Saudi women speak louder to have their voice heard

Voices of Saudi women activists have become stronger for getting their rights including the right to take part in municipal elections despite the strong social restrictions.

The announcement made by women to nominate themselves, violated the calm which overwhelmed the preparation for the first municipal elections in the history of the Kingdom. A process which was postponed until February. Fatimah al-Khreiji has become the Third Saudi woman who announced determination to nominate herself while vagueness is still overwhelming the issue of women's participation in these elections. Al-Khreiji who works in teaching children of special needs joined two other Saudi women who announced their intention to nominate themselves for the elections. They are Nadia Bakhraji and Fatin Bindaqji, to constitute thereby the vanguards of women nominated in an electoral process which they are not sure they will take part in.

In the first forum for the Saudi intellectuals recently held in Riyadh, a session dedicated to the cultural role played by the woman witnessed heated debates by Saudi women who took part in a separate hall from that of men. The member in the national society for human rights Sulehila Zein al-Abidin said addressing the participating men who were not seeing her "you are talking about enhancing our role in the society, but you are actually margining us even in discussions."