The Commission provides special support to stimulate women’s participation in the electoral process, whether as voters or as candidates. Within this framework, a Women’s Support Unit was established, in cooperation with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).
The commission explained that the women’s support unit is consistent with the commission’s interest in supporting and promoting women’s participation in elections as voters and as candidates, and aims to integrate women into all activities of the commission, and to raise awareness of the importance of women’s participation in the electoral process.
The unit also seeks to ensure that the commission’s internal regulations adhere to gender equality in addition to expanding the presence of women within electoral offices, and the participation of women leaders within the commission.
In conjunction with the tireless efforts of the international forces and the Libyan local authorities to hold the elections next December, the attention of researchers and experts is directed to the Libyan woman, who recorded a strong presence in the political scene, since the 2014 elections and beyond, and fought a fierce war to end the control of the terrorist Brotherhood on the House of Representatives, with her participation. effective.
Experts specialized in Libyan political affairs believe that the women’s political bloc played a very important role in confronting terrorism and extremism and overthrowing its political forces, during the last period, using its constitutional entitlements and its awareness of its national role.
In addition to the political battle that the female candidates are waging in the upcoming parliament, and perhaps the presidential elections as well, against the currents of political Islam, there is another confrontation that experts describe as more important and dangerous related to the selection of Libyan women voters, as they represent a large proportion of the total 2.83 million male and female voters registered according to the National Elections Commission. .
Observers confirm that women will succeed in resolving the electoral battle and mobilizing against extremist currents.
Libyan political activist Ghada Abdel Hafeez says that Libyan women have received more benefits during the past years, and the space for freedom and the ability to participate in politics has expanded through new legislation. At the same time, there are some restrictions that still exist, not for legal reasons, but related to some societal customs and restrictions.
In a statement to “Sky News Arabia”, Abdel Hafeez said that the “quota” for women’s candidacy is still unsatisfactory, representing 16 percent, which means 34 seats out of a total of 200 seats, calling for an increase in the percentage to 40 percent before the upcoming elections.
She explains that during 2012, more than 600 women registered as candidates in the elections, 33 of whom won at the level of Libya in the General National Congress.
The Libyan women have repeatedly affirmed their full support for holding the elections on time, according to the political road map on December 24, by confronting all maneuvers carried out by the terrorist Brotherhood and its allies with the aim of obstructing the democratic process, according to specialists.
The participants in the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum affirmed their full commitment to the road map in its stations, dates and commitments, including holding the presidential and legislative elections on December 24, as well as the constants and recommendations contained in their statement issued at the forum meeting in Tunis last November.
According to the National Elections Commission in Libya, the number of voters registered on the website reached 1,509,317 voters, of whom 603,708 were women, in 1,625 electoral centers. The nomination of 1,713 candidates was approved, including 152 women.
The Commission provides special support to stimulate women’s participation in the electoral process, whether as voters or as candidates. Within this framework, a Women’s Support Unit was established, in cooperation with the International Foundation for Electoral Systems (IFES).
The commission explained that the women’s support unit is consistent with the commission’s interest in supporting and promoting women’s participation in elections as voters and as candidates, and aims to integrate women into all activities of the commission, and to raise awareness of the importance of women’s participation in the electoral process.
The unit also seeks to ensure that the commission’s internal regulations adhere to gender equality in addition to expanding the presence of women within electoral offices, and the participation of women leaders within the commission.
The embassies of France, Germany, Italy, Britain and the United States in Libya had previously stressed, in a joint statement last September, “the full, equal and meaningful participation of women in the elections.”
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