Andrew Mills and Lisa Barrington

DOHA, Reuters – The voters did not elect 26 women to the Qatari legislative elections. It was a disappointing result for candidates who wanted to speak out for the rights of women in the Gulf monarchy.

Voting was cast for 30 of the 45-seat Shura Council members. The emir will still appoint 15 of the members. This body can only approve limited policies in the small, but rich country. It bans all political parties.

Aisha Hamamal-Jasim, who is a 59-year old nursing manager and ran for Doha’s Markhiya District, stated that having all men was not Qatar’s vision. She advised Qatari women to “voice what they believe” and to vote in strong female candidates for the future.

She said, “For the first ever in Qatar this is the chance to participate in the political,” as she spoke at the polls on Saturday.

Jasim shared the same sentiments as other female candidates. She said that she has met men who believe women shouldn’t run for office. She highlighted her administrative abilities and focused on priorities such as health, youth employment, retirement, and pension.

“I simply say, “I’m strong and I’m capable. I consider myself to be as fit and healthy as a man. She said that she was not weak but could be labelled weak.

Qatar introduced recent reforms that have allowed women to get driving licences independently. However, rights groups are critical of the guardianship system. This is where women need male consent to travel, marry and receive reproductive health care.

Human Rights Watch reported in March that in 2019, women had tweeted anonymously from an account regarding Qatar’s guardianship systems. The account was shut down by cyber security officers within 24 hours.

Naima Abdulwahab Al-Mutaawa’a is a foreign ministry worker and candidate whose mother, who was an elderly woman, came to vote. She wanted to push for a body that advocates for children and women.

A number of women candidates sought to increase the integration in Qatari society, for those children of Qatari citizens, who have been married to foreigners, but cannot, unlike other Gulf states, pass their Qatari nationality on to their children.

Qatar only has one female minister, Hanan Mohamed Al-Kuwari, the Public Health Minister.

Jasim did not advocate for the granting of passports. However, Leena Al-Dafa, a fellow candidate for this election, called for full citizenship to be granted to children who are in these cases.

Dafa, a writer, does not see those who oppose women in the Shura Council as an obstacle because the ruling emir – and the law – support female participation.

The law grants me the right to… She said that she didn’t care about what people are saying about it, and that women are best placed to talk about their problems.

Al-Maha al-Majid was an industrial engineer of 34 years who stood for election along with her policies in order to alter mindsets.

We may need to work harder or put more effort in order to convince men (to vote for women),” she said. “I’m ready to make this extra effort for this society and convince them that they can do it,” she stated.

Some attitudes can be difficult to change for some.

Sabaan al Jassim (65), a male candidate for the presidency, supported women in election but stated that their primary role was still with the family.

“They’re here. They have their fingerprints, and they can vote. “But most importantly is in the family, to care for the children with the families,” said he at a polling station. Jasim was sitting across from Mutaawa’a.