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Saudi women get to cast ballot for the first time

IBNS | | 12 Dec 2015, 01:07 pm
Riyadh, Dec 12 (IBNS) In an unprecedented move, Saudi Arabia has officially allowed its women to cast their votes for the first time, according to media reports.

Not only vote, women were also allowed to contest elections, another first for the Muslim conservative country, where women are not allowed to drive.

The BBC reported that 978 women as compared to 5938 men have registered for candidature for the upcoming municipal elections.

Though they were allowed to stand in for the elections, women had to address their rally standing behind a partition.

Salma al-Rashed, the first of the 130,000 women who have registered to vote, was quoted by BBC as saying, "It felt really good. Change is a big word but the election is the way to make sure we are really represented."

As Saudi Arabia prepares to stage it's third election today, the move to allow women votes is seen as a pigeon step towards gender equality in the country by many.    

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