Beyond the Succession: Qatari women face increased surveillance under new guardianship laws

Amnesty International has issued a report highlighting a significant regression in women's rights in Qatar following recent administrative changes. According to the organization, the Qatari Ministry of Interior has introduced new requirements within the 'Metrash2' app that further entrench the male guardianship system. Amnesty reports that women under the age of 25 now require explicit digital permission from their male guardians to travel abroad for education or to enter into marriage contracts, a move that contradicts previous government claims of reform. The organization alleges that this update effectively turns a mobile government tool into a mass surveillance system for controlling female citizens. Furthermore, Amnesty claims that female activists who have protested these changes have been subjected to online harassment and threats from state-linked accounts. The report suggests that the new leadership is prioritizing the appeasement of conservative religious factions over its international human rights obligations. Amnesty International stated that these measures continue to treat adult women as legal minors, denying them the right to basic autonomy and freedom of movement.