| | Of women, cosmetics & electioneering Pajhwok
09/03/2010
By Abasin Zaheer
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KABUL - Many believe some women candidates who had used extra facial makeup in campaign photos wanted to attract voters, but candidates say it is wrong to presume the use of cosmetics is meant to attract voters.
Candidate Shakila Naveed said makeup was nothing unusual for women. Asked if makeup helped her election drive, Shakila retorted it was a trend among women and was not aimed at luring supporters.
Shima Sikandari, another female candidate, also wears makeup. Her posters could be seen at different points in the Faroshgah area of the city. Sikandari dismisses the impression her makeup is meant to exert a pull on voters.
A former teacher at the Kabul Teaching Centre, Sikandari thinks elections could be won with a proper manifesto and programme, not through nice-looking photos and posters.
Nafisa Silay acknowledges her campaigns photos are gorgeous. But she explains her photos and posters were printed by supporters. Her photo is an old one because the posters were published when she was out of the country. "I'm unhappy with that but can do nothing now."
She believes posters cannot help you win the election unless you win over the people with your manifestoes and future plans.
A middle-aged woman, Parveen Sufi, is another female contender. She says the candidates having no concrete programmes and agendas rely on makeup and tempting photos. Contenders should win over people with their manifestoes.
A shopkeeper in the Deh Afghanan area, Wahidullah, said those women candidates who wanted to capture the attention of the youth wore heavy makeup.
However, political analyst Ahmad Sher believes both knowledge and makeup are necessary for candidates to make it to the Wolesi Jirag. "Only those people can end up in the jirga who are either wealthy or powerful."
The Wolesi Jirga elections are scheduled to be held on September 18. Kabul has 33 seats in the lower house of parliament, with nine reserved for women. Around 110 women are in the field for the nine seats.
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