The dialogue focused on the challenges that hinder women’s participation in local administration elections, most notably the stereotype about women’s work in councils, whether in terms of competence or ability to respond and adapt to the pressures of local work, the lack of community confidence in women’s abilities, their low representation in the lists of various parties, and the lack of initiatives to support their participation. If women reach the councils, their participation is symbolic, even though the law is non-discriminatory.

Regarding what is required to enhance women’s participation, the attendees suggested the existence of a women’s “quota” at the current stage within local councils, as a need to involve an important and marginalized segment of society in the elections, as candidates and voters, to later achieve correct representation of women, while paying attention to the role of civil society in empowering women and emphasizing the role of the media in changing the stereotypical image of them, and supporting women with small projects that achieve sustainable development, while finding facilities provided by the government, focusing on the role of young women, and involving women and women’s organizations in national plans to activate the role of women in planning, implementation and oversight.