Palestinian Legislative Council member, Sameera Abdullah Halaykah, of the Hamas Party.
By Cheryl Rettig for the Alternative Information Center (AIC)
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.”
---Alternative Information Center (AIC)
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