wfn.org | LWF Bangladesh field program reports high participation in elections

[FRANK_IMHOFF.parti@ecunet.org (FRANK IMHOFF)]

Many women candidates

DHAKA, Bangladesh/GENEVA, 30 April 1998 (lwi) - The Rangpur Dinajpur Rural
Service (RDRS) has registered high participation of poor, literate, rural
women in recent local elections in Bangladesh, as a result of its work
there.

The RDRS, a field program of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) Department
for World Service, reports that some 46,000 women, out of a total number of
204,908 candidates, stood for election in local councils. Among them were a
number of women RDRS group members.

According to RDRS statistics, 770 RDRS group members stood for election out
of a total of 265 unions, among whom there were 467 men and 303 women.
Among the total 375 candidates elected, were 223 men and 152 women.

The high participation of rural women as candidates became possible because
of a parliamentary amendment, made last year, which keeps three seats
reserved for women candidates in each union council.

*       *       *
Lutheran World Information
Editorial Assistant: Janet Bond-Nash
E-mail: jbn@lutheranworld.org
http://www.lutheranworld.org/