Saudis bow to pressure and grant women right to vote
Published: Sunday, September 25, 2011
THE world's last bastion against female suffrage bowed to the forces of change when Saudi Arabia granted its female population the right to vote for the first time.
The historic decision came after King Abdullah, the Saudi ruler, conceded that a study of Muslim history had shown that women were capable of rational thinking and decision making.
"Muslim women in our Islamic history have demonstrated positions that expressed correct opinions and advice," he told advisers.
Even in the Middle East, where women's rights have lagged behind much of the rest of the world, Saudi Arabia has stood out as a reactionary citadel against the march of feminism.