Hala Aldosari

Saudi woman Fawzia al-Harbi, a candidate for local municipal council elections, uses her laptop at a shopping mall in Riyadh November 29, 2015.

A first: women voting and running in local Saudi elections. Is it real or cosmetic change?

December 7, 2015Development

For the first time in Saudi Arabia’s history, women will be allowed to vote in Saturday’s local municipal elections. They will also be able to stand as candidates. These are considerable gains for women in the kingdom, yet activists say challenges still remain.