LOC23:17
20:17 GMT
By Jameel Al-Mahari MANAMA, Aug 17 (KUNA) -- Woman in Bahrain is admiring experience of women in Kuwait and the fact that four females made it to the National Assembly, an overwhelming victory for women in Kuwait and indeed the Arab Gulf countries in general.
Nine Bahraini women announced desire to run for parliamentary elections in the Arab Gulf Kingdom, slated for October 23, in a bid to win as many places as possible in the 40-seat house.
Chairperson of the woman issues in Bahrain's National Democratic Action Society, Fareeda Gholam, said the Kuwaiti (democratic) experience is deep-rooted, and the Kuwaiti voter has tested all political forces in the Kuwaiti society, and has tested the performance of these forces in the National Assembly.
"So when the voter had chosen to get a woman to the parliament it reflected complete confidence," Gholam told KUNA in an interview Tuesday.
"In Bahrain, however, the parliamentary experience did not reach the level in the State of Kuwait thus the voter awareness is relatively less," she said.
Latifa Al-Qaood was the only female member of the House of Representative in Bahrain. She won the 2006 elections after her sole competitor withdrew from the race.
The King of Bahrain appointed 10 female MPs in the 40-seat Shura Council (the upper chamber).
In 2006, 18 women ran for elections against eight in 2002.
Five women run for municipal elections in 2006 against 31 in 2002.
"The Bahraini woman reaching the seats of the next parliament will largely depend on changes and developments to happen in upcoming phase," said Gholam.
She said some of the female candidates who have experience in national and volutary work have high chances of winning the forthcoming elections. Gholam also noted that some fatwas (religious decrees) which forbid entry of women to the parliament, coupled with rumours, would negatively affect voters.
Citing few candidates, Gholam said the candidate of the National Democratic Work Action Society Dr. Munira Fakhro, who lost by 10 votes in previous elections, has high chances of winning. Also Maryam Al-Ruwa'ee, the chairwoman of the first woman union in Bahrain, and political activist Fawaiya Zainal.
"Those candidates have a history of national and popular work, which help them reach the parliamentary seat. They are supposed to have a chance to represent a segment of females in the next parliament," said Gholam.
Gholam said it was hard to predict any outcome of the polls because voters in Bahrain were under influence of political or religious figures.
But she voiced optimism and said the voters were learning from past experience, and realized who are the qualified candidates for the next house. (end) jmm.bs KUNA 172317 Aug 10NNNN