Decks cleared for women’s voting in civic elections

Preparations have been made for women to participate in the third municipal elections next year. It was announced on Tuesday by Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs Prince Mansour bin Miteb.
“Women have the right to contest the elections just like men without facing any discrimination,” he said. Saudi woman also have the right to get permits to campaign like men, it said.
Women monitors drawn from community organizations would supervise the process for women candidates, agents and voters.
He said each woman candidate should appoint female and male agents to enter election booths.
The minister said the arrangements and regulations have been formulated in compliance with Islamic law and international standards on gender equality. Women must have their national identity cards to participate and vote.
There would be offices staffed by women officials to ensure the implementation of election regulations, forward complaints to local election committees, deal with election challenges, issue permits for campaigning, and register male and female agents for women candidates, the statement said.
He made it clear in a statement that no photographs of men or women would be required for their inclusion on the voter's roll, and to register as candidates or election agents. They would only need a card with the seal of the election committee. There would be complete separation between the women and men election processes.
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah had issued an order allowing women to become municipal council members.
The announcement sent women ecstatic. Fatima Mossalli, a member of the Baladi campaign, welcomed the move. “In 2010 we demanded the right for women to vote and participate in the municipal council elections among other recommendations. We are excited to see women moving forward to hold leading positions for the benefit of the community and the nation,” she said.
“The next step is for women to start working really hard on their campaigns because the pressure is on.”
Suhaila Zain Al-Abideen, a Saudi activist for children and women’s rights, and a member of the National Society for Human Rights, said it was time for Saudi society to start accepting its women in leading positions. “It is time for us to start educating them about the benefits of having women in municipal councils,” she said.
She said women “have been a great addition to the Shoura Council” and have succeeded in dealing with a broad range of issues.
“It is healthy to have women on municipal councils because they will push other members to produce more. It will revive the councils and create healthy competition,” said Zain Al-Abideen.
She called on businesspeople to support women candidates. “Not many people have the money to launch campaigns and this is where businesspeople should support their sisters,” she said.