Ramallah – Many of the participants in the 2013 Fifth National Gathering of Women Leaders’ organized by MIFTAH agreed over just how much MIFTAH has achieved in the past few years. The organization has trained dozens of women who were, not long ago, highly marginalized even in their own communities. Now they sit at one table with senior officials, ministers and PLC members to discuss their issues.

At the meeting, women leaders held discussions with Deputy Minister of Local Governance Mazen Ghneim, CEO of the CEC Hisham Kuhail, PLO Executive Committee member Dr. Hanan Ashrawi and MIFTAH CEO Lily Feidy, whose pride in “MIFTAH’s” women was clear. These women received unlimited amounts of support from MIFTAH through their projects and MIFTAH programs. Today they speak boldly and honestly to their audience about the problems they face, with no hesitation or insecurities.

They spoke about their problems in local councils into which they were elected, such as the attempts to sideline them in the council session. But nothing has stood in their way of taking hold of their rights for full partnership with their male colleagues. They fought tooth and nail on issues such as their allowances and the need for budgets to be allocated to their projects, driving home the point that they are no less qualified than men in their ability to give and achieve.

The discussion began after a brief overview of what the Ministry of Local Governance offered and would offer these women in supporting them in local councils, discussing subjects such as the changes to the quota system and the elections.

The first to speak was Shuruq Abu Shama’a. She proposed to the audience recommendations made after discussions among young women, ladies and elected council members earlier. The recommendations called for lowering the age of candidacy in the upcoming elections and working to include more youth in the process. The recommendations did meet with some objection, even among the women. Some opposed the idea of lowering the age of candidacy to 21 and called for it to be 30 and above. One of these women was Rabiha Issa, a social supervisor and member of the Doha local council in the Bethlehem district. She recommended that the age for candidacy should not be lower than 25.

Rabiha also suggested that the education ministry include the subject of elections in school curricula by promoting the concepts of local governance in schools and universities.

One of the three recommendations was to raise the quota to 30% even though some called for a quota that splits down the middle between men and women. The speakers also called for the threshold to be lowered from 8% to 5%. Another recommendation called for creating a database of the names of young women leaders that would constitute a reference to guarantee a broader participation of women in the future.

One of the women leaders, Nasra Nabali sang MIFTAH’s praises. She said that MIFTAH had offered much support to all of the women and therefore deserved thanks and praise. “It is important not only to know about and understand the laws,” she said. “What is more important is that there is someone who can prompt the local councils into implementing them.”

Wafa’ Al Qadi, director of the women’s department in Jericho and the Jordan Valley, spoke about the gender departments in ministries. She did not hold back on her criticisms, asking: “Where is the role of these units, not only in the local government ministry but in all the ministries. Why have they not been put into effect so that women do not remain on the margins?”

CEO of the Central Elections Committee, Hisham Kuhail spoke about the role of the elections committee and about the process of electoral reform, with a focus on local elections. He pointed out that the CEC was not only an executive tool but that their job was also to encourage discussion on all issues regarding the elections and pose these points to social bodies. He said some of the recommendations put forth to the CEC during workshops given in various districts was to raise the percentage of representation for women to 30%, which he said “he did not think would meet with any opposition.”

On the recommendation mentioned previously about lowering the age of candidacy for women to 21, Kuhail said: “If the law guarantees this for people of this age, then they have every right to run as long as they are qualified.”

One point that was discussed at length was the condition that women who want to run must first bring a letter of clearance from their husbands or guardians. This procedure, the participants said, could be changed by the local government ministry in a way that would reflect the demographic reality.

Taghreed Shalaldeh, member of the Saeer local council spoke about the ‘code of honor’ signed between factions, which was not put into effect during the last elections. She explained that familial and tribal influence was still dominant.

Shalaldeh also talked about the challenges she faces every day as a woman in the local council such as not being able to implement a number of projects for women in her town because of lack of funds. Therefore, she called for a special fund to be set up from which she could offer services and projects to women in Saeer.

Dana Habaybeh, member of the Sanur local council in the Jenin district suggested that more youths be part of and run the council, with a fair share for women. She also said that her local council does not hold regular meetings, complaining that the rules are implemented according to the mood of the local leadership. “Why is there no legal follow up on these violations?” she asks.

Itaf Badarneh, a member of the financial committee in the local council of Ya’abad, brought to light a very serious transgression. She said that instead of some elected women attending the council sessions, their husbands or brothers come in their place. On this point, she called for a more effective role for the monitoring unit in the ministry of local governance and the need for a unit to receive complaints.

The Ministry of Local Government was the subject of criticism by some of the women. Lema Hourani pointed out that the strategic plan of the ministry did not include a gender perspective. She addressed the monitoring role of the ministry, which she said meant that the ministry should go to the various local councils and follow up on their administrative and financial affairs. Hourani also said that the men in the local councils also needed empowerment and not only women, saying this required political will and not just empty words, so that everyone is held accountable without exception.

MIFTAH CEO Lily Feidy reaffirmed that MIFTAH would continue to offer the necessary support to Palestinian women so that they are able to face challenges and obstacles in the way of their active political participation. Feidy said the organization has worked to empower women to be decision-makers within their local councils and to bridge the gap between them, citizens and civil society institutions. “We will continue to work alongside all the various youth and women sectors and decision makers to create citizens capable of participation and building and capable of setting goals and unifying a vision for building our state,” she said.

Feidy also said MIFTAH would work to advocate more and put more pressure towards women reaching decision-making positions and to embrace a women’s vision through which they could make the required change. “We believe women have an active and important role in several areas but have not been given the chance to be represented,” Feidy said, adding that MIFTAH would continue to support coalitions that work to enact UN Resolution 1325 towards playing a role in negotiations, participating in ending the political split and achieving national reconciliation, areas in which women have been sidelined.

Deputy minister for local government Mazen Ghneim said his ministry’s strategic vision was based on supporting women and reviving their role. “Our goal is to work on a number of issues in order to reach sound local governance able to achieve sustainable development,” Ghneim said, including at the level of social participation.

Ghneim also showcased the problems his ministry faces: “One of the most dangerous cultures we face is the culture of citizens not willing to pay for the services they receive,” he said. “This calls for the role and intervention of women, who can be an influence in this regard. They need to participate in solving all the problems which the local sector suffers from as well.”

Dr. Hanan Ashrawi then took the floor, speaking about MIFTAH’s vision on women leaders and the support and advocacy the organization has given them over the years. Looking out over the many women in the conference hall, Ashrawi said, “I see in this room the Palestinian vision for women from the perspective of local governance.” She used her own victory of becoming a member of the PLO Executive Committee as an example of what she said was the result of women taking on the challenge and their rejection of deals made in a male-oriented society. “That is why we needed real elections,” she said, “I was elected and this experienced debunked the common belief that women do not elect women. It proved the fact that in order to reach a position you need to reach women first.”

Ashrawi warned that tradition is often used as a weapon against women , and to restrict women from reaching the positions they deserve. She gave the example of the so-called concept of honor, which is linked to women’s behavior and used as a cover for other issues such as inheritance which is totally unrelated. “These traditions, including a misuse of religion, have contributed to injustices towards women and to the formulation of a rigid modular regarding women’s rights and freedoms.”

Ashrawi also stressed that partnership between men and women is the basis of their relationship and must be rooted in the concept of equality. This is at a time when patriarchy has shaped a comprehensive and complete authoritarian system, which resulted in male domination over women and also a rejection of youth participation in decision making. “In our quest for the right to self-determination, we also need liberation from the exclusion of women.”

Ashrawi called for spreading awareness and formulating laws that include lowering the age of candidacy to 21. She also said women’s participation should be within a quota of no less than 30%.

Finally, former minister of social affairs, Majeda Al Masri zeroed in on the root of women’s rights in the context of local governance. “The core of women’s rights must come from the issue of citizenship,” she said. “We must also raise the level of awareness about these rights.”