Saudi women drivers took to the roads legally Sunday for the first time in the kingdom’s history, as its decades-old ban on women driving finally lifted.

随着长达几十年的女性驾驶禁令最终被解除，沙特的女司机们周日史上首次合法开车上路了。

The end of the controversial ban brings the ultra-conservative Gulf nation into line with the rest of the world. It also represents the culmination of years of campaigning by rights activists who have sometimes been arrested and imprisoned for their efforts.

这一具有争议性的禁令的解除使得这一极其保守的海湾国家与世界接轨。它也代表着权利活动人士多年运动的高潮，他们曾时常被逮捕和被囚禁。

Mona Al-Fares, a dentist, was in her car before midnight, waiting for the ban to lift before setting off through the streets of Jeddah with her husband and children.

牙医Mona Al-Fares午夜前坐在她的车里，等待着禁令被解除，随后她将和丈夫、孩子驰骋吉达街头。

"I feel like I’m surprised -- am I really driving in my own country? I feel happy, relieved. I feel like I’m free," she told cnn.

她向cnn说道：“太意外了！我真的是在自己的国家吗？我很开心，解脱了。我感觉我自由了。”

The step, first announced last September, will liberate many women from the constraints of needing to hire a male driver to travel even small distances, allowing many more to join the workforce, grow their own businesses and explore the kingdom.

此举于去年12月宣布，将解放众多女性于不得不雇佣男司机的限制（即便是开很小一段距离），允许更多女性成为劳动力，发展经济，开发沙特。

Hiring women is a key part of Saudi Arabia’s ambitious plan to overhaul its economy, known as Vision 2030. The reform agenda is being spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

雇佣女性是沙特阿拉伯经济改革雄心计划“视觉2030”的关键部分。改革日程正由王储Mohammed bin Salman牵头。

Many other restrictions on women’s everyday lives remain in place under the male guardianship system -- including the right to marry, work or travel.

在男权体系下，女性的日常生活仍有很多其他限制，包括婚姻权、工作权和旅行权。