This one was long overdue. A radical overhaul of the existing socio-economic framework. For the first time in the history of Saudi Arabia, women have finally been allowed to participate in elections and cast their vote. That this comes after years of suffragist struggle makes this fundamental right all the more precious.
Women are already queuing up to register as voters for the municipal elections this year. Four days ago, two women from Mecca and Medina became the first female voters to register.
December polls, later this year, will be the third municipal elections, since it was first held in 2005. Partial local elections first took place in 2005, but with only men voting for male candidates for half of each municipal council.
Elections were to be held every four years, but in February 2009, the government announced that it was postponing indefinitely “for evaluation” of the 2009 polls, as the push for universal suffrage intensified.
In 2011, the election that was originally scheduled in 2009, took place, and during the same year a legislation was passed allowing women to vote and run for office by 2015. At the same time, the legislation also set the voting age to 18.
Activists have hailed the move as progress – but they say that there is still a long way to go before women have equal rights to men in the kingdom. After all, even if women can vote, they still need somebody to drop them off at the polling booth.
Women are still unable to travel, engage in paid work or higher education or marry without the permission of a male guardian. It still remains for women to conquer over the other restrictions placed upon them.
But, baby steps are what lead to a giant milestone.
Image Courtesy: Reuters
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