[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 116 (Friday, July 29, 2011)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5049-S5051]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
ENCOURAGING WOMEN'S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION IN SAUDI ARABIA
Mr. BROWN of Ohio. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the Senate
proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 114, S. Res. 216.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the resolution by title.
The legislative clerk read as follows:
A resolution (S. Res. 216) encouraging women's political
participation in Saudi Arabia.
There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the
resolution (S. Res. 216) encouraging women's political participation in
Saudi Arabia, which had been reported from the Committee
[[Page S5050]]
on Foreign Relations, with an amendment and an amendment to the
preamble.
(Strike the parts in boldface brackets and insert the parts shown in
italics.)
S. Res. 216
[Whereas, on September 22, 2011, the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia is scheduled to hold its first nationwide municipal
elections since 2005, with voter registration open as of
April 23, 2011;
[Whereas the Government of Saudi Arabia has announced--as
it did in 2005--that women will be unable to run for elective
office or vote;
[Whereas, on March 28, 2011, president of the general
committee for the election of municipal council members Abd
al-Rahman Dahmash stated, ``We are not prepared for the
participation of women in the municipal elections now.'';
[Whereas Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Saud Al
Faisal stated in an interview after the 2005 election that he
assumed women would be allowed to vote in future elections,
and that this would benefit the election process because
women were ``more sensible voters than men'';
[Whereas the decision by the Government of Saudi Arabia to
continue to disenfranchise women in the September 2011
municipal elections is inconsistent with a series of
commitments made by the Government of Saudi Arabia;
[Whereas, in January 2003, Saudi Arabia proposed to the
League of Arab States the ``Covenant for Arab Reform,''
resulting in the adoption of the ``Tunis Declaration'' at the
May 2004 Arab Summit, which declared, among other things, a
``firm determination'' to ``pursue reform and modernization''
by ``widening women's participation in the political,
economic, social, cultural and educational fields'';
[Whereas these declarations were reaffirmed at the Arab
Summit in Algiers on March 23, 2005, and at the Riyadh Summit
held in Saudi Arabia on March 28, 2007;
[Whereas, in April 2009, Saudi Arabia ratified the Arab
Charter on Human Rights, which states in article 24(3),
``Every citizen has the right . . . to stand for election or
choose his representatives in free and impartial elections,
in conditions of equality among all citizens that guarantee
the free expression of his will.'';
[Whereas, on June 10, 2009, the Government of Saudi Arabia
accepted the majority of the recommendations put forward by
the United Nations Human Rights Council's Working Group on
the Universal Periodic Review including to ``[a]bolish all
legislation, measures and practices that discriminate against
women . . . In particular, to abolish legislation and
practices which prevent women from participating fully in
society on an equal basis with men,'' and to ``end the strict
system of male guardianship and give full legal identity to
Saudi women'';
[Whereas the Government of Saudi Arabia has indicated that
it is supportive of the human rights of women;
[Whereas, in November 2010, Saudi Arabia was elected to the
Executive Board of UN Women, emphasizing the commitment of
the Government of Saudi Arabia to the rights of women;
[Whereas `Abd al-Rahman Dahmash, the president of the
general committee for the election of municipal council
members, has stated that Saudi women will be granted the
right to vote in the next municipal elections scheduled to be
held in 2015; and
[Whereas, while the United States Government acknowledges
the deep cultural and religious traditions and sentiments
within Saudi society, without the right to vote on par with
men, women in Saudi Arabia are denied not only a fundamental
human right but also the ability to contribute fully to the
economic development, modernization, and prosperity of their
own country: Now, therefore, be it]
Whereas, on September 29, 2011, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
is scheduled to hold its first nationwide municipal elections
since 2005;
Whereas the Government of Saudi Arabia has announced--as it
did in 2005--that women will be unable to run for elective
office or vote;
Whereas, on March 28, 2011, president of the general
committee for the election of municipal council members `Abd
al-Rahman Dahmash stated, ``We are not prepared for the
participation of women in the municipal elections now.'';
Whereas the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Saud
Al Faisal, stated in an interview after the 2005 election
that he assumed women would be allowed to vote in future
elections, and that this would benefit the election process
because women were ``more sensible voters than men'';
Whereas, on June 6, 2011, the Majlis Al-Shura Consultative
Council adopted a resolution recommending that the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia Ministry of Rural and Municipal Affairs take the
necessary measures to include female voters in future
municipal elections;
Whereas the decision by the Government of Saudi Arabia to
continue to disenfranchise women in the September 2011
municipal elections is inconsistent with a series of
commitments made by the Government of Saudi Arabia;
Whereas, in January 2003, Saudi Arabia proposed to the
League of Arab States the ``Covenant for Arab Reform,''
resulting in the adoption of the ``Tunis Declaration'' at the
May 2004 Arab Summit, which declared, among other things, a
``firm determination'' to ``pursue reform and modernization''
by ``widening women's participation in the political,
economic, social, cultural and educational fields'';
Whereas these declarations were reaffirmed at the Arab
Summit in Algiers on March 23, 2005, and at the Riyadh Summit
held in Saudi Arabia on March 28, 2007;
Whereas, in April 2009, Saudi Arabia ratified the Arab
Charter on Human Rights, which states in article 24(3),
``Every citizen has the right. . . to stand for election or
choose his representatives in free and impartial elections,
in conditions of equality among all citizens that guarantee
the free expression of his will.'';
Whereas, on June 10, 2009, the Government of Saudi Arabia
accepted the majority of the recommendations put forward by
the United Nations Human Rights Council's Working Group on
the Universal Periodic Review including to ``[a]bolish all
legislation, measures and practices that discriminate against
women. . . In particular, to abolish legislation and
practices which prevent women from participating fully in
society on an equal basis with men,'' and to ``end the strict
system of male guardianship and give full legal identity to
Saudi women'';
Whereas the Government of Saudi Arabia has indicated that
it is supportive of the human rights of women;
Whereas, in November 2010, Saudi Arabia was elected to the
Executive Board of UN Women, emphasizing the commitment of
the Government of Saudi Arabia to the rights of women;
Whereas `Abd al-Rahman Dahmash, the president of the
general committee for the election of municipal council
members, has stated that Saudi women will be granted the
right to vote in the next municipal elections scheduled to be
held in 2015; and
Whereas, while the United States Government acknowledges
the deep cultural and religious traditions and sentiments
within Saudi society, without the right to vote on par with
men, women in Saudi Arabia are denied not only a fundamental
human right but also the ability to contribute fully to the
economic development, modernization, and prosperity of their
own country: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, [That the Senate--
[(1) calls on the Government of Saudi Arabia to allow women
to participate, both as voters and candidates for elective
office, in the September 2011 elections;
[(2) supports the women of Saudi Arabia as they endeavor to
exercise their human rights; and
[(3) believes that it is in the interest of Saudi Arabia
and all nations to permit women to run for office and vote in
all elections.]
That the Senate--
(1) urges the Government of Saudi Arabia to allow women to
fully participate, both as voters and candidates for elective
office, in the September 2011 elections;
(2) supports the women of Saudi Arabia as they endeavor to
exercise their human rights and participate equally in
society; and
(3) believes that it is in the interest of Saudi Arabia and
all nations to permit women to run for office, receive civic
education, and vote in all elections.
Mr. BROWN of Ohio. I ask unanimous consent the committee-reported
substitute amendment be agreed to; the resolution, as amended, be
agreed to; the committee-reported amendment to the preamble be agreed
to; the preamble, as amended, be agreed to; the motions to reconsider
be laid upon the table, with no intervening action or debate and any
statements be printed in the Record.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
The amendment in the nature of a substitute was agreed to.
The resolution (S. Res. 216), as amended, was agreed to.
The amendment to the preamble was agreed to.
The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
The resolution, as amended, with its preamble, as amended, reads as
follows:
S. Res. 216
Whereas, on September 29, 2011, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
is scheduled to hold its first nationwide municipal elections
since 2005;
Whereas the Government of Saudi Arabia has announced--as it
did in 2005--that women will be unable to run for elective
office or vote;
Whereas, on March 28, 2011, president of the general
committee for the election of municipal council members `Abd
al-Rahman Dahmash stated, ``We are not prepared for the
participation of women in the municipal elections now.'';
Whereas the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Saud
Al Faisal, stated in an interview after the 2005 election
that he assumed women would be allowed to vote in future
elections, and that this would benefit the election process
because women were ``more sensible voters than men'';
Whereas, on June 6, 2011, the Majlis Al-Shura Consultative
Council adopted a resolution recommending that the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia Ministry of Rural and Municipal Affairs take the
necessary measures to include female voters in future
municipal elections;
Whereas the decision by the Government of Saudi Arabia to
continue to disenfranchise women in the September 2011
municipal elections is inconsistent with a series of
commitments made by the Government of Saudi Arabia;
Whereas, in January 2003, Saudi Arabia proposed to the
League of Arab States the
[[Page S5051]]
``Covenant for Arab Reform,'' resulting in the adoption of
the ``Tunis Declaration'' at the May 2004 Arab Summit, which
declared, among other things, a ``firm determination'' to
``pursue reform and modernization'' by ``widening women's
participation in the political, economic, social, cultural
and educational fields'';
Whereas these declarations were reaffirmed at the Arab
Summit in Algiers on March 23, 2005, and at the Riyadh Summit
held in Saudi Arabia on March 28, 2007;
Whereas, in April 2009, Saudi Arabia ratified the Arab
Charter on Human Rights, which states in article 24(3),
``Every citizen has the right . . . to stand for election or
choose his representatives in free and impartial elections,
in conditions of equality among all citizens that guarantee
the free expression of his will.'';
Whereas, on June 10, 2009, the Government of Saudi Arabia
accepted the majority of the recommendations put forward by
the United Nations Human Rights Council's Working Group on
the Universal Periodic Review including to ``[a]bolish all
legislation, measures and practices that discriminate against
women . . . In particular, to abolish legislation and
practices which prevent women from participating fully in
society on an equal basis with men,'' and to ``end the strict
system of male guardianship and give full legal identity to
Saudi women'';
Whereas the Government of Saudi Arabia has indicated that
it is supportive of the human rights of women;
Whereas, in November 2010, Saudi Arabia was elected to the
Executive Board of UN Women, emphasizing the commitment of
the Government of Saudi Arabia to the rights of women;
Whereas `Abd al-Rahman Dahmash, the president of the
general committee for the election of municipal council
members, has stated that Saudi women will be granted the
right to vote in the next municipal elections scheduled to be
held in 2015; and
Whereas while the United States Government acknowledges the
deep cultural and religious traditions and sentiments within
Saudi society, without the right to vote on par with men,
women in Saudi Arabia are denied not only a fundamental human
right but also the ability to contribute fully to the
economic development, modernization, and prosperity of their
own country: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the Senate--
(1) urges the Government of Saudi Arabia to allow women to
fully participate, both as voters and candidates for elective
office, in the September 2011 elections;
(2) supports the women of Saudi Arabia as they endeavor to
exercise their human rights and participate equally in
society; and
(3) believes that it is in the interest of Saudi Arabia and
all nations to permit women to run for office, receive civic
education, and vote in all elections.
____________________