- Dec 6, 2009
- 77,708
- 4,169
- 1,815
The January 25 Palestinian elections not only delivered a landslide victory to the Islamic resistance group Hamas, it also resulted in a record number of women being elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council.
Thirteen women six of those from Hamas were elected under the new quota system, which was introduced in 2005 to ensure that women make up 20% of the PLC. Five women were elected in the first PLC elections in 1996.
In the past year, the number of women standing for election in Palestine has increased markedly. In the December 2004 municipal elections, 139 of the 887 candidates vying for 306 seats were women. Under the quota system established for local elections, two seats per council were set aside for women. Of the 52 women elected, five received enough votes to be awarded a seat regardless of the quota. In May 2006, 163 women were elected in the second round of municipal elections, 103 without the assistance of the women's quota.
Unlike the Taliban in Afghanistan, Hamas does not prohibit women from working or from gaining an education. Many of Hamas's women members and supporters are professional doctors, lawyers, teachers and social workers. Hamas not only provides job training programs for women, but also programs that aid women to gain both a religious and university education.
PALESTINE: Women, the occupation and Hamas | Green Left Weekly
Thirteen women six of those from Hamas were elected under the new quota system, which was introduced in 2005 to ensure that women make up 20% of the PLC. Five women were elected in the first PLC elections in 1996.
In the past year, the number of women standing for election in Palestine has increased markedly. In the December 2004 municipal elections, 139 of the 887 candidates vying for 306 seats were women. Under the quota system established for local elections, two seats per council were set aside for women. Of the 52 women elected, five received enough votes to be awarded a seat regardless of the quota. In May 2006, 163 women were elected in the second round of municipal elections, 103 without the assistance of the women's quota.
Unlike the Taliban in Afghanistan, Hamas does not prohibit women from working or from gaining an education. Many of Hamas's women members and supporters are professional doctors, lawyers, teachers and social workers. Hamas not only provides job training programs for women, but also programs that aid women to gain both a religious and university education.
PALESTINE: Women, the occupation and Hamas | Green Left Weekly