It was a historic moment for Saudi women on Sunday, when 19 female candidates won seats in the first municipal elections.
While this might seem a limited gain, it created a milestone in women’s empowerment in the kingdom. As Sharaf Nasief, a women’s activist in Jeddah, said: “We weren’t expecting anyone to win.”
The high turnout – 47.4 per cent of all registered voters – shows people’s aspirations and faith in the government’s efforts to develop the suffrage system. More importantly, female voters represented 42 per cent of the electorate, which by itself suggests there is a high level of interest among women to lead change in the kingdom. Also of note was that the women who won seats did so around the country, not just in the metropolitan areas.
Having more women in local municipal councils is the start of more effective and meaningful participation of women in the decision-making process in Saudi Arabia. Those women come from different parts of the country – from the largest cities to small villages. Their participation will enrich discussions and provide diversity of opinions about public affairs. Without having female officials, many of the issues concerning women will stay undiscussed and unaddressed.
The is what the late King Abdullah sought to do when he granted women the right to vote and run in the 2015 municipal elections. The king was a strong advocate for women’s education and employment despite the complexities and challenges that exist in society, and his example has been continued by King Salman. Both understand that Saudi women deserve to hold leadership positions and have a say in the country’s affairs. Like in other Gulf states, women in Saudi outnumber men in higher education institutions. They also proved themselves to be capable in many fields.
This fits perfectly with the teachings of Islam that encourage women’s participation in decision-making and in all parts of life. Having Saudi women representatives across the country makes good sense. A real milestone has been passed.
