, study or access healthcare.

Employers have the right to fire women employees should their guardian decide against working outside of the home.

Guardian's can also decide whether women can file a lawsuit against them.

Women are required to limit the amount of time spent with men they are not related to.

The majority of public buildings including offices, banks and universities have separate entrances for men and women, the Daily Telegraph reports.

Public transportation, parks, beaches and amusement parks are also segregated in most parts of the country.

Unlawful mixing will lead to criminal charges being brought against both parties, but women typically face harsher punishment.

4. Go for a swim

Often swimming pools at hotels are only for use by men, even at international hotels.

Sometimes there may be an hour set aside for women only.

Reuters correspondent Arlene Getz describes her experience of trying to use the gym and pool at an upmarket Riyadh hotel:

"As a woman, I wasn't even allowed to look at them ('there are men in swimsuits there,' a hotel staffer told me with horror) — let alone use them."

"As a woman, I wasn't even allowed to look at them ('there are men in swimsuits there,' a hotel staffer told me with horror) — let alone use them."

5. Compete freely in sports

Sports activities are prohibited in public schools for girls for example.

Women's sport in Saudi Arabia has been a controversial topic for many years.

Football, for example, has been a perennial issue between Saudi Arabia Football Federation and FIFA.

The nonexistence of a women's national football team for example.

Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia proposed hosting an Olympic Games without women.

"Our society can be very conservative," said Prince Fahad bin Jalawi al-Saud, a consultant to the Saudi Olympic Committee. "It has a hard time accepting that women can compete in sports."

6. Try on clothes when shopping

Saudi Arabia has a plethora of shopping experiences to offer.

New malls and famous brands have been steadily opening stores.

Yet many shops do not have fitting rooms.

The reason being as most shop clerks are male.

Also, the thought of women disrobing is considered improper.

"The mere thought of a disrobed woman behind a dressing-room door is apparently too much for men to handle," says Vanity Fair writer Maureen Dowd in 'A Girl's Guide to Saudi Arabia'.



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