Breakthrough for women in Saudi Arabia

Apostles of the suffragette movement must be elated in view of the unprecedented situation which recently obtained in Saudi Arabia. Specifically, women are now allowed to vote and be voted for in this oil-rich kingdom.

While we unequivocally commend this novel policy, which is consistent with the ideals and aspirations of the global drive for governance and democracy, it is important, however, to appreciate that within the wider context of democratisation, Saudi Arabia still has a long way to go. This is because, as we write, the desert kingdom remains a monarchy.

To be sure, the ballot is not the only area from which women have been excluded. There are other areas of life in which Saudi women have largely been shut out. Take the seemingly mundane area of driving automobiles. Till date, women are not allowed to drive motor cars in Saudi Arabia.

At this juncture, it may be necessary to trace the evolution of women’s participation in public life. It was a decade ago, in 2005 to be precise, that the proposal was made that women should be allowed to vote. The late King Abdullah, who passed on in January this year, subsequently issued a decree in 2011. The decree stipulated that women should be allowed to participate as voters and candidates in municipal elections. Two years later, the self-same monarch ordered that at least 20 percent of the seats in the legislative council be set aside for women.

Meanwhile, such was the phenomenal dimension of this seminal outing that it was accompanied by some breakthroughs. So far, at least six women have been elected in municipal councils. However, omniscient observers have warned that we should not be carried away by these seemingly unprecedented events. This is in view of the fact that despite the new rights which have been extended to women, certain gender-related restrictions are still in place. Similarly, women have a limited number of registration centres. And for reasons which we are unable to fathom, female candidates are barred from speaking to male voters. As if to worsen matters, the female candidates are also confined to segregated campaign offices. Thus, much remains to be done as regards the participation of women in public life.

It is also important to appreciate the wider dimensions of this historic phenomenon. It is paradoxical that the widening of the political space is taking place at a time when oil prices are heading south. As such, the oil-rich kingdom, in its own way, has to contend with economic woes. Since October, and on a monthly basis, the Saudi Arabia Central Bank spent $7 billion to finance the kingdom’s deficit.

Given the fact that Saudi Arabia is a major power in the region, there are fears in the Gulf that should Riyadh experience a significant downturn, the rest of the region is likely to follow suit. But such fears have since been allayed by the fact that despite the current and bleak profile, the kingdom still has reserves of $644 billion or roughly 102 percent of its GDP. This is a dismal contrast to social formations like Oman and Bahrain which need an average oil price of around $80 a barrel to stabilise their economies.

But such indeed is the regional status of Saudi Arabia that it can easily provide a cushion for other Gulf monarchies in times of distress. The political import of this economic clout should not be lost on the Saudi authorities. Thus, as they seek to erect a new structure of governance, this reformist zeal should be extended to their neighbours. Such a gesture is not just good, it is also an act of self-preservation. This is because of the obvious dangers posed to a democratising nation which is surrounded by a string of monarchies.

At the risk of sounding too optimistic, we believe that given the regional stature of Saudi Arabia, these novel and positive changes may well be the start of the much-awaited democratic revolution in the Middle East.