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New Report on Women Participation in Elections

“Soundless participation………unsettled issues”

In a new report issued by Land Center for Human Rights women participation in     general elections has been carefully handled.

Rural women and their economic, social and political conditions are dealt with in the first chapter of the report. It also highlights the main activities, such as teaching, and working in farms.

Forever, in the   2nd chapter more details are given on their role and participation in public elections. This part covers the period from 1957 until now. 

The report notes that in 1957 local councils’ election only six women participated as candidates and two of them took seats. However, their number remained at this low level until election Law No 38 of 1972 was amended. According to the new amendments 30 seats in local councils were allocated to women. And since then their number notably increased to 35.

The following table shows the number of women participants in elections from 1964 to 1995.

The report also outlines the percentage of women participation in local council elections in rural areas. It indicates this percentage has remained at the lowest level though they were having all factors for success at the time.

The report shows that with the introduction of law 21 of 1979 the percentage has tremendously increased.  They constituted 10,25% of members of local council in 1980. But unfortunately in 1990 this percentage fell to 2,11% after abolishing the law ‎21 of 1979. And continued to dwindle until it reached 1,2% in 1992 and 0,5 in local councils' election of 1997.

The percentage of women participation was also noted to be lowered in cities  and towns  of  rural provinces as it was 1,3% at the time.  That was noticeable in local councils’ elections of 1979, 1983, 1988,1992 and 1997, the report clarified.

Outlining the number of participants in 1997 local councils’ elections, the report claims that their total number was 58,793.  Out of this number there were 47,272 belonging to the ruling  NDP, 3,751 from opposition parties, and 7,800 were independents.

It added that their distribution was like that: At provinces' level there was 5,436 participants; 15,134 at local areas’ level; 7,091 at level of cities, 28,735 at villages’ level and 2,397 at level of residential areas. However, women constituted only 0,5% of this total number.

So in scrutinizing the above-mentioned figures, it would appear that women participation in local councils’ elections in Egypt is not progressing.  Either their percentage of contesting in such elections has enhanced. All that happens though a noticeable increase in their participation has been witnessed early 1980s. But as a matter of fact this noted increase was not a real indicator on progress of women participation in political life. All that happened was that some legal changes introduced at the time by according to Law 21 of 1997. The law, as we said before, allocate a number of seats for women in local councils elections.

Therefore, it is of no doubt that women in our country still in need for protection.  That in aim to improve there presents deteriorated situations. They are also in need to be lent a support to decide their political participation issues and democracy in general.

We can not deny their right to have such protection as Moreover, providing such protection for women deemed fair and just.  The legislator who readjusts the society economic drive toward the market policy is not allowed to forget protecting the interests of poor categories of nation.  None can believe that on-going processes of development could be successful without issue of women political participation being handled or nation encouraged supporting their causes. 

 he report also highlights reasons prevent rural women from being effectively  participate in elections. It mainly attributed that to lack of awareness and prevailing of illiteracy among rural women. The report said they totally isolated from any sources of enlightenment as education.

Statistic established on education standards of rural women over past years proved these facts. For instances in 1996 women constitute 48,8% of the nation entire population, which means that they were at about the half of population. Despite of that illiteracy among women was at 61,8% and at 37,8 among men. However, the majority of the nation illiterate people were found at rural areas as their number put at 11,575,759 (76,5%). And women constitute 75,8% of this number while men percentage was at 47,1%.

The facts highlighted in statistics prove that we are still in need to exert much more efforts to make women participation in political life is reality.

But such duty is not an easy task, as illiteracy has become a prevailing phenomenon among rural women. Illiteracy is not limited to elder women but also extend to include girls from between 6 to 20 years.

Table below shows percentage of female students at different education stages in 1991/92. (Rural female students represent 25% of these percentages).

Among other reasons the report believes to hinder rural women participation in political life are;

 Economic difficulties experienced at rural areas over past few years. Many of rural families become unable to face living require due to many reasons. Some of the difficulties raised after they have been expelled from their tenancies or for being working on daily paid basis.  Others suffered after their work contracts Arab countries terminated or because elite landowners compete with them at marketplace.  All difficulties forced rural people to devote much of their income towards covering other badly needs of living as food. For them Education has become of item that should reconsidered.

 Early marriage: Adult girls in rural areas have one aim that to get married and have a family.  For being got married she would be responsible for taking care of her new family members. Therefore, they think that education would of no benefit for her as long as marriage is her destiny.

Lack of sufficient number of girls’ schools at many big villages. Most of such schools located at far distance from the girls’ homes and that cost them a lot as they should daily pay for transport.

Negative impression rural people have about future benefit  of education. Many of graduated youths at present unemployed though their families paid a lot to get them educated.

Government-directed rural development programs mainly target male rather than female peasant. Also work with modernised farming equipment mainly depend on men. Women left behind from acquiring more education and training in such aspects.

Mass media also play a negative role in inhabiting women willingness to get educated.  They are always figuring rural woman a naïve in their way of thinking and example for backwardness.

The report also highlights an important fact that rural women would not be able to practice their political rights as long as illiteracy remained to exist at rural areas. This situation would deprive rural women from the confidence they needed to know these rights and then claim them.

Moreover the report also tackle position of women in political parties.  It showed that 21 women from 7 political parties have participated in 1995 parliamentary elections. 14 of them were from NDP, 7 from Labor party, 3 from el-Wafed party, 3from Arab Socialist, 3 from Al-Umma, 4 from El-Ahrar and one from el-Tajam.

Following table shows number of women participated in 1995 from each party —total number of political parties are 14.

The report also demonstrates outcome of a field study carried out at one of El-Gaiz province villages. This study covered aspects of services, civil society institutions and condition of important infrastructure at this village.

It therefore identifies main obstacles prevent women from participating in elections it put them under three categories as follows.

Ethical and traditional reasons. Such are more noticeable at rural area as in Upper Egypt where women role only limited to caring of her family affairs.

Man’s refusal to allow women is nominated for public elections.

 Others as legal reasons. It cited abolishes of laws 21 of 1979 and 43 of 1979 as example. Both laws were granting women seats in local councils’ elections.

Therefore, all stated obstacles bar women from effectively participating in elections taking place at the country. But that can not be corrected unless legislator attitude toward women participation in elections is changed. And that needs a firm stance. He  (the legislator) must consider the difficult living conditions under which women are living and their role to society as whole.

All that needed is to amend current election law to allow more women participate in local and general elections.

Finally, we end this newsletter recalling a statement told by a woman from the area of study.

She said,” we need to feel that we are really contributing to the building of fathers and forefather home.  We need a firm stance and strong decisions that could protect us so we can complete the development of this country.

“We are yearning to have a better future and that position be respected and honored more. 

“We yearn to have new societies that could help us cope with World’s new achievements. 

“We need who could train us and increase our knowledge so when contribute to planning of development of our society would be in right way.

“And above all we have to have a chance to talk to leaders of our society so they can know more about our problems.  But that can not be accomplished while interests of half of our nation is being intentionally ignored.”      

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