Over 5,000 women electors voted in yesterday’s elections for Oman’s next consultative council.
Women are 10% of Oman’s electoral college. The college voted for 164 candidates out of a field of 736 candidates, including 27 women. This is the first time that women cadidates have been allowed to run. In December, Sultan Qaboos will choose the final consultative council of 82 members. Kuwait is the only Gulf Arab state to have an elected parliament, but women cannot serve.
Female elector Hassina Said al-Adawy said, “we want more women on the council. I believe that if we have problems, we can address them to the women (council members).”
