Saudi Arabia gives women right to vote

Saudi women will have the right to stand for office and vote in future local elections, says King Abdullah Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah has said women will have the right to stand and vote in future local elections and join the advisory Shura council as full members. “Because we refuse to marginalise women in society in all roles that comply with sharia, we have decided, after deliberation with our senior ulama [clerics] and others … to involve women in the Shura council as members, starting from the next term,” Abdullah, 87, said in a speech. “Women will be able to run as candidates in the municipal election and will even have a right to vote,” he added. Liberal activists in the country have long called for greater rights for women, who are barred from travelling, working or having medical operations without the permission of a male relative and are forbidden from driving. The changes will come after elections on Thursday, in which women are barred from voting or standing for office. Saudi Arabia Gender Middle East Electoral reform guardian.co.uk

Posted by on September 25, 2011. Filed under News, Politics, World News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.