The women of Saudi Arabia will have the right to vote and run in municipal elections in 2015, according to Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah.
This ground-braking decree, made on Sunday, will slightly improve women’s rights conditions in Saudi Arabia while relieving ultraconservative ruling limiting their freedom.
“It’s a good small step,” international studies and political science professor Nathan Gonzalez said. “Saudi Arabia is among the worst countries when it comes to gender inequality.”
Anthropology Graduate Student Allison Hunt disagrees and says “it’s a huge step.”
The extent to which women will experience equal rights is questionable, since staunch Saudi laws prevent women from exercising freedoms such as traveling, engaging in paid work or higher education, or marrying without the permission of a male guardian.
It is also illegal for women to drive in Saudi Arabia.
Last June nearly three-dozen women protested the law by openly driving through city streets.
“Driving would be more of a freedom to women than voting,” Gonzalez said.
However, Gonzalez believes that woman’s suffrage will not significantly change their social status immediately, nor impact Saudi Arabia’s government greatly.
The Saudi government is a monarchy that has been ruled by the male heirs of King Abdul Aziz Al Saud since 1992. The Quran is the constitution, and laws are created based on Saudi interpretation of Islamic Shariah law.
“[Women] can vote, but what can they vote for?” Multi Cultural Center Assistant Director Cynthia Schultheis said. “It’s a kingdom — It’s not like they can elect a king.”
Child development and family studies major Courtney Foster sees the right to vote as a more major event, although she admitted she is not familiar with Saudi government.
“I think it’s great that they can vote and have the opportunity to stand up for what they believe in,” she said. “Women need to know they matter.”
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