After the announcement that women would not participate in the coming municipal elections, many people were disappointed. Many others wondered if there was any way to overcome the obstacles preventing their participation. Looking at the platforms of the five women who had announced their intention to run for office gives an idea of what women’s contributions would have been. Their platforms dealt with community needs, children’s safety and well-being, families’ right to parks, libraries and recreational centers in their neighborhoods. The women all stressed the importance of a clean environment and the basic rights and duties of citizens to keep their streets, beaches and neighborhoods clean and safe.
A woman’s input and point of view will always be necessary for forming a complete picture of a society. I hope that the male candidates will make many essential contributions to the community but, at the same time, I cannot help but feel that women have a closer-to-home vision. The enthusiasm that the women showed in providing their views was amazing and tells us that what women need in Saudi Arabia is to be given a chance to prove themselves and to prove that they can serve the community at least as well as men, if not perhaps better.
For the past few months, women have shown keen interest in the municipal elections. Their attendance at conferences pertaining to municipal councils in both Riyadh and Jeddah shows that there are many women eager to participate and also that there is an increased level of awareness of society’s needs among women.
The actual physical state of our communities is nowhere what it should be — from cleanliness to having centers that serve families, to safety measures in houses and schools and last but not least, in terms of architectural chaos.
In Jeddah, most neighborhoods lack any spirit that brings them to life. In the past, this was not the case. Our modern neighborhoods have a great many needs and requirements; perhaps men are not as aware of those needs as are women who are more involved and closer to family life. Looking at the matter from another point of view, men have always been in charge of the community and the problems and shortcomings of the municipalities have not been properly dealt with nor have they decreased. In fact, there has been an increase in the number of problems. Thus, there is a need for fresher perspectives and new people in charge and perhaps women should be those new people with fresh perspectives. If it is difficult at this time to include women as either candidates or voters, we hope that there will be women among the appointed members of the council. In all the places that women have been given a chance to serve, they have made vital contributions and changes. A fresh pair of eyes is always an advantage.
