Several countries have praised Saudi Arabia for lifting a decade-long driving ban on women.

King Salman issued a decree allowing women to be given driving licences, in what some say is a first step towards women's empowerment in the Kingdom, ruled according to Sharia Law.

In spite of several praises the country has received for what the Saudi ambassador to Washington described as "an historical move", rights groups have pointed out that the highly conservative Muslim nation still fails to grant women basic rights.

Here are some of the things Saudi women are still banned from doing in the country.

1- Women are not free to dress as they like while in public

Saudi women must wear unrevealing garments while in public. As per the country's strict dress code, they must wear a loose black garment called abaya – usually black – and a headscarf.

In July, the arrest of a model – only identified as Khulood after a video showed her walking through the streets of the Ushaiager village, wearing a miniskirt and crop top sparked outrage.

The woman, who said the video had been taken and uploaded online without her knowledge, was subsequently released without charge.

2- Women cannot interact freely with men they are not related to

Interaction between men and women who are not related is strictly forbidden in the country. Some public buildings have separate entrances and areas for men and women.

King Salman announced in May that women should be allowed to access government services, such as education and healthcare, even if they do not have guardian consent. However, women are still unable to take several decision on their own, and require the approval of a male guardian, usually a brother, father, son or husband.

As regards the male guardianship rules:

3- They cannot obtain a passport and travel without consent

Women under the age of 45 must also have a "yellow slip" – signed by a male – to hand in at the airport or border. In 2012, the country introduced a text alert system, whereby men would be informed via a text message whenever women under their guardianship wanted to leave the country.

4- They cannot marry without consent

A woman's consent is generally given orally before a religious official officiating the marriage, and both the woman and her male guardian are required to sign the marriage contract. Men are not required to have their male guardian's consent and can marry up to four wives at one time, according to a 2016 report by Human Rights Watch.

5- They cannot open a bank account

Women are also barred from opening a bank account for their children under the age of 18.