A meeting held Sunday at the Media Center of the High National Elections Commission laid the groundwork for a code of conduct aimed at preventing electoral violence against women.
The dialogue session, organised by the Women’s Support Unit in partnership with UN Women and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), focused on creating a safe and inclusive electoral environment.
Opening the session, commission member Rabab Halab highlighted the persistent barriers to women’s political participation and stressed the need to revise codes of conduct to guarantee women’s full involvement in elections.
UNDP adviser Khadija Al-Buishi emphasised the importance of explicitly addressing electoral violence in these frameworks, saying such measures would strengthen both the credibility of the electoral process and women’s rights.
Legal experts Jazia Shaitir and Salah Al-Murtada presented progress on a draft law to protect women from political and online violence, noting that it offers a modern legal framework for prevention and accountability.
The session concluded with initial recommendations for a stricter code of conduct. Participants also called for greater public awareness and stronger community partnerships to ensure elections free of discrimination and exclusion.
MK/ac/lb/as/APA