Women persist in battling for municipal representation

Notwithstanding the continuous pressures against their participation in municipal elections in the country, women remain resolute in nominating themselves within lists or independently. In this context, the women of Hasbaya defied the religious ban imposed by the clergy on their candidacy (see the news http://www.lkdg.org/ar/node/15123). Four women, Faten Sabek, Ghada Kakhi, Samiha Sharouf and Samiha Abu Dihn, united and ran under the common electoral list ‘Khiyarak Lil Taghyir’(your option for change) albeit not successfully. Similarly, Josephin Zgheib from Kfarzebian sough to stand up against the dominant local political forces through running for elections under the list ‘Kfarzebian Ailitna’ with the support of the ‘Citizens Within a State’ campaign and against the government backed list. Zgheib who won with a large margin of votes, also ran for parliamentary elections back in 2010 on the list of five members, who succeeded in breaching the opposing list of former MP Jean Akiki. In the south, on the other hand, A7hlam Hassan has been preparing since 2008 to run for municipal elections in her hometown of Maaraka, Tyre. She tried but failed to convince a group of women to join the fight and finally decided to run independently. In this respect, A7hlam, who did not win this time, stressed to As Safir newspaper the importance of participation of women in public affairs. Meanwhile, unprecedentedly since 1998, the Association for Women’s Advancement in Nabatiyeh in the South, nominated one of its members, Salam Sabbah, for the challenge of representing women and civil activists of the town and to overcome exclusion. Sabah, who was also not successful, told As Safir that pressures were exerted on her to withdraw. In North Lebanon, editor of the weekly Al Tamadun magazine, Rasha Sankari, known for her long contribution in public life, was nominated on ‘Li Tarablus’ (For Tripoli) collation list of dominant political forces. Sankari, to be noted, is a member, and vice president, of the Forum for the Rights of Disabled in North Lebanon and a strong supporter of environmental groups. (As Safir, Al Mustaqbal, Al Akhbar, May 21, 22, 23, 2016)