Women Revolution in Saudi Arabia

Women revolution has really started in Saudi Arabia. For the first time in the history of the country women have been allowed to take part in any election. The  women voters casted their votes in local election and also contested as a candidate. This achievement of Saudi women cannot be imagined in countries like India, starting their independence with the maximum franchise. In Saudi Arabia, included in the queue of rich countries of the world, women are not yet allowed to drive alone. Even for voting they had to come with male member of their family to cast their vote and stand in the queues exclusively formed for them. It’s surprising that less than 10 per cent women could be registered as voters. Arabia regime with a population of 2 crore and 10 lakhs has only 11 lakh 90 thousand women voters. The first result came from Mecca, the holiest place for Muslims. Mecca’s Mayor Osama-al-Bar told that Salma Bin Hijab-al-Otibi has won in the nearby village. As such she has become the first elected public representative of the country. As per local media 17 women have been elected. One seat from the second largest city of Saudi Arabia, Jeddah was won by one woman candidate Lama-al-Suleman. 7000 candidates including 979 women contested in the elections held for 2100 seats of the country. Saudi Arabia enjoys a regency. Only local bodies go to polls here. Elections were held for the first time in 2005. 1.31 lakh females applied for registration as compared to 13.5 lakh male voters. After the election results Saudi Arabia Cinema Committee has declared that cinema theatres will be opened in the country shortly. In capital city Riyadh a MoU was signed for making it. Many organizations in the country had started a movement to start cinema. There is no such thing like parliament in Saudi regency till now. Though, one-third members are nominated by the Ministry of Local Bodies in 284-member Advisory Committee. Therefore, if some female candidates succeeded in winning the election, some of them may also get a chance to be included in the Advisory Committee. At present when the representatives of Saudi Regime go on foreign tours they do not take even their wives with them. It does not mean that Saudi females are not sensitive to their rights. One woman worker was arrested recently when  she tried to drive alone violating the Shariat laws. If the rulers having such narrow mindedness give some freedom to the females, it will be surely defined as Women Revolution.

 

-        Anil Narendra