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BY NICK ADAMS


You're watching multisource world video news analysis from Newsy. 


It’s only been a few days since Saudi King Abdullah announced women in his country will be able to vote. But skepticism is on the rise.

Women can’t vote in this week’s election; King Abdullah says they’ll have to wait until the 2015 election.  

CNN reports -- since they have to wait four years -- Saudi women are wary of the promise Abdullah made.  

A Saudi woman activist told CNN, “We don't really think now that we've been promised a real right because it's been postponed.” She also goes on to say, “Whatever can be given can be taken.”

A foreign observer interviewed by euronews also doesn’t think these new rights mean anything. He says at best, women will only be able to run the local neighborhood.  

“Honestly, I just thought that in the beginning it was a joke because you know in a society like Saudi Arabia where no one has any input into politics, the reality is a total dictatorship and to give women the right to vote, vote for what?”

But others think this is a huge step for women’s rights in Saudi Arabia.  An NPR article says the right to vote is a major devlopment for women in Saudi Arabia.  

“This sends an important message that the political leadership in the country believes in women's rights.”

But for how many women? Council of Foreign Relations’ Isobel Coleman says while on paper this gives more rights to women, in the long run it won’t give the majority of women the rights they are looking for.

“Allowing women to vote and run for municipal councils and serve on the Shura Council [which advises the king] will affect only a tiny number of women... [S]o the women’s role, while symbolically significant, will be relatively minor in practice. ”

But an opinion piece for Arab News says the fight for women’s rights isn’t just up to the government.

“Even where women have voting rights, they are still marginalized in all sections of society and workplaces. … And it is not the responsibility of the government alone. Men too must own moral responsibility and treat women the way they would their own close family members.”

Women still can’t drive in Saudi Arabia. In fact -- Haaretz is reporting one woman faces flogging for violating the ban.


Transcript by Newsy.

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