MOVEMENT IN THE MIDDLE EAST
King Appoints First Female Members to Saudi Council
In the ultra-conservative kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the first female members of the Shura Council, a legal advisory council, were recently sworn in. Women now make up one-fifth of the council. It’s just another sign of change in a country where women are banned from driving and need male approval to open a bank account. In 2011, King Abdullah announced that women would also be granted the right to vote and to run for municipal political office.
February 22, 2013 2:57 PM