RIYADH: As the forthcoming Hajj approaches, the Saudi Arabia authorities has responded to the problem of women traveling without a Mehram.
The Hajj and Umrah Ministry of Saudi Arabia has officially declared that women are no longer need to have a Mahram in order to perform the Hajj, and that this requirement no longer applies to all pilgrimages.

The ministry has also made it clear that, as part of the registration criteria for the 2019 Hajj, which is set for June, all domestic pilgrims must be vaccinated against Neisseria meningitis and seasonal influenza.

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It should be emphasized that a Mahram is a family member with whom marriage would be prohibited (haram), and that in the past, women had to travel on pilgrimages with a Mehram in tow. The Saudi Arabian administration has signed agreements with several nations in order to finalize preparations for the next Hajj. Flight schedules and other major matters are now being resolved by the government.

According to statistics, the country received almost 2 million Hajj travelers last year, and over 13 million Umrah pilgrims. The previous year, the monarchy removed social distancing measures that had been in place following the pandemic, which had forced travel to a halt.