Saudi women's voting hopes dashed

[emad]

Financial Times
By Roula Khalaf in London
Published: October 11 2004 18:58 | Last updated: October 11 2004 18:58

Prince Nayef bin Abdelaziz, Saudi interior minister, on Monday delivered a blow to women's hopes that they might be allowed to participate in municipal elections in the kingdom early next year when he told a Kuwaiti newspaper that it was not an option for women to participate.

In his statement to Kuwait's Al-Watan newspaper, the prince gave no reason for the decision to exclude women from the elections, but indicated that the government's main preoccupation was with combatting terrorism.

Crown Prince Abdullah, the country's de facto ruler, has called for a greater role for women in public life and the workplace women account for only 4 per cent of the labour force. But improving women's rights meets with strong resistance from the religious establishment.

When the Saudi government in August issued the regulations for next year's partial municipal elections it left the question of women's participation unanswered.

More:
http://news.ft.com/cms/s/1d392a16-1baf-11d9-8af6-00000e2511c8.html

[lil-petunia]

1. not to worry. If shrub wins, but loses the woman's vote, he will

do the same thing here.

You know. compassionate conservatism.
Gawd telling him what to do.
All that stuff.

[Moderator]

2. Duplicate

and not LBN. Check date