| Submit your comments on this article |
| Iraq-Jordan |
| Jordanian King Sets Quotas to Involve Women in Politics |
| 2004-03-06 |
| Jordan is embarking on a radical reform process aimed at modernising the country’s political system. One of the key reforms is getting Jordanian women more involved in public affairs. The country’s monarch, King Abdullah, is behind the moves giving women a bigger and more active role in the political process. Late last year, he dissolved the upper house of parliament and appointed seven women - the highest number ever - to a new 55-member body. He also created a special quota system to ensure women would be elected to the lower chamber where they now number six out of 110 members. The king also appointed a female minister, Asma Khader, to serve as the government’s spokesperson. Ms Khader is a prominent lawyer and champion of human rights, particularly women’s rights. Jordan’s Prime Minister, Faisal Fayex, for his part, has also urged women’s organisations to spur political development in the country. .... Former minister of information, Leila Sharaf, said she did not initially support the idea of a special quota for women. "I was against it at first," she explained, "because I thought that a quota may bring women who are not experienced in public life, women who are too conservative to push for women’s rights or that it may slacken the women’s movement." But Ms Sharaf argues that the country’s current election law of one person, one vote will not break the stigma against voting for women. The quota system may need to be used again for the next parliamentary election, she said, until Jordanians become more accustomed to seeing women in public office. Amman-based analyst Joost Hiltermann of the International Crisis Group research institute agrees. "This is a conservative, traditional society. Women can run for election but the chances of their winning are not great," he said. "In a free and fair election where you are elected as a Jordanian citizen, it is very tough for women to be elected. That is the reality.We are talking about exceptions, not about the rule." He said this reason makes the king’s personal intervention to introduce change plausible. "Appointing women to public office may be a good way to set a model. Here, women are taking positions of authority, they can do it and there is nothing wrong with it." ..... |
| Posted by:Mike Sylwester |