103 women file papers so far in FNC polls
MINISTER AL OWAIS PRAISES GREATER ROLE FOR WOMEN IN PARLIAMENT
Atotal of 288 hopefuls, including 185 men and 103 women, filed their nominations on the second day of registrations for the Federal National Council (FNC) elections yesterday, even as Abdul Rahman Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, Minister of State for Federal National Council Affairs and Chairman of the National Election Committee, toured the candidate registration centre in the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Praising the growing role of women ahead of the October elections, Al Owais said: “Fifty per cent female representation is a fitting goal for a nation that has long prioritised gender equality, and is keen that women play a leading role in all fields especially in advancing parliamentary work, serving the country and representing their fellow citizens.”
As candidates streamed into centres across the emirates, they pledged to be the voice of the people and outlined the plans they would work on if they were elected. Among the focus areas that were highlighted include education, Emiratisation and healthcare.
In October, the UAE will hold its largest election to date, with more than 337,000 Emiratis eligible to vote and elect 20 of the 40-member House.
Atotal of 288 hopefuls, including 185 men and 103 women, filed their nominations on the second day of registrations for the Federal National Council (FNC) elections yesterday.
Abdul Rahman Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, Minister of State for FNC Affairs and Chairman of the National Elections Committee (NEC), also visited the candidate registration centre in the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Praising the growing role of women ahead of the October elections, Al Owais said: “Fifty per cent female representation is a fitting goal for a nation that has long prioritised gender equality, and is keen that women play a leading role in all fields especially in advancing parliamentary work ... The UAE’s leadership has long prided itself on setting a unique parliamentary experience that matches its rich heritage and values, but imitates none.”
Mozah Humaid, 36, a FNC candidate, told Gulf News she would seek to change HR laws to help strike the perfect balance between career and family. “Our schedules are getting busier than ever before, which often causes our work or our personal lives to suffer, but modern employees demand greater control over their lives and a bigger say in the structure of their jobs,” she said.
Voice of people
Humaid, a mother of two and a life coach, said she highly appreciated the latest move to increase Emirati women’s participation in politics
Abdullah Mohammad Nakhira Al Daheri, 29, said the FNC acts as the voice of the people and he sought to relay this voice to the Government.
“As a member of the House I hear what the people are saying and relay those concerns to the Government. That way, the FNC identify problems and help the Government find solutions,” he said.
There will now be 20 elected female, as well as 20 elected male representatives, it was announced earlier this month, raising the participation of women to 50 per cent up from 5 per cent at the last election in 2015, when just one female representative was elected alongside 19 men.
Rwanda, Bolivia and Cuba currently boast the highest female representation in parliament and the UAE plans to join these countries, said Al Owais.
In October, the UAE will hold its largest election to date, with more than 337,000 Emiratis eligible to vote and elect 20 of the 40-member House. The remaining 20 members will be hand-picked by the Rulers of the emirates.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi are allocating two seats for women out of the total number of seats designated for each emirate by election, while Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain are each designating one seat for a female candidate following the election from two seats designated to each emirate. Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah have not dedicated any seats for women through the election mechanism, but will follow the appointment approach to comply with the 50 per cent stipulation.