Saudi Arabia welcomed the historic breakthrough at least 19 women were elected

Local time on December 12, Saudi women to vote.

According to associated press reports, at least 19 women candidates Saudi Arabia member of the prefecture-level City Hall, which made history in this religiously conservative country, this result was also higher than the previous media forecasts.

On Saturday (12th), Saudi Arabia welcomed the historic municipal elections, approximately 130,000 women registered as voters to vote for the first time, 979 women candidates participated in the election.

According to the Washington Post, won the female Council member seats from the largest cities to remote villages in all regions of the country at present due to the results has not been fully released, there may be more women to win seats. TPP has negotiated trade rules new era

Won the Conservative seats

Saudi Arabia in terms of gender equality had been "boys", so the election results as a milestone progress by many media.

The associated press, although the women are unlikely to be too many seats, but in countries where women had no vote and be elected, and is even small gains are a great deal of progress.

In this election, 978 women candidates, together with close to 6,000 men competing for many of the country's 284 local Government Committee seats.

However, in addition to gender parity, female candidates still face many obstacles in the campaign. For example, under Saudi Arabia's strict religious teachings, strange men and women must be separated. This provision applies to restaurants, shops and other public places, applies as much to the campaign.

Local time on December 12, Saudi women to vote.

In campaigning, female candidates cannot post the photos, much less face-to-face communication with male voters, her campaign claims or their male family members expressed only through social networking sites. Therefore, women candidates fail to effectively interpret his campaign platform to most voters.

According to the Saudi elections Commission data, the election close to 1.5 million registered voters, of which about 130,000 people, one-tenth per cent of voters not to.

In accordance with Saudi law, without the permission of male relatives, employment, marriage and women can't get a passport, travel, while Saudi Arabia is the world's only country that a woman must not drive. This combination of factors is considered one of the causes of female registered voters far less than men, may also become a barrier to female voters polling.

Saudi Election Committee spokesman Hamade·aomaer told the media that, even so, there are 106,000 women voters completed voting, accounted for more than 82%, while the male voter turnout was only 44%.

Omar said the 19 women won seats in 10 constituencies, including in the capital, Riyadh, won four seats, gathered in the Shiite Eastern province to win three seats. Worth noting is that some particularly conservative and women won seats, including religious shrine near Mecca, a village, a conservative named Qasim in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia's second largest city community.

Elected officials powers to improve

Enhance the status of women is considered to be the late King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, "legacy". In the 2005-2009 program for the development of the country, will enhance the position of women in society as a priority.

In September 2011, Abdullah issued a decree allowing women to vote in municipal elections and as a candidate. In January 2013, and Abdullah issued a decree provided for 150 people in total number of Shu Shura Council, the Supreme advisory body of the State, at least set aside 20% seats for women, and including women activists, women academics and 30 women, two female members of the Royal family members.

BBC said that after the new King, saleman·Ben·abodule-Aziz, succeeded by January this year, remain committed to promoting the upgrading women's status.

Saudi municipal councils are the only place where elected officials after terms of reference limited to local affairs, including streets, public gardens and garbage, such as, in the country's political system does not have a high status. But according to Al-Jazeera reported that the powers of the Municipal Council will be further enhanced in the future, including public health, land allocation, licensing and urban planning, has the power to review and decision.

According to BBC reports, elections in Saudi Arabia is not a common thing. In Saudi Arabia's history, once held three elections. 40 between 1965 and 2005, no elections were held.