Influx of Refugees, Modernization Changing Attitudes Toward Women
Relishing their political power, women like Rudayna Al-Atee, who also was a winner, said she planned to challenge heavyweight politicians and run for the parliamentary presidency. Although her chances are very slim, she believes "raising the profile of women starts by challenging for higher positions."
For both candidates, there were traditional male-dominated voting patterns to overcome, and sometimes even their fellow females. Lawzi defeated 21 opponents including four women in
"My victory was a major shock to me and my supporters as well as to other candidates who spent hundreds of thousands on their campaigns. I was confident I’d win, but did not expect to be first," the visibly excited mother of three told The Media Line. She said the keys to her victory were her reputation as a responsible leader in the field of education and speaking to people in their homes "about their concerns and demands."
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She recalled being ridiculed by relatives for thinking she could win in an
Lawzi, who led an all-woman campaign team, said she was the target of a smear campaign by opponents who wanted her out of the race. "I was forced to work secretly as there was pressure put on people working with me to quit," with "bad rumors" spread about them.
The determined Lawzi said she’s ready to serve based on her experience at the education ministry. Last year she was elected a member of the newly established teachers’ association council and won national and international awards for social services, including the King Abdullah Award for Excellence.
Making their accomplishments even more impressive is the fact that the Jordanian elections are dominated by influential candidates from major tribes and leading businesses. The quota grants 15 seats out of 150 as part of efforts to increase women’s representation in this tribal society. The victories by Lawzi, Al-Atee and the other women therefore represent a significant achievement, having overcome the challenges of a developing nation that remains strongly attached to this conservative lifestyle.
Campaigning for women’s rights, often by members of the royal family, has helped achieve progress on this issue. The influence of modernity and influx of refugees with more liberal views from around the region has also made an impact. However, Al-Atee believes some Jordanian women still restrict their roles "with nonexistent social shackles," placing limitations on themselves not necessarily imposed by men or Jordanian society.
In her mid 30s, the activist in social and women’s issues lives in the central city of Zarqa, with a largely young, middle class population. Like Lawzi, her campaign was also the target of what she called "rumors spread by opponents who wanted me out. If it were not for the educated people, I would not have won."
Still, while Lawzi and Al-Atee’s campaigns ended happily, there were some familiar distressing signs of the old conservative impact on the election. Shamsa Hweitat, who was defeated, was divorced by her husband for refusing his demand a few days before the election to drop out in place of a male relative running in the same district.
"I had a commitment to the people I spoke to. I could not listen to my husband but I paid the price," the mother of four told The Media Line by phone. She plans to ask her husband to take her back, but insisted he had fully supported her at the start of her campaign.
"Social pressure was mounting on my husband. That is why he divorced me after I refused to obey him," she added.
However Al-Atee, fresh off her victory, remained upbeat about the future of women and an overall change in the attitudes of the Jordanian electorate. "The entire country is tribal, but the people are more aware, the educated people are the ones who elected me. People wanted change, no more army generals and government officials. The new era wants new faces," she told The Media Line.