Daily Star - Two Women Vie For Mukhtar Posts In Sidon

By Mohammed Zaatari Daily Star staff

SIDON: Even though lawmakers failed to approve a proposal for a 20 percent quota for women before the start of the municipal elections in May, women have not been discouraged from running for a seat on local councils. The time constraint which hindered the quota from being passed did not stop Hosn al-Naamani, a former nurse, and Dalida al-Sahyouni, a housewife, from trying to achieve their dreams of becoming women mukhtars in the southern coastal city of Sidon. They both listed their names as candidates for the seat, Naamani in the neighborhood of Dakerman and Sahyouni in the neighborhood of Qanaya. Both women are running against opposing male candidates. “Men often view women as weak but in reality both genders are equal and women have proved that they are able to achieve a lot. There have been many women mukhtars in South Lebanon and they are dedicated to their job,” Sahyouni told The Daily Star two weeks before the elections scheduled for May 23. She explained how a woman’s role was complementary to a man’s role and how she wanted to unite Christians and Muslims living in the neighborhood. She said her family was supportive of her choice and hoped she would be able to balance her family and her career if she wins. “This would be one of life’s experiences for me,” she added. As for Naamani, who is running for a seat in one of Sidon’s biggest neighborhoods, she admitted to having some experience in public service. Naamani has been working as the incumbent mukhtar’s assistant for five years and locals have already started to call her “mukhtara.” Her dream is to become a woman mukhtar in the neighborhood of Dakerman, which counts about 5,000 voters. She has started her campaign by visiting the houses of many local voters. “Women have to cooperate to obtain their rights because women in our country don’t have enough courage to face the struggles of life,” Naamani said. “Many problems occur in the neighborhood that women cannot complain about to a male mukhtar,” she added, noting that she has received many complaints from women suspicious of their husbands’ behavior. As for her own husband, Naamani said he was very supportive and had encouraged her to participate in the elections.