Women in Saudi Arabia 'to vote and run in elections'

Women in Saudi Arabia 'to vote and run in elections'

www.bbc.co.uk

Women in Saudi Arabia are to be given the right to vote and run in municipal elections, the Gulf Kingdom's King Abdullah has announced.

He said they would also have the right to be appointed to the consultative Shura Council.

The news will be welcomed by activists who have long called for greater rights for women in the ultra-conservative kingdom.

The changes will take effect from next year, the king said.

(visit the link for the full news article)

WOW !!!

What a break through for the women under the control of this society.

With so many unusual and bizzare restrictions as to what they can and can't do or where they can or can't go, this truly is a kick in the teeth for those who have sought domination over others for a very long time.

Maybe one day these women will be able to go out in public without having to cover themselves from head to foot..

Way to go girls.. go get 'em and let 'em know what you are capable of !!!

ETA.. On a search for related threads, I found that this struggle for this victory has been going on well before 2005, there are only a few threads that actually mention about the voting rights for women in this country,
www.abovetopsecret.com...


www.bbc.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

This is very good news for the Arabic world. The down side is how long will it take for a woman to actually be elected. I know there are some who think different, but sometimes you gotta get some testosterone out of the room to make the right decision. With Hilary in the room, it just goes up.

reply to post by DAVID64


We may all be very surprised if a woman was to be voted in to power at the next available elections after the womens votes begin.

I feel that there may be a strong following in the 'underworld' for this change to occur, yet, due to the current situation, nobody has been able to speak out at all.

Can you imagine the amount of new laws that may be passed and the destruction of old ways?

But there is always the dark shadow of vote fixing looming in the carpeted corridors of current power..

A token gesture designed to appease activists within saudi and get a pat on the back from the west..

reply to post by Extralien


Wow! This is very good news...and quite unexpected.

I'm also glad to see in a related story that Saudi women are turning to social networking to help them develop a plan to give them driving privileges.

King Abdullah, congratulations.

reply to post by Atzil321

A token gesture designed to appease activists within saudi and get a pat on the back from the west..

It's much more than that..it's a fundamental change to their culture. If they wanted a pat from the west, all they'd have to do is drop oil prices a buck a barrel.

reply to post by Atzil321


That may be possible... but even if it is, it is still a huge step forwards in such a controlled country.

It's akin to doing hard time in a top prison and being allowed a trip to the beach once a year..

Originally posted by DAVID64
This is very good news for the Arabic world. The down side is how long will it take for a woman to actually be elected. I know there are some who think different, but sometimes you gotta get some testosterone out of the room to make the right decision. With Hilary in the room, it just goes up.

Gee I starred you until I read the last line. I agree we need to get some of that testosterone out of the room, but NOT in the way you meant it. Men who act like teenagers shouldnt be in office.

Its the Burkas that must go, and forcing head scarves. Women have the right to live free, be free, express themselves freely, marry who they wish, leave the ones they wish to leave children in tow. Protect their children. Etc Etc Etc. Thats what being human and equal means and alot more.

That would be great news, if they had something they could vote for. But they only may vote in the council elections and only for one half of the members. The others are selected by the government.
The next elections are on Thursday, but the women may not vote yet. So they will have to wait until 2015.

So it's more like a drop of water on a hot stone. Nevertheless a step forward.

reply to post by mishigas


Indeed!

continuing on...yes, putting pressure on govt leaders, building a movement outside of govt in order to effect change in govt, takes time and perseverance. In the US, for ex, change does not automatically happen every 4 years; the people still must work outside of govt to put pressure on govt or any other institution. The Saudi women are changing culture; if you put enough pressure on a damn, it will break eventually, but at first it's only a trickle..

reply to post by Unity_99

Its the Burkas that must go, and forcing head scarves. Women have the right to live free, be free, express themselves freely, marry who they wish, leave the ones they wish to leave children in tow. Protect their children. Etc Etc Etc. Thats what being human and equal means and alot more.

True dat. But I think the dress code is geared towards women not exposing skin, which is a sexual issue. That would be much more sensitive and require more time and a less direct approach. Maybe getting the privilege to drive would be a good first step; they could use the ID angle as a wedge.

But I do agree with your post.

reply to post by desert

reply to post by mishigas


Indeed!

continuing on...yes, putting pressure on govt leaders, building a movement outside of govt in order to effect change in govt, takes time and perseverance. In the US, for ex, change does not automatically happen every 4 years; the people still must work outside of govt to put pressure on govt or any other institution. The Saudi women are changing culture; if you put enough pressure on a damn, it will break eventually, but at first it's only a trickle..

And I must salute the bravery and courage of these women and men that challenge ancient rules, esp. when violating the rules carry such severe penalties. Thank goodness for the advance of the social media networks that they use to derive support, encouragement, and ideas from around the world. I wonder if change would be possible without them. Well, it would always be possible, but maybe not so timely.