Voters elect first woman to local council in Aleppo, Syria
Local elections were held recently in the Free Syrian Army-held town of Ain Jara, where more women voted than men and a female candidate was elected to the local council.
ALEPPO, Syria — Dec. 1 was Kenana Abdul Razzaq’s first day of work on the local council of Ain Jara in western Aleppo province. Her election Nov. 24 marked the first time women have been allowed to run — or vote — in this area held by the Free Syrian Army (FSA).
Out of four female candidates, Abdul Razzaq was the only one elected to the 15-member council, which represents the town and surrounding rural areas. At the council's first meeting, the members elected a president, vice president and members of the executive bureau.
“I will be running the women's affairs office in the local council, and I will be focusing my efforts on supporting and empowering women at the educational, social and health levels during this one-year term," Abdul Razzaq told Al-Monitor.
She said her ambition is to see women assume a greater role on the local council.
