Why are only 11 candidates in next month's Shura elections women? Reem Leila reports By highlighting the importance of political empowerment in the development process the National Council for Women (NCW) seeks to encourage women not only to vote in the forthcoming Shura Council elections but to stand as candidates. There are only 11 female candidates standing in the upcoming mid-term elections for the 264-seat Shura Council, seven from the National Democratic Party (NDP) and four from Al-Ghad Party. "Shura Council elections are considered very difficult for women," says Hoda Badran, chair of the Alliance of Arab Women (AAW). "The constituencies are very large and candidates tend to adopt a very personal campaign approach which is a challenge for women. For them to have a better chance of winning, whether running individually or as party candidates, the current election system needs to be changed." For more than a year the NCW has been running programmes, in cooperation with the State Information Service (SIS), culture palaces, youth centres and political participation committees, to boost the political participation of women. The budget allocated to such activities is almost $500,000 and 1,500 women have received training in how to run electoral campaigns, on legislative institutions, the election process and the development of leadership skills. Egyptian women received full political rights in 1956. The exercise of these rights, however, has been hampered by social and cultural factors. According to Farkhonda Hassan, secretary-general of the NCW, the council's training programme and similar efforts aim to create an atmosphere enabling and empowering women to participate in the decision-making process. The NCW, however, is not allowed to offer financial support to candidates. "All the council can do is offer training and pressure different political parties to put them on their electoral lists and support them as they would male candidates. The council is stressing the importance of increasing the scope of women's participation in all walks of life, and particularly in politics," says Hassan. The NCW plans to set up information centres to direct female voters and candidates to polling stations and organise programmes to increase the political awareness of women generally. Hassan had hoped more women would be running in the Shura elections. "My target is for women to occupy at least 10 per cent of the council's 264 seats, even if that means more women being appointed by presidential decree." The situation is evolving. According to amended Article 62 of the constitution, 30 per cent of seats in the People's Assembly and Shura Council should be occupied by women. So why are so few standing in next month's poll? Commentators point out that political participation is still low on women's empowerment agendas. Hanan El-Laymouny, a journalist and female NDP candidate, complains about the limited role of the NCW in supporting women in election campaigns. "Theoretically, the NCW has exerted great efforts with female candidates -- offering us several training sessions. Practically, though, we feel they have abandoned us. The council offers classes in theory, regardless of whether the training is applicable in practice." Gomhuriya Abdel-Rahim, another Shura candidate, agrees with El-Laymouny, adding that the NCW occasionally attempt to dissuade women from standing in Shura elections on the grounds that their chances of winning are too slender.
