MIFTAH
Friday, 29 March. 2024
 
Your Key to Palestine
The Palestinian Initiatives for The Promotoion of Global Dialogue and Democracy
 
 
 

Zeinab, from the village of Beit Fujjar, tells us the story of how she ran in the local council elections of her village, south of Bethlehem, which is surrounded by Israeli settlements, running side by side with her fellow townsmen. This was no easy decision in a society that still views women from a conservative perspective and with little confidence in their abilities outside the home.

First, Zeinab had to overcome the barrier of fear, which was standing in the way of her aspiration to compete with men for a prestigious spot in the Beit Fujjar local council, including opposition from some of the closest people in her family. What tipped the scales for Zeinab was the support she received from her husband. “I will never forget his support and will always appreciate it,” she said, adding that he stood by her when everyone else did not. Never had they imagined that one day, Zeinab would be sitting side by side with men at the council table, running the affairs of their town.

During this time in her life, Zeinab was introduced to MIFTAH through her friend, MIFTAH field coordinator Rasha Mousa. She closely followed the organization’s activities and its programs to promote the role of women and support them in elections. She did not hesitate to enroll in MIFTAH’s training program along with other women from Beit Fujjar and other towns and villages in the Bethlehem district.

Here is her story:

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

My name is Zeina Mahmoud Taqatqa from Beit Fujjar. I am the mother of five children and I have a degree in elementary education from Al Quds Open University. I am also a member of the Beit Fujjar village council and a coordinator at Tamer Center for community education.

So how did you become acquainted with MIFTAH? How did your participation in its trainings help to shape your character and encourage you to run in your town’s local elections?

I became acquainted with MIFTAH through a colleague named Rasha, a field coordinator with MIFTAH. I enrolled in MIFTAH’s training after I had registered in the elections process. The training boosted my confidence in myself and helped me to figure out who I should be and how I could really stand out. I benefited a lot from them and would like to encourage other women to participate in MIFTAH trainings.

What does running in Beit Fujjar’s local elections mean to Zeinab? Was it a personal challenge that went beyond the quota system for women, a challenge to prove that she deserved to be a member based on her own merit?

It was an amazing and beautiful experience even though it took a lot to prove that women are capable of taking on this role when given the opportunity. At the beginning, I was number three on the list. After I participated in MIFTAH’s trainings and understood the significance of the ranking, I decided I would be number one and head of the list. And that is what happened. I refused for my victory to be attributed to the quota system for women; I had to win because of my own personal efforts.

How did you handle opposition from the inside, mainly from family? Was your husband supportive? Others?

Most definitely, there was resistance from my family. One of my brothers even stopped talking to me, abandoned me basically. I received criticism even from my friends and other people, but I knew this would happen. This is part our culture, our tradition.

My husband is a different story. I have so much respect for him and I would like to dedicate my victory to him. He supported me, stood by me and helped me the entire way.

As for those who wanted to put me down, things are different today. They are completely convinced of what I do. Some even ask me to help them sign up for training courses offered by MIFTAH.

What is your role in the municipality? Why have you chosen, for example, to be part of the tenders committee? Do you participate in other committees as well?

I attend all of the council’s sessions without exception. I am also up-to-date on all of its missions. I chose to be in the tenders’ committee so that the role of women would not be confined to social committees alone. I am also part of the social committee and know about some of the missions of the organization and construction committee too.

Would you say that the training you received from MIFTAH contributed considerably to your strong presence today?

Without a doubt.

Is there anything you would like to say to the women in your town who supported you? And to MIFTAH?

To the women in my town I would like to offer my heartfelt thanks and respect. I would also like to tell them to believe that women really are capable of change and success.

I would also like to thank MIFTAH and the people working there, especially my colleague Rasha who continued to work with us the entire way. I hope MIFTAH continues its trainings and its work with women to empower them. I also hope it stays in contact with us and does not leave halfway. We can always use their support.

 
 
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