Nablus – The Palestinian Working Woman Society for Development (PWWSD) held an expanded meeting at the organization’s Nablus headquarters, with more than 100 participants. Attendees included Factions of National Action members and leadership, in addition to community and political leaders, youth and women’s groups, potential female candidates in the upcoming elections, as well as a number of CSOs and representatives of the feminist movement. The event was held under the banner “Towards Advancing Palestinian Women’s Reality in the Upcoming Local Elections” with several goals: encouraging women to take an active role in decision-making on a personal and a community level, strengthening women’s participation in decision-making bodies, contextualizing the mobilization efforts organized in parallel with the upcoming elections as a legal right and a social necessity, and deliberating the needed mechanisms for supporting and activating women’s electoral participation.
The events was hosted by Nablus Governorate Legal Advisor, Leena Abdul-Hadi, PWWSD Women’s Empowerment Program Coordinator, Samar Hawwash, Factions of National Action Deputy, Nasser Abu-Jeish, and Central Elections Commission, Mahmoud Mseimi.
PWWSD BoD member, Faten Ghazi Abu-Zaarour welcomed the attendees and emphasized the significance of this meeting in light of the current electoral mobilization. She praised the organization’s role in mobilizing for women’s issues in general, and strengthening women’s electoral participation in particular.
Samar Hawwash addressed PWWSD’s history in continuously and cumulatively advancing Palestinian women’s reality, in line with the organization’s strategy for strengthening women’s political participation through official and unofficial bodies. This role intensified after the establishment of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), as social issues and women’s political participation made it into the national agendas of Palestinian leadership. Hawwash noted that the announcement of local elections will contribute to advancing democracy in Palestinian society, and to paving the way for women to practice their right to political participation by utilizing years of Palestinian women’s experiences and expertise in political life. Some of the most significant experiences were the legislative elections of 1996 and 2006, as well as the local elections of 2004-2005 and 2012. Those elections proved women’s qualification to participate in legislative and local councils by voting and running for office, as well as being active members in these political bodies while dealing with social and legal difficulties. Hawwash added that despite all national and international developments in the field of citizenship, and despite recent advancements in women’s issues and legislation honoring CEDAW and other equality standards, Palestinian women still experience marginalized lives caused by dominant cultural norms. The lack of legislation and political will to advance women’s reality exacerbates this fact, even though women’s issues are not only feminist but also community issues.
Hawwash presented the barriers women faced in previous elections, mainly an unsupportive culture and weak efforts by political parties in their responsibility towards women. Political parties did not respect their commitment to the 2012 election document they signed allocating a quota of 30% for women in their lists. Hawwash noted that the recent Central Council resolution raising women’s representation in all decision-making venues including the upcoming elections, is an opportunity for political parties to fulfill their commitments. She also highlighted the standards of forming electoral lists, and called on the people in charge to consider qualifications and professional merit, and to allocate no less than 30% to women while pursuing equal representation.
Central Elections Commission representative, Mahmoud Mseimi explained the Commission’s role as an executive power working to guarantee the elections are conducted with integrity and transparency. Mseimi highlighted Law No. (10) of 2005 which governs elections, noting that the law designates a quota of 20% for women. He added that the Commission works to ensure that the percentage is respected as a standard when forming electoral lists, but that it does not stop any interested parties from raising women’s representation further, and to consider the 20% ratio a minimum.
Mseimi presented many of the barriers facing the Central Elections Commission in 2004 and 2012, including many women being unaware of their position in electoral lists, as they were not consulted when the lists were being prepared. He added that some areas refused to add any women to their lists, despite the Commission’s assertion that it is a requirement. He noted that the 2012 elections lacked any women representing any electoral lists, despite there being no law against it, when (104) lists were presented to the Nablus Governorate with none of them being led by a woman. From experience, he asserted that women’s quota is an effective tool for raising women’s representation in local governing bodies, but that it is not enough. It needs to be accompanied by awareness and discussion to strengthen the community’s acceptance of the quota system. Mseimi then addressed in detail which citizens are eligible to run for office regardless of gender, including age of candidacy, clearance, and proof of residency.
Leena Abdul-Hadi emphasized the significance of local elections, and municipal elections in particular, as a reflection of a civilized culture valuing the needs and ambitions of citizens. Abdul-Hadi added that municipalities not only advance the state of urban infrastructure; they also operate within a development framework to advance the community as a whole. She added that elections are an essential form of democracy and a cornerstone of citizenship. She then highlighted the strategic role required of the feminist movement to advance women’s reality, particularly the General Union of Palestinian Women and its role in ratifying the Central Council resolution to raise women’s quota to 30%. Following the Council’s resolution, the Union was supposed to start lobbying for its legal implementation. Abdul-Hadi then criticized the role of political parties in the 2012 local elections, when they had signed a Code of Honor raising women’s quota to at least 30% of their lists, but then did not fulfill their commitment. She also highlighted the role required of women’s institutions regarding their programs and priorities, and the need to reflect women’s real needs. She then recommended working strategically to advance the reality of women’s participation in the future.
Faction Coordination Committee Deputy in Nablus, Nasser Abu-Jeish talked about the role of Palestinian women in all facets of life, and stated that the quota system contradicts equality and that women need to enforce their rights not wait for an allocated quota. Abu-Jeish discussed the problems facing local councilmembers, and women in particular. He then said that women have the responsibility to advance their situation, and questioned whether the feminist movement had prepared women to run for office. He emphasized the need to change the community’s view of women’s public participation, as well as the role of political parties in supporting women’s issues.
The meeting reached a number of recommendations: First, to emphasize that women’s issues are not only feminist but also community issues. Second, to continue using the quota system as a temporary measure until society’s view of women’s roles has improved. Third, the need for the feminist movement, led by the General Union of Palestinian Women, to lobby continuously for turning the Central Council resolution into a binding law. Fourth, for political parties to commit to at least a 30% representation of women in their lists, placing women in top positions, integrating women in the process of preparing these lists, and considering qualifications and professional merit when selecting women.