In the first round of the parliamentary election 2011, Women present and absent
ECWR’s operation room followed the results of the first round of the parliamentary elections which were held on 28th and 29th of November 2011 in nine governorates: Cairo-Alexandria-Al Fayoum- Kafr el Sheikh- Damietta- Burt Said- Asuat- Al Oksar- the Red Sea.
The total number of female candidates was 376, 164 women ran as individual candidates and 212 on party lists.
Although the results of the first round brought the – by ECWR – expected results, several points have to be pointed out:
1) Lack of political will for supporting women by SCAF
The legal system of the election determines the level of participation of the different groups or exclusion like a mathematical equation. ECWR demanded that one woman has to be
among the first three names on each party’s list in order to raise the percentage of women’s participation on each lists to 30%, but the SCAF did not respond to ECWR’s proposition. The National Council for Human Rights proposed to have at least one women nominated among the first five names on the list but SCAF did not respond to this request as well, but decided that at least one woman must be nominated without specifying her place. This decision can be seen as a continuation of Mubarak’s way use women just as a decoration but lacking serious commitment toward women’s participation.
2) Low number of nomination of women as individual candidates and on party list:
Women only represent 8% of individual candidates in the governorate Cairo and 13 % on Party List. In El- Faiyum the percentage of female individual candidates lied at 7%, and on the party list 16%. In Port Said the percentage of women running as individual candidates was 11% and women represented 23% on party lists. In Damietta, the percentage of women as individual candidates was 4% and on party lists 13%. In Alexandria, 8% of individual candidates and 14% on party list were women. In Kafr El-Sheikh, the percentage on female individual candidates was 1.5% and on the party- list 16%. In Asyut women represented 2% of individual candidates and 25% of party lists. In Luxor women were 5% individual of individual candidates and 25% in party list. In Red Sea governorate 11% of individual candidates and 11% of the people on party lists were women.
The percentage of women nominated on political party lists is as follows: Modern Egypt 29.8%, Egyptian Democratic Party is 21%, El-Wassat 20.7%, El-Tahrir El Missry 20%, the Democratic Front Party 15.7%, El-Ghad 15.4%, El Wafd 15.2%, El-Nassiri 11.6%, El- Nour party 9.8%, and Tagamoa’a 6.2%.
3) People’s Assembly Law Seems Pathetic:
Amended Law of the People’s Assembly and Shura Council 27th Sept,2011
Fifth Paragraph “Taking into consideration the provisions of Article XVI of the Law of the People’s Assembly, the number of candidates of any list must be equal to two thirds of the number of seats designated to the constituency, provided that at least half of them are workers and peasants, with no non-worker or non-peasant candidate follows a candidate other than those.
In all cases, the list shall include at least a female candidate.” ECWR pointed to the necessity that women have to be nominated at the top of the lists and that this should not be left to the considerations of each party. However SCAF turned a blind eye on this request, which resulted in female candidates appearing at the end of party list.
4) Widening of the constituencies
Due to an amendment of the law, the constituencies as in the past elections where widened.
Several police stations, which served as administrative centers, were added to the past constituencies leading to a widening of the constituencies for these elections. However this pushed many of women candidates to withdraw after the submission of their nomination papers.
5) Taking advantage of underprivileged women
Some religious currents took advantage of women who lack vital literacy skills to win their votes, used religious slogans to attract them and other religious currents took advantage of the need and poverty of women under the pretext of social solidarity. This enabled religious parties to trick women into voting for them.
In the light of these circumstances, the results of the elections were disappointing and female candidates did hardly win any seats and do not participate in the run-offs, which are held on 5th and 6th December. The results of the first round are an indicator for the second and third round of the election; an unsatisfactory and dangerous low number of women in the coming parliament can be anticipated.
