BY: ZOE MELNYK
Saudi Arabia made a leap forward this month by finally allowing woman to register to vote and run for municipal elections, but the battle for women’s rights and freedoms is far from over.
The news surfaced last week, but according to Arab News, 70 Saudi women are already interested in running and 80 women are registered as campaign managers for the upcoming election in December.
The battle for women’s rights and freedoms is far from over.
The right to vote only extends to municipal elections, which generally covers that municipality’s taxes, budget, issuance of codes for urban planning and other duties.
The news surfaced last week, but according to Arab News, 70 Saudi women are already interested in running and 80 women are registered as campaign managers for the upcoming election in December.
Not only does voting and running for elections grant Saudi women a voice in the political world for the first time, but it also sends a clear message that women are in fact equal and deserve a say in their community’s affairs.
It’s a defining moment for women’s rights, but there are still many hurdles to overcome before Saudi women will receive the rights and treatment they deserve as human beings.
It’s one thing to change a law, but it’s an entirely different task to change the mindset so heavily embedded in a conservative culture like Saudi Arabia’s.
Although women can vote, they are still required to have an approved piece of personal ID, and for most women, that means dealing with controlling male guardians and pushing through anti-feminism crowds. In Medina, Saudi Arabia’s fourth largest city, only five women registered to vote on the very first day.
Although women can vote, they are still required to have an approved piece of personal ID, and for most women, that means dealing with controlling male guardians and pushing through anti-feminism crowds.
Male guardianship is still widely practiced, which prohibits women from attaining a passport, choosing their own significant other or pursuing a higher education without permission of a male guardian (either a father, brother, husband or son).
Male guardianship is still widely practiced, which prohibits women from attaining a passport, and other ID.
Saudi Arabia also took a slight step back this month after the Ministry of Social Affairs temporarily closed election-training workshops that are meant to assist women in developing important roles in society. The closing allegedly occurred because of licensing issues, but the timing makes this reasoning questionable.
Despite facing infinite amounts of roadblocks, Saudi women continue to inch forward towards a progressive society with more and more women entering the workforce and gaining access to a higher education, according to Human Rights Watch.
Saudi women are still struggling to attain equal rights and fair treatment, but gaining the right to vote and run for municipal elections is a small victory that allows women to have a bigger role in civil society.
Sources: theweek.co.uk, cnn.com, qudrat.com.pk, time.com
