Although Saudi Arabia has many restrictions on women’s lives including dress codes and travel restrictions one restriction is slowly disappearing thanks to recent legal changes: The right to vote 🔛 1️⃣ 🇸🇦 👩 👗 .
Prior to 2019, women in Saudi Arabia were not permitted to vote in any elections!! This reflects the tight restrictions faced by Muslim women all the way through the Middle East where many countries do not allow women to take part in electoral processes 🇸🇦 👩. In stark contrast with other Middle Eastern states that have allowed female participation in voting processes Saudi Arabia finally changed its laws in 2019 to enable female citizens to cast their vote during general elections 🇸🇦.
In 2015 Saudi Arabia’s late King Abdullah issued a decree that women would be allowed to vote in the 2015 local council elections 🇸🇦 ️ 👩. This marked the first time that women in Saudi Arabia had ever been allowed to vote in any kind of election 🇸🇦 👩. Although this was a significant milestone for women’s rights in the country, there were still some restrictions in place ️ 👩. For example women were only allowed to vote for the same candidate list as men and were barred from running for office.
Nevertheless the decree had a significant impact on women’s rights in Saudi Arabia 🔛 🇸🇦 ️ 👩. Since then the country has made further strides towards greater gender equality. In 2018 King Salman issued a decree which granted women the right to run for office in local council elections 🏢 ️ 👩. This was seen as a major breakthrough as the majority of elected offices in Saudi Arabia are currently held by men 🇸🇦 ️.
Women were officially given the same rights to vote as men in the 2021 municipal election, which was a significant advancement for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia. However there is still much work to get done in order to achieve gender equality in Saudi Arabia as there are still limitations in place which prevent female citizens from running for office 🏢 🇸🇦 🏃.
Despite these restrictions the right to vote is an important and powerful step in the right direction. By granting Saudi women the right to vote it is a clear indication that the country is recognizing the importance of women’s participation in the political process. This is essential for the development of a healthy democracy, and it is a positive indicator for women’s rights in the country.
The fight for gender equality in Saudi Arabia is far from over, but the progress that has been made thus far is encouraging 🇸🇦. Allowing women to vote is an encouraging step towards creating a more equal and democratic society. Ultimately however it remains up to Saudi citizens to take action and continue advocating for women’s rights within their country 🇸🇦 👩 🆙. ! .
Conclusion
In 2015, Saudi Arabia’s late King Abdullah issued a decree that women would be allowed to vote in the 2015 local council elections. This was a major milestone for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia, as it officially granted female citizens the same rights to vote as men. By granting Saudi women the right to vote, it is a clear indication that the country is recognizing the importance of women’s participation in the political process.
👩 👗 🏃 🔛 🏢 🆙 1️⃣ 🇸🇦 ️
