With the rise to power of Prince Mohammad bin Salman, the kingdom has experienced an expansion in women's rights, such as allowing women to attend mixed public sporting events and granting them the right to drive cars starting this summer. These changes have been seen as evidence of a new progressive direction towards modernization in the deeply conservative Muslim kingdom, but the nation is still criticized for imposing restrictions on women. Prince Mohammed emphasized that the laws of sharia require women to dress modestly and respectfully, similar to men, but did not specifically mention the requirement for a black abaya or head cover. Women have the complete freedom to choose their attire, as stated by a senior cleric last month. This includes wearing a modest and respectable outfit, such as an abaya, but it is not mandatory. The enforcement of women's dress code in Saudi Arabia, which currently requires women to wear abayas and sometimes cover their hair and faces, may be changing. There is no written legal code accompanying the texts of sharia in the kingdom. However, since the 32-year-old crown prince took power after years of elderly rulers, Saudi Arabia has experienced a cautious new era of social freedoms. Women in the kingdom have started wearing more colorful abayas, such as light blues and pinks, as well as open abayas over long skirts or jeans in some regions. This shift in women's fashion is seen as a result of the increased rights for women under the leadership of Prince Mohammad bin Salman. A group of women in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia celebrated International Women's Day by going for a jog, exercising their newfound freedom to do so. Despite this progress, activists criticize the country's guardianship system which still requires women to obtain permission from a male family member for certain activities. The UN has urged Saudi Arabia to end discriminatory practices against women, such as male guardianship, and ensure they have full access to justice.