Only special reservation can bridge the gender gap in politics, Badriya Al Marzouq, chairperson of BWU

Electoral quota for women is a must to ensure that women in the Kingdom attain legislative strides, said chairperson of Bahraini Women Union (BWU) Badriya Al Marzouq. She explained that a few women running for the electoral process doesn’t mean the entire women community has been empowered politically. She stressed that the goal of the BWU is to empower women and to highlight the importance of their participation in elections to change the views of voters towards women and increase the number of votes. “Women politicians are as good as men politicians. This equality should be underscored during the electoral process.” Ms Al Marzouq said the BWU, since last February, has launched a number of initiatives aimed at raising awareness through workshops or seminars and awareness lectures on the importance of women’s participation in the upcoming elections and the their role in decision-making. On the performance of female MPs in the current council, she said they have been able to raise a number of issues concerning women including increasing the number of breastfeeding hours for women in the private sector.