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SAUDI ARABIA - WOMEN'S RIGHT TO VOTE IS

UNCLEAR FOR APRIL 23 MUNICIPAL ELECTIONS

 

 

Arab News - 24 March, 2011

 

 

Women may not again be allowed to vote when municipal elections take place next month, it has been reported both in the local media and by sources.

Women were barred as both voters and candidates in 2005, the first time municipal elections took place in the Kingdom, on the grounds that systems were not in place to register them and enable them to cast their ballots.

It was promised then that they would be able to vote in the next elections, scheduled for 2009. However, these were postponed. One of the reasons given was that more time was required to organize the logistics so that women could vote.

However, officials refuse to confirm or deny the reports. Asked about women voting, a number of municipal council members told Arab News that they have received clear instructions not to discuss the municipal elections to be held on

April 23.

"We are not to talk about the polls until new regulations for organizing the elections are issued," one member said on condition of anonymity.

He said the new regulations would provide answers to questions such as the number of members in each council, the participation of women and others.

Minister of Municipal and Rural Affairs Prince Mansour bin Miteb had ordered the formation of a general committee for the elections under the chairmanship of ministry adviser Abdul Rahman Muhammad Al-Dahmash.

"The moment this ministerial decision was issued, candidates began their campaigns to canvass support," the member said.

The Kingdomwide elections will elect members to 219 municipal councils. It will only be the second time they have been held since 2005 after incumbent members had their terms extended for a second term.

Poor performance

According to a survey conducted by Arab News, around half of citizens are not satisfied with the work of their councils.

They said the councils did not help in resolving important local issues and were not able to protect public property.

Some council members who did not want to be identified attributed the poor performance of the councils to a lack of sufficient resources and also the lack of executive powers. They said the councils were limited to a supervisory role only.

Women are anxiously waiting for the regulations to see if they will be allowed to run for the elections. Some incumbent council members told Arab News they did not object to women's participation in the elections.

"There are a number of municipal issues which are purely female-oriented and need women’s input," one of them said.

Another member said the work currently being done by women is tougher and much harder than any work that men are expected to do in the councils.

"The presence of women in the councils will be useful because there are many issues concerning women that they will be more able to deal with than us," he said.

Meanwhile, women in the Eastern Province recently launched a campaign calling for them to be allowed to participate in the municipal elections.

Many incumbent members told Arab News they would not run again because their work in the municipal councils was demanding and time consuming. They said following up municipal matters and serving people required long hours.