At least 19 women were elected to local councils in Saudi Arabia on Saturday, in a vote that marketed the first time women have been allowed to run.
The results that came in on Sunday revealed that Saudi citizens have elected 2,106 candidates, 19 of them female, the Arab News reported. Others news agencies place the number of new female councilors between 14 and 20.
This weekend marks the first municipal elections since the late Saudi King Abdullah pledged in September 2011 to grant women the right to run and vote in elections.
The final list of 6,917 candidates, released by the government on November 29, included 979 women.
The newly elected females, who represent just one percent of total council seats, hail from a range of areas, from the country's holiest site in Mecca to the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia's largest. Many pledged to help working mothers by keeping daycare centers open for longer, and promised to pioneer youth community centers with sports and cultural activities, Press Association reported.
While Saudi Arabia's election results are a significant step forward, women's rights reforms in the country are still slow-moving. While no laws explicitly ban Saudi women from driving, authorities do not issue them licenses. Women who drive in public risk being fined and arrested by the police. Ministerial policies and practices forbid women from obtaining passports, marrying, traveling, or accessing higher education without the approval of a male guardian.
And although women finally have the right to vote, not many are exercising that right. Women make up only 6 percent of the total registered electorate—an estimated 136,000 women out of the total 1.5 million registered voters in the country.
As for the women who managed to win seats on Saturday, their political influence is limited. Councils advise authorities and help oversee local budgets, but do not have legislative powers.
Still, some Saudi women welcome the results and remain hopeful for more progress in the future. Nouf Al-Rakan, chairwoman for the Business Women section of the country's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the results are a great opportunity for women to take part in managing and developing their communities.
"Many of these women who participated in the election are known to me personally," she told Arab News. "They already have had a big impact on women's issues in different fields. I cannot wait to see these winners join the municipal council to prove to the entire world that Saudi women are an addition to their communities."
Government officials also celebrated the results. Speaking to Arab News, Abdul Latif al-Asheikh, Minister of Rural Affairs, congratulated the newly elected members, adding that the winners will contribute their best to the successful function of the local authorities.
Hailing the turnout, al-Asheikh said: "The successful election is mainly due to the awareness campaign conducted by the ministry by holding workshops, formation of various committees and training on voter registration at polling stations."
For many, Saturday's election is a natural step forward from Abdullah's appointment of several women to the Consultative Council, a royally appointed body that advises the king, in 2013. Before his death, Abdullah appointed 30 women to the 150-member Council.
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