Saudi Arabia will allow women to obtain passports and travel abroad without approval from a male "guardian", the government said yesterday, ending a longstanding restriction.<br />''<br />''A passport will be granted to any Saudi national who submits an application, said a government ruling published in the official gazette Umm Al Qura. The regulation will be applicable to women over the age of 21, the local media reported, citing senior authorities.<br />''<br />''Women's rights activists have campaigned for decades against the guardianship system. The decision comes amid a wide-ranging liberalisation drive spearheaded by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. <br />