Meeting on women’s participation in elections [Archives:2002/40/Local News]

The meeting concentrated on the importance of women’s participation in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Ms Amal al-Basha, the Head of the SAF, emphasized in her speech that women should draw and feature the future by effective participation in elections as a voter and candidate.
“There is no real democracy without engaging women in the political field” she said.
Al-Basha warned of playing with women’s votes through exploiting the high percentage of illiteracy among women, especially in rural areas.
“Today we blame all, the parliament, the Supreme Election Committee and all the political parties that hasn’t included the female element in their agendas to represent them in any of the electoral committees. This comes against the constitution’s principles that give equal opportunities to both men and women in the decision making. Democracy implies the representation of the nation but… aren’t women part of this nation?” she asked.
She finally placed great stress on that women’s’ participation in the upcoming elections shouldn’t be used as a means for political purposes.
Ms. Radhia Shamsheer concluded the meeting by explaining her personal experience, as the first woman who has become a member in one of the presidential election committees.

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