DOHA: At least four women, including a sitting member, are expected to try their fate in the Central Municipal Council (CMC) election in May next year.
This, despite the fact that in Qatar’s tribal culture, a woman’s ability to be in public life and serve society is doubted, says one of the potential woman contestants.
“A major problem facing us, the women, is that in our tribal tradition men are preferred to women in matters like serving society,” said Fatima Al Ghazzal.
For her as well as another potential female contender, Amaal Issa Al Mohannadi, the problem is galvanising enough women to register their names in the voter list.
This is because for a Qatari woman sharing her cell digits can be a sensitive issue, while the poll officials want everyone to provide personal details while registering his or her name in the voter list.
“Qatari women normally have mobile numbers registered in the name of their husbands, fathers, or brothers and they don’t want to share these numbers with anyone,” said Al Mohannadi.
Voter registration is through Metrash 2 service which insists that applicants give all their personal details, she said.
“This, I am sure, is going to discourage many women from coming forward to register their names in the voter list,” Al Mohannadi told local Arabic daily Al Raya in remarks published yesterday. “It is okay as long as you want home address and identity (ID) number of a woman for voter registration,” she added.
Agreeing with her, Al Ghazzal said she hoped the election supervisory committee would remove that condition (of asking for mobile number of women) for registration.
“That way a lot of women would come forward to register their names in the voter list,” she added.
The other problem facing women is that in Qatar’s tribal culture, their ability to serve society is doubted.
“In our tribal tradition, it is the men who are preferred in public life,” said Al Ghazzal.
She contested the last CMC election unsuccessfully from Abu Hamour.
This time, after the re-demarcation of the constituencies, she will be fighting from constituency No. 10 which includes areas like Al Mamoura, Abu Hamour east and the central market.
Al Mohannadi was in the fray in the last election in 2011 from Al Khartiyat.
However, after the re-arrangement of the 29 wards, she will be contesting from constituency No. 17 which includes Al Khartiyat north, among other localities.
Fatima Al Kuwari, who also fought the last CMC election unsuccessfully, is expected to be in the fray this time again, from the Old Airport Area.
The sitting member who is likely to seek re-election from her bastion constituency of Old Airport Area is Sheikha Al Jefairi.
The Peninsula
