Ya Libnan

Saudi King says women will be members in next Shoura Council

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Saudi Arabia will allow women to become full members of the Shoura Council and be candidates for the first time in future municipal elections, King Abdullah said today.

“We refuse to marginalize the role of women in Saudi society in every field of work,” Abdullah said on state television as he inaugurated a new session of the council. “Women have the right to submit their candidacy for municipal council membership and have the right to take part in submitting candidates in accordance with Shariah.”

The Riyadh-based council, a 150 member assembly, is appointed by the king to advise on legislation. The assembly consists of 12 committees, including for human rights, foreign affairs and energy. The council, whose current speaker is Abdullah Al al-Sheikh, is permitted to propose draft laws and present them to the king.

Saudi Arabia enforces gender restrictions interpreted from the Wahhabi version of Sunni Islam. Men and women are strictly segregated in public, including at schools, restaurants and lines at fast-food takeouts. That keeps women out of sales jobs in malls and stores, unless the outlet caters exclusively to a female clientele.

Abdullah, who was born in 1924, has promised to improve the status of women and opened the first co-educational university in 2009. He appointed the kingdom’s first female deputy minister, Nora bint Abdullah al-Fayez, the same year and has said he will provide more access to jobs for women. Women are still not allowed to drive.

Municipal Elections

Saudi Arabia will hold municipal elections on Sept. 29, without the participation of women. About 1.2 million all-male voters have registered to elect 816 municipal council members in the kingdom’s second municipal elections. Saudi Arabia held its first municipal elections in February 2005.

The Shoura Council agreed in June that the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs should complete procedures that will allow women to vote in municipal elections “in line with Islamic law,” the official Saudi Press Agency reported.

Bloomberg

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Comments

16 responses to “Saudi King says women will be members in next Shoura Council”

  1. 5thDrawer Avatar
    5thDrawer

    Wow … women’s rights to vote and be in office ??? The Taliban will not be pleased. Better let the women in to the military too.
    Maybe they could drive army trucks .. 😉

  2. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Wow … women’s rights to vote and be in office ??? The Taliban will not be pleased. Better let the women in to the military too.
    Maybe they could drive army trucks .. 😉

  3. libnan1 Avatar
    libnan1

    Just imagine all these oppressed and deprived women cut loose …. It will truly be kingdom paradise.  

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      About 100 years behind the ‘west’ on this, I am sure the women can make up that time difference fast.
      Phycological-adjustment classes for the men … available soon in good cooking schools everywhere. 😉
      (Basic reason for the invention of the Microwave Oven – MY favorite tool. 🙂

  4. libnan1 Avatar
    libnan1

    Just imagine all these oppressed and deprived women cut loose …. It will truly be kingdom paradise.  

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      About 100 years behind the ‘west’ on this, I am sure the women can make up that time difference fast.
      Phycological-adjustment classes for the men … available soon in good cooking schools everywhere. 😉
      (Basic reason for the invention of the Microwave Oven – MY favorite tool. 🙂

  5. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Just imagine all these oppressed and deprived women cut loose …. It will truly be kingdom paradise.  

    1. Avatar
      Anonymous

      About 100 years behind the ‘west’ on this, I am sure the women can make up that time difference fast.
      Phycological-adjustment classes for the men … available soon in good cooking schools everywhere. 🙂

  6. Patience2 Avatar
    Patience2

    Maybe, to all these comments, maybe.  But I read that there are women there that like things in Saudi just as they are!  Go figure.

    1. 5thDrawer Avatar
      5thDrawer

      I am sure (in all the world) there are women who enjoy being taken care of – even to the degree of the Saudi thinking – where they can live their lives never having to lift a finger for themselves. BUT … that is only if they are rich AND have a man to run the errands – a father, brother, or husband – and if they enjoy also staying hidden in their houses.
        But we know some have committed suicide because of the boredom, and view it all like ‘solitary confinement.’
      The whole point is about the freedom to choose what your life will be, and what you will try to do with it.
      And for women who have been divorced, or had husbands die, and have no other ‘man’ to care for them, even if they have some money, life becomes a hell of begging – begging someone to buy food or clothes, to be driven to a hospital, to take children to school, to BE a useful person in the society.
      And think of the loss to the country, when they give the women university educations, then shut them inside when they marry. Tsk …

  7. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Maybe, to all these comments, maybe.  But I read that there are women there that like things in Saudi just as they are!  Go figure.

    1. Avatar
      Anonymous

      I am sure (in all the world) there are women who enjoy being taken care of – even to the degree of the Saudi thinking – where they can live their lives never having to lift a finger for themselves. BUT … that is only if they are rich AND have a man to run the errands – a father, brother, or husband – and if they enjoy also staying hidden in their houses.
        But we know some have committed suicide because of the boredom, and view it all like ‘solitary confinement.’
      The whole point is about the freedom to choose what your life will be, and what you will try to do with it.
      And for women who have been divorced, or had husbands die, and have no other ‘man’ to care for them, even if they have some money, life becomes a hell of begging – begging someone to buy food or clothes, to be driven to a hospital, to take children to school, to BE a useful person in the society.
      And think of the loss to the country, when they give the women university educations, then shut them inside when they marry. Tsk …

  8. libnan1 Avatar
    libnan1

    Caffee Y is open for business …

  9. Avatar
    Anonymous

    Caffee Y is open for business …

  10. josephphdman Avatar
    josephphdman

    this is a great step for freedom of women in saudi arabia ; this a good positive move by king abdullah , i would like see king abdullaf next step is to allow freedom of religion , why does he ban churches and makes them illegal? , entire country of saudi arabia doen,st have one single church open , while in the us we have allowed 2500 mosques, most are built by saudi arabia money , why does the us allow abdullah to getaway with this hypocrycy , and this conspiracy ? the us should tell the king you either allow churches in saudi arabia , and freedom of religion for all people ,or we will order the 2500 mosques in america to close this is not fair from the king he should revise his decision , and if he wants the world to treat him fairly ,he should also be fair with the rest of the world .

  11. Avatar
    Anonymous

    this is a great step for freedom for women in saudi arabia ; this a good move by king abdullah , i would like see king abdullaf next step is allow freedom of religion , why does he ban churches and makes them illegal , entire country of saudiarabia doe,st have one church open , while in the us we have allowed 2500 mosques, most are built by saudi arabia money , why does the us allow abdullah to getaway with this hypocrycy , and this conspiracy ? the us should tell the king you either allow churches in saudi arabia , and freedom of religion ,or we will order the 2500 mosques in america to close this is not fair from the king should revise his decision , and if he wants the world to treathim fairly ,he should be fair with the rest of the world .

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