Qatar – Three Women Candidates in Qatar Municipal Elections

Three women are among 116 candidates who have registered to
stand in Sunday’s municipal elections in the gas-rich Gulf state of Qatar, an
official statement carried by the state QNA news agency said.

The
elections are only the third to the emirate-wide 29-seat council which advises
the ministry of municipal affairs and agriculture.

Only the 174,000
native citizens among Qatar’s 750,000 population will have the
vote.

Women have had the franchise since the first elections in 1999. In
the second election in 2003, one woman won a seat.

The authorities have
promised elections to a national assembly but, despite indications that they
would be held early this year, no date has yet been
set.