[nasional_list] [ppiindia] Women Candidates Optimistic of Victory

From: "Ambon" <sea@xxxxxxxxxx>
To: <"Undisclosed-Recipient:;"@freelists.org>
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 04:35:01 +0100
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**http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1&section=0&article=73830&d=28&m=11&y=2005

Monday, 28, November, 2005 (26, Shawwal, 1426)


      Women Candidates Optimistic of Victory
      Maha Akeel, Arab News 
        
            

            Madawi Al-Hassoun of Future group speaking to a voter and in the 
background Nashwa Taher of Lejeddah group greeting another voter. Inset: A 
virtually empty ballot box being taken away at the close of voting. (AN photos 
by Maha Akeel)    
            


      JEDDAH, 28 November 2005 - Despite the low turnout of women voters for 
the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry board elections over the past two 
days, first-time women candidates expressed optimism about their chances of 
victory. 

      Now that women's balloting is over, women candidates are hanging their 
hopes on the men's vote today and tomorrow. After a grueling month of 
campaigning for the historic elections, they're anxiously awaiting the Tuesday 
night tally.

      "We shouldn't look at the turnout in a negative way; there's a positive 
side to it," said Lama Al-Sulaiman, running among the Lejeddah Group. She said 
in previous JCCI elections there have been more than 20,000 commercial licenses 
under men's names, and of the 5,000 active members, only about 1,500 voted. 

      "So for 60 out of the 300 active businesswomen members of the chamber to 
show up and vote is very good," she told Arab News. She also noted the 
candidates didn't have enough time to prepare and campaign. "We didn't know 
that we would be able to run until quite late," Al-Sulaiman said. "Then we were 
squeezed for time to get organized and campaign in two months, and one of these 
months was Ramadan when it was inconvenient to do anything."

      It also took a couple of weeks to get oriented. "We took a crash course 
on elections and campaigning because none of us had participated in any kind of 
election before," Al-Sulaiman said. "We don't have a culture of voting and 
elections. We should start teaching students in schools about it."

      Al-Sulaiman said the next JCCI elections in four years will be much 
better for women candidates and voters. 

      "This year, it is the men's vote that will make the difference for us," 
she said.

      They hold out hope that men will vote for them - especially since by 
custom many of the businesswomen have their commercial licenses registered 
under a male relative's name. Some of the businesswomen also prefer to send 
their wakeel (legal guardian or representative) to vote on their behalf.

      "Women turnout was lower than expected," said Fatima Sheikh, one of the 
women observers of the elections appointed by the Ministry of Commerce. The 
observer's role was to verify documents and make sure mobile phones were not 
allowed in the voting hall. The voters went through three stages of filtering 
to ensure they were eligible to vote. 

      "The process went smooth, and the businesswomen who voted were aware and 
knowledgeable about the elections," said Sheikh.

      Some candidates put part of the responsibility for the public's lack of 
awareness on the media. 

      "It's true that people don't read, but the media itself was not very 
informative," said Hessa Al-Oun, who is running as an independent. "The media 
is a guide, and it should be balanced and objective in its presentation. It 
should be above the fray."

      Al-Oun's platform in this election was awareness, and she said she hopes 
that with greater awareness there will be new ideas, new blood and better 
opportunities in the chamber. She feels a separate chamber for smaller 
businesses might offer better representation for them.

      "I think previous mistakes and misuse of authority have turned members 
off from voting," Al-Oun said. "We have to regain their confidence."
     


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[nasional_list] [ppiindia] Women Candidates Optimistic of Victory

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