Ever since his ascension to the Saudi throne in 2005, King Abdullah ibn Abdulaziz has been taking cautious steps in the field of women’s rights. Most notably in 2013, he allowed for the admittance of thirty Saudi women into the Consultative (Shura) Council, which proposes some Saudi laws. Despite such steps, the lives of Saudi women remain constricted by the guardianship system, a set of laws that explicitly discriminate based on gender and infringe upon women’s human rights. In her presentation, Maliha AlShehab will present a rejoinder to the narrative of Saudi reform by illuminating the ways in which the guardianship system affects women’s rights to education, health, employment, and freedom of movement. She will offer recommendations for local and international action to redress the harmful effects of this system. Her presentation will be followed by comments by Ali Al-Ahmed.