Palestinian Legislative Council member, Sameera Abdullah Halaykah, of the Hamas Party.
The 2006 Palestinian national elections in the West Bank and Gaza
Strip resulted in the largest increase ever of women members of the Palestinian
Legislative Council (PLC). After the ballots were tallied, six women from
Hamas, eight from Fatah, and three from democratic political parties were
members of the PLC. Many have speculated on the reasons for the substantial increase
in women candidates, especially in the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas).
It is important to realize that Hamas is not simply a political or
military organization. Hamas members are extensively involved in grassroots
initiatives concerning the economy, education, culture and health care. For
example, Hamas provides assistance to the poor and runs preschools, youth clubs
and health clinics. It has also attracted the support of women by offering assistance
programs for widows, day care, kindergartens and preschools, in addition to
beauty parlors and women-only gyms.
One of the women attracted to Hamas and encouraged by the
organization to stand for elections is Sameera
Abdullah Halaykah, 44, a woman with a bright smile and visible passion for the
people in her community. She was elected to the Palestinian Legislative Council
in 2006 on the Hamas ticket after earning her BA in Islamic Studies from Hebron
University and working as a journalist with Sawt
al-Haq and al-Risala (journals affiliated with Hamas) and as the
Director of the al-Rassad Office for Journalism and
Media. However, though she belongs to Hamas, it is important to stress she does not
speak on behalf of Hamas. Rather she limits her statements to her own
background and experiences, as well as the general issue of female Palestinian
political activism.
Before being elected to the PLC in
2006, Halaykah operated a media office in Hebron, where she monitored political
and social issues in Palestine. It was in this capacity, she says, that she saw
people’s suffering and made their stories public in reports for numerous
websites. In the course of meeting with people who had lost family members through
violence and their homes through demolitions, she was confronted with their
problems on a daily basis and became well known in the community. It was also through
this work and meetings with people, she says, that she learned what they were
saying on a political level and what they were thinking regarding solutions. These
experiences ultimately led Halaykah to become a candidate in the elections as
she believes it is a “very important position that women be in legislative
council”, though she stressed it is not easy for a woman to take this role due
to factors such as culture and social expectations. However, she believes the
presence of women in the legislative council is important despite these
obstacles.
When Halaykah was running for
office, she faced opposition from three primary groups. Obstacles came from
Israeli security forces, which arrested activists involved with her campaign. Local
Palestinian security officials were concerned that Halaykah spoke against the
agreements of Fatah, and even called her husband to complain about her actions.
Unknown persons further attempted to sabotage her efforts by burning her office.
Despite these obstacles, says Halaykah, she remains determined and optimistic.
It is clear from the respectful treatment she receives from male visitors to
her office that she has already succeeded in dispelling certain stereotypes
concerning women in positions of authority. Halaykah notes that one of the main
ways she has done this is by closely following the problems experienced by
people in her community and responding appropriately. She clearly states her
main aim as an elected official is to help people; her office and home are
always open to people in her constituency.
Halaykah closely monitors the situation
of prisoners detained without charges for their political affiliations or
beliefs, in addition to compiling reports and holding meetings, workshops and
seminars on women’s rights. Halaykah is also very committed to working towards
political unity and creating one government in the West Bank and Gaza to enable
the Palestinians to have more effective representation. She said unity between
Gaza (Hamas) and the West Bank (Fatah) requires will from both sides. In other
words, if both sides make the decision, then it will happen. She also said the
recent truce between Hamas and Israel, as well as the delegation from Fatah
that entered Gaza, has given her hope something positive may develop and unity
may become a reality.
When it comes to the role of women in political activism,
specifically as representatives of the PLC, Halaykah said the election of 17
women in the West Bank and Gaza was a positive beginning, but she is hoping for
more women to be elected in the future.
While Halaykah is working to open
the way for more women to be in decision making positions, she is against a
quota system that automatically guarantees a certain number of seats to women,
simply due to their gender. She doesn’t want to be treated as special; she
wants to be in the council because she has worked hard and has earned her
position. In other words, “Women must struggle to be elected the normal way.” Halaykah
was very emphatic when she said, “I am against the quota since the beginning. I
have a right to be there without the quota.”
Sitting in front of a large Palestinian flag, wearing pink-rimmed
glasses and a green head scarf, Halaykah discussed the two main areas that must
change if women are to take a larger role in the Palestinian political arena.
“Women must pursue any chance to be elected, but culture must also change,” she
noted. If a man and a woman were both running for office, Halaykah said most
would still elect the man because he is seen as stronger and able to discuss
the issues more knowledgeably and persuasively. This is why Halaykah stressed
the need for more advocacy and education among men and women in Palestine. Secondly,
Halaykah said political parties have a responsibility to make changes as well.
It is necessary to appoint more women within each party to positions of leadership
and responsibility to demonstrate that women belong anywhere.
Sawsan Zama’ra, a young woman in her early 20s working for the
Palestinian Psychologists Union in Hebron, echoed similar sentiments regarding
the changes necessary for women to become more involved and accepted in
positions of authority within Palestinian society. She stressed the importance
of education for women, forcefully saying that “without education, you can’t
understand your rights,”
Halaykah also had critical words for the international community
concerning its general attitude toward Palestinian women. She criticized NGOs which
receive money with the contention that Palestinian women are weak and need
support. “From the beginning, women have been involved in the struggles,” related
Halaykah. “Because of the Israeli occupation, women have had many responsibilities
as farmers and teachers, and women have spent time in prison and participated
in political work. The women in Palestine are not as weak as NGOs portray them
to be. As Palestinian women, our first mission is to survive.”
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