80 women likely to enter fray

DAMMAM: Around 80 Saudi women may fight the municipal elections that will be held in December, activist Fawziya Al-Hani has said. “Saudi women will remove any shortcomings in the municipal councils,” she added.

Al-Hani revealed that there are at least 10 women in each administrative province, which means a total of 80 candidates who will vie for seats in the civic council.
An aspirant, Hanan Mohammad Al-Dahham, said she wants to fight the elections as she wishes to serve the residents of her area. “I will focus on charity and voluntary work and fulfill my social responsibility.”
Al-Dahham, who is a member of the National Committee for the Retired, has boldly expressed her intentions to enter the election fray.
Praising Al-Dahham for her courage, Al-Hani praised said many aspirants are not revealing their intentions to file the nomination papers for fear of getting their election strategy stolen.
She has urged the women aspirants to get involved in the election process. “Fighting an election requires courage because women will be exposed to the public, in addition to the risk of losing money in the elections if they lose.”
Saudi women will have a unique experiment in fighting elections and competing against men, Al-Hani said, pointing out that women will prove an asset to the municipal councils because of their innovation and creativity.
Al-Dahham said she is honored to be the first Saudi woman to nominate herself for the elections, saying she took the decision the moment the late King Abdullah announced the participation of women in elections as candidates and voters.
She said that although women will compete against men, religion, modesty and morals will not be compromised.
Al-Dahham said she has prepared a distinguished election program and studied the situation of the municipal councils during the past sessions. She said her past experience in councils’ memberships have given her wide practical experience, in addition to her knowledge of Arab and Gulf municipal councils.
She stressed that women’s entry into municipal councils is to develop, exchange experience and present the problems of women, especially after some municipalities opened female sections.