Silver LiningWomen mishandling women issues [Archives:2006/976/Opinion]

Mohammed Al-Qadhi
Last week, few women marched to the presidential palace, voicing disappointment with political parties for not supporting women candidacy in the upcoming local council elections.

I believe the political parties have failed women and let them down by not taking their nomination away. All political parties, without exception, have shown no support for women. They constantly make nice rhetoric while talking about women's contribution and need of their involvement in the democratic drive and political empowerment. When it comes to action, these nice speeches disappear. Only ten women ran for the local council elections compared to around 24 male candidates. The gap is so wide.

I do agree with Madrid Robin of the NDI that political parties do not want women nominations as they do not want to face their people with this reality. It is true that these political parties are stagnant and tend to comply with the situation and cherish the status quo even if it is bad. They always pretend that confronting the conventions will bring about negative consequences. These are the parties not able to force any change in the country.

But it is also the task of women themselves to change their situation and rebel against such a repressive and male-dominating culture as women did in Europe and the US.

Change is never achieved effortlessly or at leisure. It is a difficult process that needs hard work and sacrifice. Some of those women claiming to be fighters for women rights are hypocrites who want to make these issues a means for attaining personal interests.

Last Week, I attended the meeting of President Ali Abdullah Saleh with the protesting women at the presidential palace. Women like Ramzyah al-Eryani and others who are running the women unions became did not put forward their message clearly. These women pushed some of the participants in the protest to claim they are oppressed by their parties like Islah and the Socialist. It was a disgusting ploy that put women concerns as part of the ongoing debate and attacks and counterattacks between the opposition and the ruling party.

The purpose of that protest was thwarted by such intents for the meeting turned this major issue of women candidacy into a subject fueling the ongoing argument between the two sides. None of these parties are serious about supporting and empowering women politically. Islah alleges, with which I despise, that some religious conceptions stand behind their refusal to nominate women. If this is the argument of Islah, which is pregnant with patriarchal religious figures, what is then the problem with the other parties, including the ruling party and the socialist?

Again, if these leading women are serious and really want empowerment, then why did they protest just one day before the application for local councils candidacy terminated. This shows they were not serious about it and they were just asked or ordered by the ruling party to protest against political parties, mainly the Islah party. These women could have challenged women discrimination, injustice, inequality and abuse of their rights, lobbying for reform of legislations concerning women. They are just keen on obtaining a ministry for women so that they can take over and that is all.

I am a feminist and do not object giving women closed constituencies. The quota system might push to erase the traditional social stigma, doubting the competence of women in the political sphere. However, it might turn women into idles, depending just on the quota share as long as the situation remains the same. The quota, therefore, should act as an impetus to encourage women to struggle and fight for their full rights.

In short, women need devoted and dedicated leaders who do not mishandle women issues but take them seriously; women who do not depend on the political parties support; women who can identify women need and set up an action plan and a vision to work on step by step, achieving women's integration rather than the segregation which we find now, even in the work of women's NGOs.

Mohammed Al-Qadhi is a Yemeni journalist and columnist.

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