First time ever: Saudi women can now register to vote

[Devil Soul]

First time ever: Saudi women can now register to vote
By Web Desk
Published: August 22, 2015

Over one third of total 1,263 voting centers in municipal council elections scheduled for December have been reserved for women. PHOTO: REUTERS

For the first time ever in the history of Kingdom, women in Saudi Arabia have been allowed to register to vote ahead of municipal elections scheduled for December.

Saudi women will not only be able to vote in the upcoming elections but will also be able to run for office in December this year.

Saudi Gazette newspaper identified Jamal al Saadi and Safinaz Abu al Shamat as the first two women who registered themselves as voters in Madina and Makkah, respectively.

Talking to Saudi Gazette, a local newspaper, Saadi said “The participation of the Saudi women in the municipal elections as voters and candidates was a dream for us.”

Jamal Al-Saadi was the first woman register in Madinah to vote in the Kingdom municipal elections. — PHOTO COURTESY SAUDI GAZETTE

“The move will enable Saudi women to have a say in the process of the decision-making,” she added.

Read: Saudi king gives women right to vote

After a series of protests in the Kingdom for women suffrage, late King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz al-Saud in 2011 said women will also take part in the next session of the unelected, advisory Shura Council, which vets legislation but has no binding powers.

“Because we refuse to marginalise women in society in all roles that comply with sharia, we have decided, after deliberation with our senior ulema (clerics) and others to involve women in the Shura Council as members, starting from the next term,” he said in a speech delivered to the advisory body.

Over a third of 1,263 voting centers in municipal council elections, scheduled for December, have now been reserved for women in the country — which still maintains strict segregation of men and women.

And with the age of voting now changed to 18, younger Saudi women will have an increased say in the makeup of at least municipal councils.

According to Arab News, as many as 70 women, including some businesswomen and others involved in social and community services from Makkah, Madina, Jeddah and Tabuk, intend to run for office. More than 80 have also registered themselves as campaign managers.

Haifa Al-Hababi, who is preparing to participate in the election, said her message in the campaign would be about change.

Terming the government’s decision to give women right to vote a tool for change, Al-Hababi said she intends to use it to change the system and life in the Kingdom.

 

[soldier of Putin]

secular country

 

[Saif al-Arab]

This is a misunderstanding. Women don't belong in politics.

secular country

Never. You spelt it wrongly Superboy. It's called sickular.

Joking aside, good news. Much more need to happen on this front and it's great to see big activity from women in Hijaz. From Tabuk in the North to Al-Bahah in the South. Rest of the country is not far behind either. Still a lot of time until December.

 

[soldier of Putin]

Do women work as flight attendants in Saudi Arabia?

 

[haviZsultan]

This is a misunderstanding. Women don't belong in politics.



Never. You spelt it wrongly Superboy. It's called sickular.

Joking aside, good news. Much more need to happen on this front and it's great to see big activity from women in Hijaz. From Tabuk in the North to Al-Bahah in the South. Rest of the country is not far behind either. Still a lot of time until December.

Does even talking about the benefits of a secular society hurt?

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Do women work as flight attendants in Saudi Arabia?

No.

Does even talking about the benefits of a secular society hurt?

Yes, deeply. It's traumatic actually.

In any case let Arabs deal with their own affairs in the Arab world.

 

[haviZsultan]

No.



Yes, deeply. It's traumatic actually.

In any case let Arabs deal with their own affairs in the Arab world.

In my eyes debate is a constant process that should not be given up. Islamically debate was known as ijtehad and scholars agreed to place all views on the table. I seriously believe the muslim world has to develop a secular fabric. But theocracies are removing our ability to think-think outside the box-think beyond what we have been made to believe-in this case the secularism is decadent evil and a western concept.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

In my eyes debate is a constant process that should not be given up. Islamically debate was known as ijtehad and scholars agreed to place all views on the table. I seriously believe the muslim world has to develop a secular fabric. But theocracies are removing our ability to think-think outside the box-think beyond what we have been made to believe-in this case the secularism is decadent evil and a western concept.

Such debates (Islamic laws vs secularism) in the Muslim world originate in the Arab world. They have been ongoing for well over 1 millennium. In fact almost from the dawn of the Rashidun Caliphate.

This never-ending debate, although not visible in public in KSA at the first glimpse, is present too.

Most people are contend with the laws of the country although they are not perfect (no legal system is that) as they live in one of the richest societies and one of the most advanced welfare states in the developing world. Moreover the vast majority of the people are practicing Muslims.

KSA is not a theocracy but a monarchy based on Islamic law where the Ulema plays a very important religious and thus cultural and social role in shaping the society.

I personally am neither for or against secularism as all systems of the world cannot be applied with similar success everywhere as each society is unique.

Also several Arab countries are secular (Pakistan is not for instance) so secularism has a long history in the Arab world.

Moreover the only Muslim country ever ruled by communists was South Yemen (Arabia) and this lasted for 23 years. From 1967 until 1990.

In any case the people of KSA should and will one day decide what to pursue. For now changes are happening gradually and constantly. Sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.

We will see what the future will bring. I am positive.

 

[haviZsultan]

Such debates (Islamic laws vs secularism) in the Muslim world originate in the Arab world. They have been ongoing for well over 1 millennium. In fact almost from the dawn of the Rashidun Caliphate.

This never-ending debate, although not visible in public in KSA at the first glimpse, is present too.

Most people are contend with the laws of the country although they are not perfect (no legal system is that) as they live in one of the richest societies and one of the most advanced welfare states in the developing world. Moreover the vast majority of the people are practicing Muslims.

KSA is not a theocracy but a monarchy based on Islamic law where the Ulama plays a very important religious and thus cultural and social role in shaping the society.

I personally am neither for or against secularism as all systems of the world cannot be applied with similar success everywhere as each society is unique.

Also several Arab countries are secular (Pakistan is not for instance) so secularism has a long history in the Arab world.

Moreover the only Muslim country ever ruled by communists was South Yemen (Arabia) and this lasted for 23 years. From 1967 until 1990.

In any case the people of KSA should and will one day decide what to pursue. For now changes are happening gradually and constantly. Sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse.

We will see what the future will bring. I am positive.

I hope the Islamic world at large begins important reforms, administrative, political and economic. We are shadows of our previous power and have lost everything in the process, our independence and even creative ways of thinking, precisely why Islamic countries are where they are. I wish good luck to both Saudi and Iran and hope the 2 can fix this dispute and hopefully find better, proper governance systems. Clearly I do not have respect for theocracies though I favor independent foreign policies.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

@haviZsultan

In any case KSA is not the country many foreigners imagine it to be. Far from it. You really have to understand that it is one of the most modern countries in terms of living standards, infrastructure etc. The youth in KSA is for instance the most active youth in the Muslim world in terms of social media (almost every Saudi Arabian has a Facebook, Twitter, Youtube profile etc), internet etc. More women than men study at universities etc. KSA has the highest number of students at US universities per capita in the world etc.



A surprising map of where the world’s atheists live - The Washington Post

KSA is a very complex country with many contradictions. It is as complex at it is big (11th biggest nation on the planet). You really won't understand it unless you will one day live in KSA and interact with locals. Preferably from more than 1 region.

Sometimes I wonder if PDF needs a thread called "Ask a question about Saudi Arabia" where Saudi Arabian users could reply. I think this would be a very good idea as I see a lot of ignorance. Pakistanis, Indians etc. living in KSA and who are active on PDF could help with this too.

You should watch this video and especially the ending. They are pretty much spot on.

I hope the Islamic world at large begins important reforms, administrative, political and economic. We are shadows of our previous power and have lost everything in the process, our independence and even creative ways of thinking, precisely why Islamic countries are where they are. I wish good luck to both Saudi and Iran and hope the 2 can fix this dispute and hopefully find better, proper governance systems. Clearly I do not have respect for theocracies though I favor independent foreign policies.

Let us hope for the best but the changes must come from within. If not they will be doomed to fail. Only a microscopic minority of the 450 million Arabs have any hope of the Mullah regime playing any constructive role. Sadly the current proxy wars are likely to continue.

 

[Shahryar Hedayati]

This is a misunderstanding. Women don't belong in politics.

 

[Saif al-Arab]

Is irony a foreign word in Iran? What about blindness? How common is it in Iran? Carefully reread post 3. You took your time to quote 1 sentence in my post 3 but missed the remaining part. Specifically the one containing "joking aside".

Having said that then it's not a coincidence that almost all the prominent leaders in politics have been men historically and are this to this day.

Saudi Arabian women, including the women of the MENA region, have on average very little experience in politics and in the decision making bodies in the societies whether on a governmental or private level although this is changing for the better.

They need such experience before they can make a career in politics. This process will take some time and it's not something that will happen overnight. It was no different in the West at one point in history.

In any case we can always say that we Arabs/Semites had the most famous queens/female rulers in history, arguably. Cleoptra and Queen of Sheba. Beat that buddy!

 

[Metanoia]

@Saif al-Arab

 

[Saif al-Arab]

@Saif al-Arab

I was joking man. Please reread my post again. I have always been in favor of more rights to women in the Arab and Muslim world and world as a whole. I have always been critical of certain idiotic laws in KSA which are an obstacle for women.

Everyone should be appointed/elected based on merit. Saudi Arabian women have a lot to offer if given the chance. I know this as 1000's of them are studying at leading Universities in KSA, the GCC and the West especially. They are on average much more serious than the men. Many of their talents are sadly wasted though.

We know this is the case in most Muslim and developing countries but what can we do?

If I was the ruler of KSA I would change those stupid laws that I disagree with tonight if possible regardless of the conservative lot being angry about this. A few days later they would come to their senses if they saw how pointless the previous laws were.

Having said all this then I am serious when I say that men in general are better statesmen and politicians. Based on history and present day this is indeed a correct observation. That's not to say that women cannot be better in this department than men. On average they are IMO not.

I have 3 sisters and I have the utmost respect for women. At the same time I always want to see them retain some of their traditional roles. Nowadays in certain parts of the West it's difficult to see who is the man or women in the family. I don't like that and I don't believe that this is a good thing for children on average.

We should be cautious and not turn women into men in the name of "progress".

 

[Metanoia]

I was joking man. Please reread my post again. I have always been in favor of more rights to women in the Arab and Muslim world and world as a whole. I have always been critical of certain idiotic laws in KSA which are an obstacle for women.

Everyone should be appointed/elected based on merit. Saudi Arabian women have a lot to offer if given the chance. I know this as 1000's of them are studying at leading Universities in KSA, the GCC and the West especially. They are on average much more serious than the men. Many of their talents are sadly wasted though.

We know this is the case in most Muslim and developing countries but what can we do?

If I was the ruler of KSA I would change those stupid laws that I disagree with tonight if possible regardless of the conservative lot being angry about this. A few days later they would come to their senses if they saw how pointless the previous laws were.

Having said all this then I am serious when I say that men in general are better statesmen and politicians. Based on history and present day this is indeed a correct observation. That's not to say that women cannot be better in this department than men. On average they are IMO not.

Bro you were lecturing a member on "irony being lost on him"....whilst simultaneously my sarcastic was lost on you.