Female candidates intending to take part in the municipal elections have been given intensive training by NGOs in order for them to have an effective participation in local bodies.

“We have so far trained 30 women who have shown interest to contest the polls,” said Hatoun Al-Fassi, coordinator of Baladi Group, adding that her organization has adopted different initiatives to make women’s participation successful.

This will be the third municipal election in the Kingdom.

Al-Fassi indicated her group’s plan to train more female candidates ahead of the election whose date has not yet been declared by the minister of municipal and rural affairs. She said a number of NGOs have supported Baladi’s training courses.

About 365 women of different age groups have attended the courses held from August 2013 to June 2014, she said, adding that the courses focused on training women as candidates, voters, organizers and coordinators.

“We are ready to accommodate every woman who is interested in participating in the polls and change her local surroundings,” Al-Fassi said.

Baladi is currently training support-working teams. “We are not the only organization that provides training to women in order to make them prepared for the polls.”

Al-Fassi said her organization focuses on women who plan to contest elections in a professional manner, by giving them intensive training to qualify them for political participation.

“We want to make women’s participation effective in order to influence the decision-making process, change the local atmosphere and make optimum use of the opportunity given to us by authorities,” Al-Fassi said.

A high-level committee, including three leading women, has been set up by the minister to oversee the election. “The committee will supervise the election process in all regions of the Kingdom and implement election strategies,” he said.

Last July, the Cabinet passed a law on women’s participation in municipal elections. The law allows councils to approve and implement municipal plans and projects and oversee maintenance works and investment projects.

According to the law, the minister of municipal and rural affairs would determine the size and make-up of the councils. They should not exceed 30 members, with two-thirds elected and a third appointed by the minister.

The law gives men and women the right to stand as candidates, vote and nominate others. It grants independent, nongovernmental and nonprofit establishments and charities the right to observe election procedures.