UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has hailed the decision by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud granting women in Saudi Arabia the right to vote and stand in municipal elections as well as to become members of the Shoura Council according to Sharia\'s controls. A statement by the press office of Ban Ki-moon said, \"The secretary-general believes that these decisions represent an important step in the realization by women in Saudi Arabia of their roles in contribution to the country\'s development.\"