Two Omani woman elected to Shoura council
Oman, Politics, 10/6/2003

Omani woman have managed to hold on to their but failed to make further gains at the Omani Shoura council with two women candidates winning seats of the council, according to partial results of the elections appeared yesterday for the elections which took place on Saturday.

The other 13 women candidates against 491 men candidates, were able to show good results but not enough to win membership of the council, according to preliminary results issued in the official mass media.

The two women that won are businesswoman Lujeina Mohsein al- Zou'abi ( 34 year old) who descends from a family affiliates to al-Ayan ( upper class), and Raheila Amer al-Reyami (50 year old) a former director of planning at the ministry of education in Muscat area at the Shoura council which includes 83 members for a three year period.

There is speculation that the voters cast their votes to their relatives of the candidates, as tribal traditions in this country play a great role despite the fact that Oman is the first country in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) that gives woman the right to vote and to be a candidate.

Al-Reyami said that the effect of men seemed very clear on woman's voting patterns who gave their votes to relatives and acquaintnance despite continued calls to vote according to qualification of the candidates.

For the first time, the Omanis, men and women who reached 21 year old were able to vote in the elections.

The Shoura council is limited to a consultative role for the government in social and economic issues.

Previous Stories:
  Sultan Qaboos meets Sheikh Zayed   (10/4/2003)
  Omani Shoura council elections today   (10/4/2003)
  Citizens and women called to participate in Majlis A'Shura elections    (10/3/2003)
  Results of first direct election results, 2 women and 81 men win   (9/16/2000)

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