MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION

7 March 2005

tabled for the debate on cases of breaches of human rights, democracy and the rule of law
pursuant to Rule 115(5) of the Rules of Procedure
by Cecilia Malmström, Emma Bonino and Marco Pannella
on behalf of the ALDE Group
on women's participation in elections in Saudi Arabia

See also joint motion for a resolution RC-B6-0189/2005

NB: This motion for a resolution is available in the original language only.

B6-0197/2005

European parliament resolution on women's participation in elections in Saudi Arabia

The European parliament,

• -having regard to the ratification in October 2000 by Saudi Arabia of the UN Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW);
• -having regard, in particular, to Article 7 of that Convention on Political and Public life;

A.  whereas Saudi Arabia's first ever municipal elections took place on February 10 2005; whereas they are being carried out in three phases, continuing until 21 April 2005;

B.  whereas participation in the election was limited to men over 21 years, women were banned from voting on the grounds of "logistics" including the problem of providing separate polling booths for them.

C.  noting that Prince Mut' ab bin Abdul Aziz, head of Saudi Arabia elections committee has declared that he expects "women to participate in elections in future stages" but that it would be "after conducting studies to assess whether it is useful or not";

D.  whereas Saudi Arabia's electoral law is clear about women's participation; whereas the law uses the word "citizen" in Arabic which refers to both men and women in indicating those eligible to vote;

E.  whereas women in Saudi Arabia continue to challenge many severe forms of discrimination in the fields of personal status, employment, participation in public life, the subordination of women to men, and restrictions on their freedom of movement;

F.  whereas Saudi Arabia's ratification of CEDAW should mean that it has accepted its responsibility to improve women's human rights;

• 1.Deeply regrets that Saudi's women are not allowed to participate to these elections;
• 2.Reminds the authorities of their international obligations in accordance with the Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), to which Saudi Arabian is a state party;
• 3.Calls on the Saudi's authorities to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination against women in the political and public life of the country, and in particular to guarantee women, on equal terms to men, the right:
  • ▪to vote in all elections and public referenda and to be eligible for election to all publicly elected bodies;
  • ▪to participate in the formulation of government policy and the implementation thereof and to hold public office and perform all public functions at all levels of government;
• 4.Calls on the Council and the Commission to raise this issue during the next Joint Council and ministerial meeting between the EU and the Gulf Cooperation Council;
• 5.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the government of Saudi Arabia, His Royal Highness Prince Mut'ab bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, head of the elections committee and minister of Rural and Municipal Affairs, His Royal Highness Prince Naif bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, Minister of the Interior, and to the Parliament of Saudi Arabia.