**FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE**

**Date: July 31, 2016**

The “National Campaign to Promote Women’s Participation in Local Council Elections” announces its welcome and support for the national consensus regarding holding municipal and local elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, based on full proportional representation according to the local elections law.

The Campaign believes that the success of the local council elections is an important step towards rebuilding the Palestinian political system on democratic foundations, paving the way for general presidential and legislative elections.

The Campaign stresses the need to hold the elections on schedule, based on the decision of the President of the Palestinian National Authority in October 2016. This is crucial to overcome the stagnation and decline in the role of local councils and municipalities in the previous stage, after these elections were disrupted in the Gaza Strip since 2005 and in the West Bank since 2012.

The collective of women’s organizations under the umbrella of the “National Campaign to Promote Women’s Participation in Local Council Elections” emphasizes the following:

1. The necessity of holding elections simultaneously in all municipalities and local councils in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, in a single phase.
2. A call to the Palestinian public to go to the polls on election day, emphasizing the importance of women’s participation in particular.
3. An invitation to national forces and factions to contest the elections within a unified national list to enhance the chances of winning.
4. An appeal to the President of the National Authority to issue an amended decree-law modifying the Law on the Election of Local Authority Councils No. (10) of 2005, as amended by Decree-Law No. (8) of 2012, regarding:
   

   • Allocating a minimum of 30% of seats to women, in accordance with the decision of the Central Council of the Palestine Liberation Organization, ensuring that the number of seats allocated to women is not less than one-third in all local bodies, to guarantee enhanced opportunities for women’s participation in decision-making positions.
   • Inviting parties and political forces to nominate community competencies and those with experience, and to nominate women for no less than 30% of the electoral list.
   • Reducing the threshold in the election law to 5% instead of 8% to enhance the participation opportunities for small parties, competent individuals, and experienced independents.

5. The Campaign emphasizes the call on all political forces and parties to respect the results of the elections and promote the peaceful transfer of power in all local bodies.

National Campaign to Promote Women’s Participation in Local Council Elections