The late King Abdullah announced in 2011 that women could vote in this election; he also introduced measures to enable more women to go to university and obtain employment.
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For the first time in the monarchy’s history, women have been elected to municipal councils in Saudi Arabia.
Women’s participation in this weekend’s elections is an important step in the struggle for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, but formidable obstacles remain.
Saudi Arabia on Saturday held its first elections in which women were allowed to run for office as well as vote, with at least six female municipal council candidates elected. The conservative capital of Riyadh saw probably the most women candidates win, with 4 elected.
The duties of municipal councils are limited to local affairs including streets, public gardens and garbage collection.
Women snap photos as they arrive at their polling station in Jiddah to vote in municipal elections.
In spite of these positive developments, the critics are saying that there are still too many restrictions that are making it hard for women to vote and run for office.
Female candidates were forbidden to talk to male voters face-to-face, so a group of popular stand-up comedians campaigned for her and performed in person at all-male rallies. “Only in the movies”, the daughter said, referring to the ballot box.
Female voter turnout was almost 80 percent in places, compared with about 50 percent of registered male voters, according to an AFP analysis of official data. Saudi Arabia has a population of about 28 million including foreign nationals, according to the CIA World Factbook.
It disclosed that the female winners stood in several areas of the country, including Riyadh, Jeddah, Mecca, the northern province of al-Jawf, and the province of al-Ihsa in the east.
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Oil-rich Saudi Arabia boasts modern infrastructure of highways, skyscrapers and ever-more shopping malls. Just men participated in the 2005 and 2011 polls. Women are still not allowed to drive and are governed by guardianship laws that give men final say over aspects of their lives like marriage, travel and higher education. These are only half the seats, as the Saudi King has the right to choose the remaining half. He appointed women as advisers despite opposition from many quarters.
