Participating in government: Most people see it as an obligation rather than a privilege. In the United States, women have fought long and hard for their right to vote, hold political offices and participate in our governmental system. Women’s suffrage took decades to conquer, but women finally received the rights they fought for.

This is not always the case in other countries; some women never get to experience these things we take for granted. As of this year, Saudi Arabia has changed this outcome by legally allowing women the right to hold office in their town’s or city’s municipal councils. With this huge stride toward change, we see the world developing into a more equal society. Saudi Arabia may not share our views on government or our perspectives on certain issues, but to allow women the opportunity to stand for election in councils is a huge stride that will go down in history.

Saudi Arabia has also made strides in granting  women legal rights. The initiative that has had massive support world wide is called the Wa’iyah Initiative for Women’s Legal Rights. The concept of the initiative is to spread awareness of women’s rights throughout the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Many women see this new-found awareness as empowering and encouraging. The initiative is enabling women to become confident within themselves and to discover the mindset that they can do anything a man can do.

The idea of equality is igniting a spark within communities of Saudi Arabian women that has yet to be tamed. To be alive in an era where great strides are being made to accommodate all individuals no matter what race, sexual orientation, or gender they may be is riveting. To be able to say in 50 years that I could watch history being made right in front of my own eyes is mesmerizing. Saudi Arabia’s acclamation toward growth is a major step in developing a world of equality and peace.