Women spell out campaign agenda
By REBECCA TORR
Published: 12 November 2006
HOUSING shortages, unemployment and family rights are some of the issues at the forefront of female parliamentary candidates’ campaign agendas.
Muneera Fakhro, who is running for a seat in Constituency Four, Central Governorate, is addressing the country’s housing crisis and poverty problems.
She said many voters in Isa Town had complained to her of housing problems and were on such low incomes that they couldn’t even pay their electricity bills.
“The families that came there (Isa Town) 40 years ago were nuclear families, but then they had children who got married and couldn’t find housing and now there are couples living with their children in one room,” Ms Fakhro told the GDN.
Women spell out campaign agenda
By REBECCA TORR
Published: 12 November 2006
HOUSING shortages, unemployment and family rights are some of the issues at the forefront of female parliamentary candidates’ campaign agendas.
Muneera Fakhro, who is running for a seat in Constituency Four, Central Governorate, is addressing the country’s housing crisis and poverty problems.
She said many voters in Isa Town had complained to her of housing problems and were on such low incomes that they couldn’t even pay their electricity bills.
“The families that came there (Isa Town) 40 years ago were nuclear families, but then they had children who got married and couldn’t find housing and now there are couples living with their children in one room,” Ms Fakhro told the GDN.
“They have applied for housing but are still waiting and this has been going on for years.
“The problem is when the government dissolved parliament in 1973, the Prime Minister promised all people in 1975 and 1976 that they would go ahead and build housing for all citizens, but they didn’t.
“This problem is so huge and can explode at any time, especially when the government is now allowing non-Bahrainis to buy land in Bahrain and now the price of land has sky-rocketed and Bahrainis can’t buy houses.”
The former Bahrain University social policy, planning and administration associate professor said the percentage of unemployed and needy families had increased and there were 10,000 families relying on help from the Social Development Ministry.
Twenty per cent of Bahrainis, she added, were living below the bread line, with the majority lacking food, adequate housing and jobs.
Ms Fakhro said she was also highlighting the need for a family law.
“We need the family law especially for women, those who are seeking divorce and want legal rights because each judge decides by himself how she should be treated,” said the Supreme Council for Women and National Democratic Action Society member.
“This problem is very serious because any man can now divorce his wife and she can be thrown out.
“We should wait for all leaders to be convinced so we can have one law for all, we don’t want two separate ones for Sunnis and Shi’ites, as it will separate the society.”
She said her campaign also focused on issues related to reducing the drug and crime rates among the youth, improved education and helping the handicapped.
Ms Fakhro said her decision to stand for the elections had been met with resistance from the ‘Muslim Brotherhood’ and recently she had been the victim of false newspaper reports that had her down as a Communist.
However, she said, many voters in her area had shown her support and she was hopeful that she would be elected.
Parliamentary candidate Dhawiya Al Alawi is also tackling unemployment and housing issues.
Her broad aim is to raise the standard of living and stabilise society.
“We have so many problems in Bahrain with unemployment and I want to encourage local and foreign investment to create jobs for Bahrainis,” said Ms Al Alawi, who is running for a seat in the Constituency Seven, Capital Governorate.
“We face unemployment and even housing we need more. Most of the people are below the minimum standard of living and they have to wait, 15, 16, 17 years before the Works and Housing Ministry provides housing services.
“The government is not doing its duty and must increase the budget for housing and even health.”
The Supreme Council for Women member said there was a land shortage and that most people didn’t earn enough to afford what existed.
She said it was the duty of the government to provide its citizens with housing services.
“I have met people who say they had put in their application for housing 19 years ago and are still waiting,” said Ms Al Alawi, who worked at the Industry and Commerce Ministry for 20 years and was its administration and financial director.
“This is a big family with 20 people in one house, which means four, or five people in one room and all are married couples.
“I hope if I win, I will do something for the people and see the law implemented.
“We have so many laws, but we need to see them implemented because there is a gap.”
Zahra Muradi, who is running for a seat in Constituency Four, Muharraq Governorate, is campaigning for a family law to protect women and children.
She said there were thousands of cases in the courts and women were suffering for years before a solution was found.
“The problem is ladies are going to the court and every judge gives his own opinion,” said Ms Muradi, who is a member of Al Wefaq National Islamic Society, Al Amal Al Watani Democratic Society and the now-dissolved Bahrain Centre for Human Rights.
“So for the same cases we have different solutions.
“We need a law like in Kuwait where if after a year they are not with their husband they can get a divorce, but here it could be five years, or 13, or more.”
The candidate is also calling for taxes to be imposed on petrol consumption and the finance sector.
She said money accrued from tax could be used to improve health and education systems.
“For every $40 spent on petrol, $1 should be kept for the next generation,” she said.
“We have more than 360 banks and insurance companies and the government is not taking taxes from them and they should so we can spend it on medicine and education.”
Ms Muradi also said that the government was trying everything possible to undermine parliament’s authority.
“They rejected the financial integrity law and the formation of a planning commission,” he said.
“In the end, the government comes up with legislations, sends them to parliament for amendments and it approves them. The government does everything, while parliament just proof-reads their laws.”
She said that the Financial Audit Bureau was under His Majesty King Hamad’s control, rather than parliament.
“MPs have received reports from the bureau, even though it shows irregularities, but nothing is done, because parliament has no power to do anything,” said Ms Muradi.
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