Palestinian women still underrepresented on electoral lists

Although the Palestinian electoral law has been amended to raise the quota for women's participation in the Palestinian elections from 20% to 26%, Palestinian women continue to be unfairly represented on electoral lists.
Staff of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission display electoral lists ahead of the upcoming general elections, at the commission's local offices in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, on April 6, 2021.
Staff of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission display electoral lists ahead of the upcoming general elections, at the commission's local offices in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, on April 6, 2021. - ABBAS MOMANI/AFP via Getty Images
Aziza Nofal.jpg
Aziza Nofal
@azizanofal

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian women were remarkably present on the electoral lists of the Palestinian forces competing in the Palestinian legislative elections slated to take place in May.

On April 6, the Central Elections Commission published the final 36 electoral lists that have been legally approved to run for the Palestinian legislative elections. It further announced that 405 of the 1,391 candidates are women. This 29% representation of women exceeds the 26% quota set for women’s participation in the elections.

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