The Commerce Ministry has already agreed to change its rules after the campaigners started their initiative in 2009, but it appears other government departments have not followed suit.

“It was basically a campaign for businesswomen who face many obstacles while managing their business because of the need for a male legal representative,” said Alya Banaja, campaign coordinator for the western provinces.

“We expected the ministries to coordinate between themselves and that we did not have to address every ministry separately.” She added that businesswomen as well as career women still face this obstacle at other ministries, such as the Ministry of Labor.

“The Ministry of Commerce was able to come out with a resolution to cancel the legal representative rule for women. Therefore, it is incomprehensible that other ministries did not take the same steps,” said Banaja.

According to Banaja, when officials from other government departments were told about the Commerce Ministry’s decision to change the rule, they responded saying they have not received such a directive.

Banaja points out that their campaign is putting together a letter to the Council of Ministers demanding all ministries scrap the male legal representative rule and a system is implemented where ministries coordinate with each other to ensure any changes in regulations are implemented across the board.

“We have started sending out e-mails to build our campaign, including requesting the form from ministries that requires a legal representative's name, and the Ministry of Commerce's resolution to cancel the requirement,” said Banaja.

A specialist in fiqh (Islamic jurisprudence) issues, Sheikh Abdullah Fadaq, confirmed that there is no such demand in Islamic law for a male legal representative.

“People get mixed up when distinguishing between a legal guardian and legal representative. While the former is compulsory, the latter is not part of the Shariah,” Fadaq told Arab News.

He pointed out that even a legal guardian has limitations on what authority he has over a woman.

“The legal guardian was assigned to care for and protect women. Should he abuse his authority by forcing her to marry or depriving her of her rights, women can rely on the courts to intervene,” said Fadaq.

On the other hand, Fadaq confirmed, the concept of a male legal representative is overemphasized especially as women have the ability to manage their own issues.

“It should be optional for women to appoint a legal representative or not, as in some cases representatives can take advantage of and betray their trust,” said Fadaq, voicing his support for the campaign that in his opinion will benefit all women.

“Now that Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah has opened many doors for women to achieve their goals, it is time for these benefits to reach as many women as possible and not be confined to a certain rank or section in society.”