Barriers Halt Women to Select As Candidates in Elections: IWA

The Integrity Watch Afghanistan (IWA) findings indicate having no voting cards, far distance of voting centers, and disbelieving over the Election caused women not to have full presence in the Elections.

Integrity Watch of Afghanistan Spokesman Habibullah Shinwari said, “Economy problem for launching Election campaigns, existence of negative propaganda against women during the campaigns stop women to become candidates in the Elections.”

Women declared negative propaganda and no political supports are the biggest barriers in the Election.

MP Gulalai Safi said, “Powerful figures in the areas, Election campaigns responsible, district governors, and commanders stop women to decide about the Election, they all get together and create barriers for Women not to become the Election candidate in the Election.”

Expert in Women affairs Humaira Saqib said, “Women were lashed with policy, instead they should been the policy makers.”

Meanwhile member of the Independent Election Commission Maliha Hassan expressed her views over Women problems in the Election.

She said, “There are three issues which stop women to have presence in the Election, having poor numbers of women candidates, lack of female voters, poor presences of women in execution and operational processes of Election.”

Moreover some experts declared one of the main obstacles against women is insecurity which prevents women to have full presence in the Election.

Reported by: Samira Zafari