A petition urging the Saudi Arabian government to discard its guardianship system that prohibits women from doing things like travelling, studying and working without a male relative's permission, will soon be submitted to authorities, The Guardian reported. So far, the online campaign has more than 14,000 signatures.

Activist Aziza Al-Yousef said, "Women should be treated as complete citizens. This is not only a women's issue, it is also putting pressure on normal men." According to Saudi law, the father or brother is an unmarried woman's guardian. The responsibility is taken over by the husband after marriage, while a widowed woman needs her son's permission to carry out the activities.

The protest movement against the decades-old system has gained momentum over the years through workshops and surveys. It got a boost from a Human Rights Watch campaign against the system, which sparked the creation of the hashtag #IAmMyOwnGuardian on social media.

One of the co-authors of the HRW report, Hala Aldosari, said around 2,500 women sent direct telegrams to the Saudi king's office in support of the campaign, which received 14,682 signatures after it was promoted on Twitter.

The government had consented to abolish the system in 2009 and 2013, following a report by the United Nation's Human Rights Council. Since then, restrictions on women have been relaxed. The transition includes appointments to the king's advisory board as well as provisions to vote and run as candidates in municipal elections.

Many in the Saudi royal family are open to abolishing the system, according to The Guardian report. While the campaign has the support of some senior clerics, whose consent is also important, there are a few who are not in favour of the transition. The campaign has faced opposition, even from some women who have launched a counter Arabic hashtag, which translates as #TheGuardianshipIsForHerNotAgainstHer, BBC reported.