VZCZCXYZ0007
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRH #2362 3311419
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 271419Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY RIYADH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7097
INFO RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 2849
RUEHJI/AMCONSUL JEDDAH PRIORITY 9243

UNCLAS RIYADH 002362 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
G/IWI FOR ANDREA BOTTNER; NEA/ARP FOR BRIAN SHUKAN, ROBERT 
JACHIM; DRL/NESCA FOR JESSICA LIEBERMAN 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL SCUL KWMN SA
SUBJECT: SAUDI WOMEN QUESTION THE RIGHT TO VOTE OUTSIDE THE 
KSA 
 
 
¶1.  (U) SUMMARY: According to the English language daily 
"Arab News" Saudi female students in the UK and Ireland were 
denied entry to the General Body of Saudi Clubs, 27th 
general committee elections. The elections took place on 
Saturday, November 17.  According to media reports, the women 
who were denied access to the elections are members of their 
local clubs.  Reports indicate they are upset that they could 
not vote or nominate themselves for local and national board 
committees.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.   (U) The General Body of Saudi Clubs is an organization 
that overlooks the activities of Saudi student clubs that are 
dotted across the UK,s universities and colleges organizing 
events and providing assistance to Saudi students. 
Mainstream media reported that less than 24 hours before the 
elections, the female members received an e-mail from the 
organizers of the meeting stating that women were not allowed 
to attend or vote because the club does not allow women at 
the meeting.  After women pressured the organizers, they were 
granted access to the meeting but not given the right to 
vote.  Despite this last minute access, it still arrived too 
late for any of the female members to take advantage of the 
opportunity. 
 
¶3.     (U) PhD student Muhammed Al-Asheikh at the University 
of Leeds and current president of the body, told "Arab News" 
that before the women can attend the meeting, vote, or even 
nominate themselves, the General Body of Saudi Clubs must 
officially address the issue.  He also added that women have 
not participated in any of the meetings since its inception. 
Furthermore, he reportedly encouraged women to take part in 
the elections describing it as a high priority.  However, 
according to the media, when asked most participants voted 
against the idea of women attending the meeting.  Ahmed 
Malibary, former president of the organization, stated that 
five years ago an attempt to have female students as links 
between the "Higher Commission for Saudi Schools and Clubs" 
and female students for events that target women was 
unsuccessful.  He added that it was "probably not a good 
time." 
 
¶4.   (U) Illham Qattan, the only Saudi female student to hold 
a position in the General Body of Saudi Clubs, told "Arab 
News" that the event was not organized properly and that is 
why women were not allowed to attend.  She added that some 
female students are "impulsive" and are not aware that such 
"progressive" steps must be taken gradually.  Furthermore, 
she noted that because of the support from the Saudi Embassy 
and bureau, imposing new concepts must be based on "certain 
rules" in order to succeed. 
 
¶5.   (SBU) COMMENT:  Women are largely precluded from 
political life on any level, whether in Saudi Arabia or 
abroad.  Organization leaders-- and even the lone female 
member-- continued efforts to minimize the leadership role of 
women even during a time of change and modernization in the 
SAG, is indicative of the difficulty to change Saudi societal 
perceptions as well as potentially the difficulty in 
succeeding to include women in the next municipal elections 
inside the Kingdom: a goal often cited by the SAG.  END 
COMMENT. 
GFOELLER