The authorities of Saudi Arabia have announced its decision to permit women and grown up girls to travel without the approval of their guardian. This decision was recently enacted following the Saudi Government’s Vision 2030 which seeks the inclusion of women’s participation in the development of Saudi Arabia. The removal of male guardian approval is not the only milestone achieved by the middle east country who last year began permitting women to drive, after a decades-old driving ban was lifted. Prior to that time, Saudi Arabia was the only country left in the world that disapproves women from driving and families had to hire private chauffeurs for female relatives. Under the new reforms, Saudi women under the age of 21 can get approval from their mother, as opposed to another male relative, in cases where the father is deceased. They are also allowed to be able to apply for a…

One step forward, two steps back. Recently in California, a conservative activist group called Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit against the implementation of Senate Bill 826 (SB 826)— a law mandating that California corporations include at least one woman on their board of directors by 2019, and two to three by 2021. The defendant, California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, “support[s] the underlying goals of SB 826″ and “will respond in court,” a spokesperson stated. The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of three California taxpayers, claiming it violates Article I, Section 31 of the California Constitution which prevents gender discrimination. Furthermore, the plaintiffs say it’s illegal under California law to spend taxpayer funds and resources to enforce SB 826, calling it a “gender quota.” Governor Jerry Brown publicly acknowledged SB 826 has “potential flaws” when he signed it into law late last year; however, he…

Qatar is the only Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) country still implementing male guardianship laws for female travel after Saudi Arabia lifted its restrictions on Friday. Saudi Arabia announced it would now allow both male and female citizens over the age of 21 to travel without a parent or guardian’s permission. While the rest of the GCC countries are working to protect and empower women’s rights, Qatar seems to lag behind. According to the Qatari Interior Ministry’s website, guardianship laws require females under the age of 25 to travel abroad with a male parent’s consent. These measures restrict women who may need to travel abroad out of necessity, for education, visiting a relative or for medical needs. According to the Saudi news agency Al Arabiya, Qatari men can – and do – apply to the courts in order to prevent their wives from traveling. “Married women are entitled to travel without permission irrespective…

EY has appointed Nancy Muhoya Nganga as managing partner of its Kenyan practice and leader of the East Africa cluster, the first time a woman has held the roles She takes over from Gitahi Gachahi who has managed the firm since 2010 and is due to retire later this year. Muhoya, a Kenyan certified public accountant, has been with the firm for 16 years and has served in a number of senior roles. Most recently, she led assurance services in EY East Africa and was responsible for an unprecedented expansion in its business. Welcoming her appointment, Gachahi described the growth on her watch as “phenomenal”. “With her experience, business acumen, exposure and global mind set, our business is poised for a take-off to the next level,” he added. Muhoya’s rapid rise to the top has not gone unobserved. In 2016, she was picked as one of Business Daily’s Top 40…

In 2019 in South Africa, adult women need their husbands’ permission to keep their birth names. In some instances, they even need evidence of their father’s consent. This is according to home affairs officials. It is a common lament among married women that the Department of Home Affairs changes their name to that of their husband – unasked. It is usually working women who have professional personas, but often it is women who simply want to keep their birth name. For government, though, the reason should be irrelevant. By ticking the box on the marriage form that a woman wants to retain their birth name, she is giving the Department of Home Affairs a legal instruction. However, many home affairs officials around the country do not believe that women have the right to make this decision – or if women do decide to keep their name, they do not know…