Sunday, Nov 13, 2005
Saudi women throw their hats in the ring
JEDDAH: Saudi women candidates in elections to the board of the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry hope they are blazing a trail for women in the conservative kingdom.
"The mere fact that a decision was taken to allow women to contest the elections is a success for ladies. Even if just one woman is elected, we would view this as a major achievement," Hanan al-Madani, a 34-year-old fashion designer and candidate, told AFP.
Allowing women to stand in the Jeddah chamber polls for the first time "will also show the world that Saudi decision-makers trust women and want them to progress," contrary to what Western detractors claim, said Olfat Kabbani, another candidate.
Sixteen women are in the running for 12 elected board seats.
They are among 72 candidates in the race, though last-minute withdrawals by men or women hopefuls cannot be ruled out, candidates said. The elections are due to take place in stages from November 26 to 29 in the Red Sea city of Jeddah and two satellite towns.
The vote was rescheduled from late September by Trade and Industry Minister Hashem Yamani specifically to enable women to stand after an elections committee affiliated to his Ministry rejected the candidacies of seven women.
Half of some 40,000 members of the chamber are eligible to cast ballots, including around 1,400 of 3,000 women members, who in past elections were entitled only to vote.
Both Ms. Kabbani and Ms. Madani are running as part of a seven-strong all-women "grouping" - the equivalent of an electoral list - appropriately called "Al-Awael," Arabic for "The First."
Ms. Madani said women, who were barred from landmark municipal polls earlier this year and are subject to a host of restrictions in oil-rich Saudi Arabia, should similarly grab other opportunities to stand for office if they arise. - AFP
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