King Abdullah has announced in his speech something monumental in regards to women’s rights in the Kingdom. This is a historical moment for Saudi women and Saudi Arabia as a country. King Abdullah has announced that women will be allowed to vote and participate as members in the appointed Shoura council.
I was so happy that upon hearing this I just wanted to go give King Abdullah a big bear hug!
Ok maybe that wouldn’t be the greatest idea.. But you get the idea of how excited I am. This is big news. Saudi women are soon going to participate in decision making in Saudi Arabia. This also gives hope for the future for more decrees like this from the King. (ahem women driving..) Not only the Saudi women but the whole country will benefit from this change.
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Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud
In my opinion, the King is doing a great job considering the circumstances he has to work under. Just thinking about all the current issues and problems in Saudi Arabia that would need change/improvement gives me a headache! So taking into account where he had to start off with (post 9/11 Saudi Arabia and appalling state of women’s rights just as example) when he began his rule, coming to this point really does become monumental and turning the tide for Saudi women’s rights.
It must not be easy having to deal with strong opposition to decisions (like the one permitting women to Shoura), coming from the religious conservative leaders, and on the other hand the more liberal part of society which strongly opposes some other decisions.
King Abdullah has to deal with the heavy pressure from the religious clerics to stick with their own religious views and interpretations but also the opposing public opinions, he has to listen to his many brothers in high governmental positions, manage other family members pushing their opinions and demands on him..then there’s the king’s advisors and some relatives with their own agendas, people doing a lot of things behind his back.. and of course most importantly he has to deal with his conscious, to be the just ruler that is ultimately responsible only to Allah.
It looks like most of the time his ultimate choice has been listening to his heart, and that’s undoubtedly what makes him so loved by the Saudi people, who call him the ‘King of Hearts’.
The King, estimated to be around 90 years old, said in his speech:
“Because we refuse to marginalize women in society in all roles that comply with Shariah, we have decided, after deliberation with our senior ulema and others to involve women in the Shoura Council as members, starting from the next term”
I think this is great news and indicates that the country is ready to move forward to this century. Some others have been more skeptical. People are saying this is not really going to mean anything concrete will happen for improvement of women’s rights.
Critics are saying women are not actually going to have any power in the Shoura, but will only be like puppets and all this was done solely for statistics and looks. The Shoura council and municipal election themselves are said to have little or no actual influence on how the country is ruled.
The King also said in his speech:
“Muslim women in our Islamic history have demonstrated positions that expressed correct opinions and advice”
King Abdullah then gave examples from the times of Prophet Muhammad in the seventh century. During the era of the Prophet some women acted as lawyers and people would go to them with complex legal issues, there were female scholars and in general women participated in the society as equals.
What do you think readers? Are the Kings rulings just a way of getting the focus OFF women driving or a prerequisite TO women driving?
As the eternal optimist, I say it’s the latter.
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Hello there! I’m Laura, the founder of Blue Abaya- the first travel blog in Saudi Arabia, established in 2010. Travel has always been my passion- so far I’ve visited 75 countries and I’m always on the lookout for new adventures inside and outside of Saudi Arabia! Follow my adventures in Saudi and beyond on instagram: instagram.com/blueabaya
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I am wondering if women will need permission to get out of the house and vote? I think driving will give women more freedom then voting. It hits closer to home if a woman can drive then if she can vote. But I am an optimist and I believe this is a good step in the right direction.
Its just a bunch of bogus to con stupid Saudi women to think they are been given some rights when in real life they just get a tap on the shoulder.
If something REAL would happen it would be lifting the ban on driving. That would be a new era.This is just a new SHOW.
Sorry to be so blunt but nothing ever happens in this country.
Its all just a masquerade and everybody plays along with their brainwashed minds.
So my answer to your question is very clear, I think.
Faisal
I think the right to vote and run is a bigger deal than the right to drive. I mean, driving is a privilege they should have, yes, but in terms of ‘really’ changing the system, voting and running have the greatest potential for impact. (this was in response to Faisal).
It’s only a show for western media. Shora members get salaries only to sit down and smile to media photographer.
I think it’s symbolic, and they might use it to defend either women’s right to drive (by using the elections as proof of public approval) or maintain the ban (by using the elections as proof of public disapproval). Either way, realistically due to the low impact of voting regardless of gender, the power of allowing women the right to drive is significantly more powerful and will have a greater impact on society than the right to vote. but this is only my humble opinion and I only study KSA, I’ve never actually been there lol.
Well Faisal I’m sorry but I completely disagree. It’s a really good think that the King is starting this. It’s a small step but it is amazing. You can’t turn the country 360 degrees over night. With drivers like Saudi men and being the only country in the gulf where women aren’t allowed to drive I’m sure it’ll be so difficult to adjust if that suddenly changed but when it happens gradually and starts with things like elections and voting its a good thing.
Thank you Laura for this amazing post. I was actually so excited when I heard the kings speech on the news! Haven’t seen you around in a while. You’ve been missed xx
Nicky and Chicky you are probably very young naive and idealistic.
But I am realistic, simply.Voting in municipal elections is a joke. it means NOTHING either to man or the woman voting. Ultimately it is the royal family that hold the power and they will not give women in saudi REAL power, ever.
Faisal
First of all it’s chick not chicky second of all what do you mean by real power? You expect women to rule in Saudi? Where are you from anyway? You know things in the Gulf are different than in other Muslim countries we have our own traditions and culture on top of religion which makes it even more difficult. Men are women aren’t equal. God created us different. Don’t get brainwashed by the west.
Olen lukenut blogiasi jo pitkään ja se on mielestäni hyvin mielenkiintoinen. Suomalaisesta näkökulmasta äänioikeus on tietenkin valtava asia. En varmasti voi mitenkään täysin ymmärtää uskonnottomana länsimaalaisena elämää, jota Saudi-Arabiassa eletään, vaikka olenkin tutustunut kaikenlaisiin kulttuureihin eri puolilla maailmaa. Tämän postauksen kommenteista jäin miettimään kommenttia, jossa ilmeisen nuori nainen kirjoittaa, etteivät naiset ja miehet ole tasa-arvoisia, koska jumala on luonut heidät erilaisiksi. Pystyisitkö jotenkin selittämään tuota ajatustapaa? Kirjoitin nyt suomeksi, mutta voin toki jatkossa kommentoida englanniksi, jos se on mielestäsi parempi tapa.
Emilia
I agree with Faisal. And the fact is we were immediately shown just how much women here still ARE marginalized when immediately women were being given trial dates for driving and even worse one was sentanced to lashes – though she’d all ready been given her puishment and it had been fulfilled (a fine). True the King has granted a pardon- for this specific woman but we are still under the fear of what they will do to us for driving. The King hasn’t changed that system. And women being able to vote and run won’t be able to change it even if elected. Because no real power comes with the position.
I do think it’s good what happened- simply because it prepares people for a future more participatory society where women are participants as well. But still a climate of fear and intimidation is being maintained over women without the change they need in their daily rights and needs.
I am not from Saudi, I live in Colombia a country of Latin America, but I have always feel a lot of interest for arab culture and islam, and I have always been very curious about Saudi Arabia, probably because it is soo different in so many ways from my culture and the way I was raised and educated. Unlike many people that only criticize it and judge it, I actually like it a lot and even though
[…] King Abdullah is truly loved by his people and seems to have strong support from the majority of Saudis. King Abdullah has done a lot for the country and earned the respect of his countrymen. I wrote a post on some of the reforms he made to improve women’s rights in KSA, read it here. […]