Sixty-seven Female Candidates Contesting Election in Mon State
By Network Media Group
Wednesday, August 19, 2020
Dozens of female candidates will contest the 2020 general election in Burma’s Mon State. The Election Commission (EC) reported all 67 female candidates who registered successfully passed the registration process.
Female candidates will compete in 45 constituencies across the state including the House of Representatives (Lower House), House of Nationalities (Upper House), Mon State Parliament, and Bamar, Karen and Pa-O Ethnic Affairs posts.
Hein Lin Htet, head of Mon State EC, told NMG 303 electoral candidates have registered. There are 291 running with 17 political parties competing in Mon State, and 12 are contesting independently.
Women make up about 22 percent of the candidates in Mon State. Party leaders said female participation has increased from the 2015 general elections, when 52 candidates were women.
The Mon Unity Party fielded 35 candidates, 8 of whom were women. Mi Lawi Han, who’s MUP’s electoral candidate contesting Ye Township constituency-7, told NMG it’s not quite the 30 percent female contribution as hoped but a step in the right direction. “It’s not too bad for an ethnic party. If we can move step by step, I think we can get 30 percent female participation in the upcoming 2025 general election,”.
According to Mon State EC, 65 candidates will contest the House of Representatives, 78 for the House of Nationalities, 137 for Mon State Parliament, 7 for Minister of Bamar Ethnic Affairs, 8 for Minister of Karen Ethnic Affairs and 8 for Minister of Pa-O Ethnic Affairs.
