Rights groups say the move, which was initiated by the late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud in 2011, marks a “significant step” forward for women’s rights in the ultra-conservative monarchy. “I was the first to register and the first to obtain a voter’s card in Makkah”. Women will only participate in elections at the municipal level.
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While hailing the move on voting, activists opine that there is still a long way to go before women have equal rights to men in the kingdom. In 2013, he issued a royal decree stating that the Consultative Council, a royally appointed body that advises the King, be at least 20 per cent women. And Norah al-Faiz was the first female in a cabinet-level position as deputy education minister, though she was replaced in a cabinet reorganization earlier this year. Both days will mark firsts for women in Saudi Arabia gearing up to participate in elections in December.
“Baladi has had a plan to hold several workshops to educate the people about the culture of elections”.
Hatoun Al-Fasi, from The Baladi Initiative that educates women about elections, said the government has “failed dearly” to market the elections as she pointed out that the registration period coincided with many having work to attend. Al-Fasi has argued that the ministry does not have any alternatives to the Baladi programming and has not done enough to publicize the election.
The reality is that when you view this change in the wider context of Saudi Arabia’s extreme and expanding political repression, it is clear that it is an advance on paper only.
According to a report on Mail Online, voting registration for the December elections began and on August 30, they will even be allowed to register as candidates. However other things (like restriction on travel without a male chaperone) might not.
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“We refuse to marginalize the role of women in Saudi society and in every aspect, within the rules of Sharia”. While Saudi Arabia has made a move to bring the women in par with the men, it now remains to be seen whether or not the Vatican City will call for a similar change.
