In this regard, Saudi authorities allowed 979 women among the 6,917 registered candidates to campaign for 284 municipal councils as per the royal decree issued in 2011.
Earlier, Saudi Arabia held municipal elections in 2005 and 2011, but only men were allowed to take part.
government apparently is showing other countries that social participation of its women is expanding.
Presently, women make up one fourth of the country’s Shura Council which is an unelected body appointed by the king to propose laws for government but cannot pass them.