Few Countries Deny Women to Vote, including Vatican

There are six locations around the world where women are not allowed to vote. In two of these nations, no one is allowed to vote, because the country does not currently have an electoral system.

...The two nations in which women are not allowed to vote because of the lack of an electoral system are Brunei and the United Arab Emirates. Brunei is a sultanate, and has no elected officials, although government cabinets do advise the Sultan of Brunei. In the United Arab Emirates, changes to the way in which the country is run are beginning to occur: a limited number of citizens cast ballots in 2006, and voting rights are expected to cover all citizens by 2010. The United Arab Emirates has stated on numerous occasions that women will be given the right to vote along with all other citizens, and several women ran for office in the 2006 elections.

The two nations with partial suffrage are Bhutan and Lebanon. In both of these countries, women are not allowed to vote by convention, rather than law. In Bhutan, each household is permitted only one vote: because of traditional values, this vote is usually placed by the male of the household. This is expected to change by 2008 with the introduction of a parliamentary democracy. In Lebanon, women must have proof of education at least at the elementary level, while men have no education requirements. The technique of using education and language to deny the vote has been used in other nations, including the United States, to disenfranchise part of a population legally.

In Saudi Arabia and Vatican City, women are not allowed to vote by law. The only elections held in Vatican City are papal conclaves, which traditionally include a body of all-male Cardinals. If the Catholic Church ever allows women to be Cardinals, presumably they will participate in these conclaves as well, creating the possibility of a female Pope. In Saudi Arabia, women's rights are severely restricted. Elections were held in Saudi Arabia in 2005 for the first time in 60 years, but women were not included in the proceedings.

The list of countries where women are not allowed to vote is thankfully short, and growing shorter. Many people are surprised to learn that women are emancipated in most Middle Eastern nations, even traditionalist countries. Heavy criticism of countries where women are not allowed to vote by international bodies such as the United Nations is hoped to lead to an expansion of voting rights, and elimination of practices which disenfranchise women.

• Brunei— Women (and men) have been denied the right to vote or to stand for a legislative election since 1962.
• Lebanon— Partial suffrage. Proof of elementary education is required for women but not for men. Voting is compulsory for men but optional for women.
• Saudi Arabia— No suffrage for women. The first local elections ever held in the country occurred in 2005. Women were not given the right to vote or to stand for election, although suffrage may be granted by 2009.
• United Arab Emirates— Limited, but it will be fully expanded by 2010. 
• Vatican City— No suffrage for women; while most men in the Holy See also lack the vote, all persons with suffrage in Papal conclaves(the Cardinal) are male.