Editorial
Saudi women's new rights
A big leap forward
King Abdullah decided on September 25, 2011 to grant women the right to vote and run in municipal elections from 2015 and to be a member of the Consultative Assembly, known also as the Shura Council. This Council advises the king and debates on current affairs but cannot pass or enforce laws.
This unprecedented and welcome change has also been approved by the religious scholars with whom the king had consulted, stating that women have played vital roles since the Prophet's time.
This opens up the door for women's participation in political life and decisions in unprecedented ways. Since May of 2011, women have been asking for the right to drive and posting such needs for change on social media sites such as Facebook. Their voices are finally being heard on a larger scale. On a practical level, the right to drive will only be inevitable.
Whereas countries such as Tunisia, Egypt and Libya have seen widespread bloodshed during the Arab Spring to ask for democracy and equal rights, Saudi Arabia welcomes changes in a peaceful manner.
This comes at a time when Saudis recognize the need for accelerated change and reforms in a shrinking world, thanks to King Abdullah's views that women should no longer be marginalized.
King Abdullah has taken giant steps to grant women equality and this is just the beginning of those steps that Saudi Arabia seems to take. It is a good beginning.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments