Suffrage for Saudi Women?

There is much still to be seen in regards to Saudi Arabian women exercising their promised right to vote, which the King has announced will go into effect after municipal polls on Thursday, but such an announcement is, nonetheless, exciting. The ability to vote and stand for election will not be practiced until the next election cycle in four years, for municipal polls, which are the only polls available to the public. Time will tell how such a right will bode in the more outwardly conservative Saudi Arabia, and what effect newfound suffrage will have for the contestation of guardianship laws and driving restrictions for women. We've blogged before on such issues, but this latest article from the BBC may be the most exciting yet.

Caitlin and I have been in dialogue with each other on how we approach human rights universally, particularly when it comes to recognizing cultural values and religious beliefs. Is there such a concept as universal human rights? What are the core values behind it that can be held up in every society? Post your thoughts in the comments sections!