In a surprise move, Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abd al-Aziz announced that women will be able to participate in the 2015 municipal elections. He also said that women may become full voting members of the advisory Shura council.
Is this the beginning of the “Arab spring” for Saudi women? They were promised the vote in next week’s election, but the government reneged.
This time may be different. The king is 87 and may be considering his legacy. He has a patchy history on women's rights, but has encouraged women to study and become teachers, doctors, and engineers, and encourages them to enter the workforce.
Women are still denied the most basic rights, though. Under the “guardianship system,” women need permission from a male family member to take a trip, to attend a university, to marry, and even to undergo certain surgeries. While guardians are often fathers or husbands, a woman's teenage son, younger brother, or abusive uncle could be the one making her most important decisions.
Women can’t even legally drive. Two days after the king’s announcement, a Saudi woman was sentenced to 10 lashes for driving. Other female drivers have also been arrested.
