TRIPOLI : When political activist Laila ben Khalifa announced she was standing in Libya's presidential race, she said the most common response was sexist jokes and patronising comments. That Ben Khalifa is one of only two women to stand for president in a field of 98 registered candidates is evidence that a decade of chaos has entrenched Libya's patriarchal politics. "Agreements that take place in closed rooms are not always fair," Ben Khalifa said, referring to political jostling that pushed some women aside. The election commission's initial ruling last month disqualified 25 candidates, but Ben Khalifa and the other woman in the race, Hunaida Tumia, were both accepted. "I was told to stick to the parliamentary election because I had a better chance than in the presidential election.

Source: Libya Today December 07, 2021 18:25 UTC