العوامل المؤثرة في فوز المرأة الأردنية في الانتخابات النيابية لعام 2007

Abstract EN

The study aimed at identifying economic, social, cultural, demographic, political and legislative f0actors which affect women’s winning in the parliamentary and municipal elections.

It also aimed at identifying the use of media and communication channels in the electoral campaign on the one hand and media’s support for women candidates in elections, on the other.

The descriptive method (qualitative and quantitative), consistent with the study’s objectives was adopted.

The study’s results indicated that with regard to economic factors affecting the winning of candidates for the House of Representatives, women received support from their husbands, friends, or parties in the form of cash, in the first place, then in the form of publicity, then in the form of transport and expenses for communications.

The latter was support in the field of audiovisual and feasts.

With regard to social, cultural and demographic factors, and their impact on women's winning in the parliamentary elections.

It was shown that there were personal and cultural factors which affected women's winning in the parliamentary elections, especially in the area of women's strength of character, self confidence and enjoyment of significant political knowledge.

Then, the effect of social factors came second, which is mainly related to tribal views, customs and traditions, as well as factors that had an impact particularly with regard to women's support to other women, women's participation in social events and volunteer activities.

Familial factors also had influence but in lower percentages on women winning in the parliamentary elections.

The strongest impact was for married women, then the candidate with children in the age of primary school and above, and of whom the number of children is four and under.

As for political factors and their impact on women's wining in the parliamentary elections, it was found out that the most influential factors were in the following order: political will, followed by the political culture of society, the degree of political awareness among women, women's political experience, are the family's political environment.

On the other hand, the most influential legislative factors were: the quota system, the number of voters in each electoral district, the number of voters in a given district, the impact of the parliamentary election's law/division of electoral districts, the parliamentary election law /lowering the age to 18 years, the number of candidates in the same circle, the law of the parliamentary election/candidate's qualifications, the law of the parliamentary election/number of electoral districts and the number of candidates in a given district, the number of votes in a district, synchronization of the voters registration in the parliamentary and municipal elections, time between the parliamentary and municipal elections, the law of parties, the mechanism of calculating the quota, the system of one vote, and, finally, the election law had a minimum effect.

The study’s results clarified the candidates’ view of the impact of the media and communication channels on women’s winning in the parliamentary elections.

Means of communication especially home visits had the greatest impact, followed by individual meetings, public forums, the use of banners, debates, the use of publications and cards.

It slightly decreased in regard of the use of posters and the Internet, and the use of mobile vehicles as means of publicity, meetings in the streets, direct telephone calls with voters, meetings in circles meetings in the electoral headquarters.

In contrast, the impact of the media was in the use of local newspapers, daily newspapers then weekly ones, magazines, photos, radio, television, the lowest was the impact of the sms messages.

The results came out with recommendations related to the supporting and enabling environment for the participation and winning of women in the elections represented by: (supportive legislative environment, and institutional, technical and administrative support), and other recommendations related to awareness, training and capacity-building which aimed at changing attitudes.