Saudi Women Make History in Landmark Election

Click on the audio player above to hear this interview.

On Saturday, women were able to vote in the Middle Eastern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the first time.

In a country where women still aren't allowed to drive, approximately 20 women won seats in the municipal polls—the first ever elections open to female candidates and voters. The winners represent about one percent of of the total seats available and come from all areas of the country.

During the elections women were barred from speaking to male voters and were required to partition off campaign areas. Despite that, almost 1,000 women were in the running for positions, and more than a 130,000 registered to vote.  For the women elected, the win is more symbolic than powerful.

Haifa Al Hababi is a 37-year-old architect and professor who was campaigning for better recycling and urban design. She was using social media as a way to reach out to voters since, as a woman, she couldn't use any traditional advertising methods.

What you'll learn from this segment:

• What Saudi women and men are saying about the results of the election.
• Why Al Hababi decided to run in this election.
• What this election means for the broader women's rights movement in Saudi Arabia.