With the rise of young Prince Mohammad bin Salman to power, the kingdom has experienced an expansion of women's rights, such as allowing women to attend mixed public sporting events and granting them the right to drive starting this summer. These changes have been praised as evidence of a new progressive direction towards modernization in the deeply conservative Muslim nation, although criticism persists over the continued restrictions placed on women. Prince Mohammed stated in an interview with CBS television that the laws of sharia (Islamic law) require women to dress in decent, respectful clothing, similar to men. However, he noted that this does not specifically mandate a black abaya or head cover. The choice of appropriate and respectful clothing for women is entirely up to them. An event on International Women's Day in Saudi Arabia featured women running in Old Jeddah. A senior cleric recently stated that women should dress modestly, but wearing the abaya is not mandatory. It is uncertain if this indicates a shift in the enforcement of women's dress code in the country. Saudi Arabia does not have a written legal code to accompany sharia texts, and traditionally, police and the judiciary have enforced a strict dress code that includes wearing abayas and often covering the hair and face for Saudi women. In recent years, Saudi Arabia has experienced a new era of social freedoms as the 32-year-old crown prince, Prince Mohammad bin Salman, has risen to power after many years of elderly rulers. This has led to an increase in women's rights, with Saudi women now wearing more colorful abayas such as light blues and pinks, in contrast to the traditional black. Open abayas over long skirts or jeans are also becoming more prevalent in certain regions of the country. A group of women in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia celebrated International Women's Day on March 8 by going for a jog, exercising their newly acquired freedom. Despite onlookers' surprise, activists criticize the country's guardianship system which still requires women to obtain permission from a male family member for activities such as studying abroad and traveling. Recently, a UN rights watchdog urged Saudi Arabia to eliminate discriminatory practices against women, including male guardianship, and ensure they have equal access to justice.