Saudi women are candidate and voters in Jeddah Chamber of commerce elections

Saudi businesswoman took part on Saturday for the first open elections for the board of the chamber of commerce and industry in Jeddah, in which 71 candidates including 17 women are competing for 12 seats, while the Saudi authorities will appoint other 6 members in the council.

The operation was launched by the separate voting of businesswomen, while businessmen will start their vote next Wednesday.

A Saudi source said that some 21,000 persons including 2800 women are eligible to vote. However, women's participation in the elections of the chambers of commerce in Saudi Arabia in other Saudi cities was limited just to voting, permitting them not to nominate themselves for the election.

Woman candidate Olfat Qabbani, a mother for four children and workes for perfumes company owned by her family said that this step is very important in the history of the Kingdom. This is an opportunity for a woman to prove herself." She added "we are optimistic about the society's reaction, especially after the Kingdom's joining of the World Trade Organization." She continued "I expect one or two women or even three to win seats inside the council board."

In addition to the seven women candidates on al-Qabbani list which bears the name of " al-Awa'il" (the first ones), one woman nominated her self on al-Mustaqbal ( future) list, two others on the "Jeddah" list while other candidate women care taking part in the elections as independents.