Seventeen
women have won seats in municipal councils in Saudi Arabia as women were
allowed to vote and run as candidates for the first time in history
in
an election on Saturday, December 12, 2015
Salma
bint Hazab al-Otaibi became the first elected female politician in Saudi Arabia
when she won a seat on the council in Madrakah in Mecca province
Sabq.org,
a news website affiliated with Saudi Interior Ministry, reported that the 17
had
successfully been elected across the country
About
131,000 women and about 1.35 million men registered to vote. A total of 978
women
registered as candidates, alongside 5,938 men, however many were barred
from registering by the authorities. Female candidates had to speak behind a
partition while campaigning or be represented by a man
It
was also only the third ever election in Saudi Arabia. Just men participated in
the 2005 and 2011 polls.
The
development is viewed as historic for Saudi Arabia where women have fewer
rights than men, being forbidden to drive cars and making major life decisions
without consent from male relatives, among other restrictions
“I deeply believe in the importance of
voting in order to be part of my country’s drive to empower women and elevate
their status. The turnout was good and the voting proceeded smoothly. I
personally voted based on the candidates’ programs and plans,” one of the
female first-time votes told Gulf News
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