Womanthismonth.com 72 July 2024 LIFESTYLE | opinion Heather Harper MBE is a former Bahrain resident who was a pioneer in the Gulf region’s broadcast media industry and one of the founding presenters of Bahrain 55 TV in the early 1980s. She is currently Chairman of the Bahrain Society in the UK, part of a familyowned energy company with origins in ĂŚƌĂŝŶ ĂŶĚ ŝƐ ĂŶ ĂĐƟǀĞ ǀŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ CŽŶƐĞƌǀĂƟǀĞ WĂƌƚLJ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ hŶŝƚĞĚ <ŝŶŐĚŽŵ͘ ^ŚĞ ǁŽƌŬĞĚ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƚŚĞ ƉŽůŝƟĐĂů ĚŝǀŝĚĞ ŝŶ ŽƌĚĞƌ ƚŽ ǁŝŶ ƚŚĞ ƌŝŐŚƚ ŽĨ Ăůů ůŽŶŐͲ ƚĞƌŵ ĞdžƉĂƚƌŝĂƚĞƐ ƚŽ ǀŽƚĞ ŝŶ h< ŐĞŶĞƌĂů ĞůĞĐƟŽŶƐ ʹ ŐƌĂŶƟŶŐ ƚŚĞ ůĂƌŐĞƐƚ ĞůĞĐƚŽƌĂů enfranchisement increase since women ŐŽƚ ƚŚĞ ǀŽƚĞ ŝŶ ϭϵϮϴ͘ We asked her to share her thoughts on ǁŚLJ ĂŶĚ ŚŽǁ ƐŚĞ ĚĞĐŝĚĞĚ ƚŽ ŐĞƚ ŝŶǀŽůǀĞĚ ŝŶ ƉŽůŝƟĐĂů ƉĂƌƚLJ ǀŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌŝŶŐ͘ WŚĞŶ ƚŚĞ 'ĞŶĞƌĂů EůĞĐƟŽŶ ŝƐ ŽǀĞƌ͕ ŚƵŶĚƌĞĚƐ ŽĨ ƚŚŽƵƐĂŶĚƐ ŽĨ WĂƌƚLJ ǀŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌƐ ĂĐƌŽƐƐ ƚŚĞ h< ǁŝůů ďĞ ĂďůĞ ƚŽ ƚĂŬĞ Ă ďŝƚ ŽĨ ƟŵĞ Žī ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞŵƐĞůǀĞƐ ƚŽ ƌĞĐŽǀĞƌ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞŝƌ ǀŽůƵŶƚĂƌLJ ǁŽƌŬ͖ ƚŚĞƌĞ ǁŝůů ďĞ ĐĞůĞďƌĂƟŽŶ͕ ĚŝƐĂƉƉŽŝŶƚŵĞŶƚ͕ ƐĂƟƐĨĂĐƟŽŶ͕ ĚŝƐĐŽŶƚĞŶƚ ĂŶĚ ŽƚŚĞƌ ĞŵŽƟŽŶƐ͘ ƵƌŝŶŐ ĂŶ ĞůĞĐƟŽŶ͕ ƚŚĞ ůŽĐĂů ǀŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌƐ ƵƐƵĂůůLJ ƐƚĂƌƚ ďLJ ďĞŝŶŐ ĂƐŬĞĚ ƚŽ ŚĞůƉ ƐƚƵī ĞŶǀĞůŽƉĞƐ Žƌ ĚĞůŝǀĞƌ ůĞĂŇĞƚƐ Žƌ ůĞƩĞƌƐ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚ ƚŚĞŝƌ ĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚLJ͕ ĐŚĂůůĞŶŐŝŶŐ ĂǁŬǁĂƌĚ ůĞƩĞƌ ďŽdžĞƐ ŽŌ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ĚŽŐ ďĂƌŬŝŶŐ ĨƵƌŝŽƵƐůLJ ƚŚĞ ŽƚŚĞƌ ƐŝĚĞ ;Ă ƟƉ is to take a wooden spatula with you to poke the ŇLJĞƌ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ƚŽ ƉƌŽƚĞĐƚ LJŽƵƌ ĮŶŐĞƌƐ͊ Ϳ͘ zŽƵ ŵĂLJ ďĞ ĂƐŬĞĚ ƚŽ ŬŶŽĐŬ ŽŶ ƉĞŽƉůĞ͛Ɛ ĚŽŽƌƐ ĂŶĚ ĐĂŶǀĂƐƐ Žƌ ƚŽ ŚŽůĚ ĞǀĞŶƚƐ ƚŽ ƌĂŝƐĞ ŵƵĐŚ ŶĞĞĚĞĚ ĨƵŶĚƐ ƚŽ campaign for the chosen candidate. It is quite extraordinary seeing the way people ŽĨ Ăůů ƉŽůŝƟĐĂů ƉĞƌƐƵĂƐŝŽŶƐ ŐĞƚ ŝŶƚŽ ŐĞĂƌ ĂŶĚ ƵƉ ƚŚĞŝƌ ĂŶƚĞ ŽĨ ĞŶŐĂŐĞŵĞŶƚ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ǀŽůƵŶƚĂƌLJ ůĞǀĞů ǁŚĞŶ ĚĞĂĚůŝŶĞƐ ĂŶĚ ŐŽĂůƐ ĂƌĞ ƐĞƚ͘ &ŝƌƐƚ ƚŚĞ ĂŶƟĐŝƉĂƟŽŶ ĂŶĚ ƚŚĞŶ ƚŚĞ ŝŶŝƟĂů ĞdžĐŝƚĞŵĞŶƚ ǁŚĞŶ ĂŶ ĞůĞĐƟŽŶ ŝƐ ĐĂůůĞĚ͕ ŶŽƚ ƚŽ ŵĞŶƟŽŶ ůĞĂƌŶŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ĚŝīĞƌĞŶƚ ƐĞƚƐ ŽĨ ƌƵůĞƐ ŽŶĞ ŚĂƐ ƚŽ ĨŽůůŽǁ ĚƵƌŝŶŐ ƚŚĞ ĞůĞĐƟŽŶ ƉĞƌŝŽĚ͘ The countless asks of friends and family who ŚĂǀĞ ƚŽ ƉƵƚ ƵƉ ǁŝƚŚ LJŽƵƌ ƐŽŵĞǁŚĂƚ ŵĂŶŝĐ ƟŵĞƚĂďůĞƐ ĞƐƉĞĐŝĂůůLJ ŝŶ Ă ƐŚŽƌƚ ĞůĞĐƟŽŶ͘ TŚĞƌĞ ŵĂLJ ďĞ ůŽĐĂů ŚƵƐƟŶŐƐ ƚŽ ŚĞůƉ ŽƌŐĂŶŝƐĞ ĂŶĚ ĚĂŝůLJ candidate support. There is though usually great ĐĂŵĂƌĂĚĞƌŝĞ Ăƚ ƚŚĞ ŵĞĞƚ ƵƉƐ ĂŌĞƌ ĂŶ ĞdžŚĂƵƐƟŶŐ ĚĞůŝǀĞƌLJ ĚĂLJ͘ TŚĞŶ ĂŌĞƌ ƚŚŝƐ Ϯϰͬ ϳ ƌƵŶ ƵƉ ƚŽ ĞůĞĐƟŽŶ ƚŚĞƌĞ ŝƐ ƚŚĞ ĂĐƚƵĂů ĞůĞĐƟŽŶ ĚĂLJ ǁŝƚŚ ǀŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌƐ ŵĂŶŶŝŶŐ ƉŽůůŝŶŐ ƐƚĂƟŽŶƐ ĂŶĚ ƋƵŝĐŬůLJ ƐĞƫŶŐ ƵƉ ĐĂŵƉĂŝŐŶ HYƐ ƚŽ ŐĞƚ ƚŚĞ ǀŽƚĞ ŽƵƚ͘ sŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌŝŶŐ ĨŽƌ ƚŚĞ CŽŶƐĞƌǀĂƟǀĞ WĂƌƚLJ ďĞŐĂŶ ǁŝƚŚ Ă ŬŶŽĐŬ ŽŶ ƚŚĞ ĚŽŽƌ ƐŚŽƌƚůLJ ĂŌĞƌ I ƌĞƚƵƌŶĞĚ ĨƌŽŵ ůŝǀŝŶŐ ŝŶ ĂŚƌĂŝŶ͘ A ƐŵŝůŝŶŐ ŐĞŶƚůĞŵĂŶ ƐĂŝĚ͕ “Good morning, I’m one of your local councillors ĂŶĚ ǁŽŶĚĞƌĞĚ ŝĨ LJŽƵ ǁŽƵůĚ ůŝŬĞ ƚŽ ŐĞƚ ŝŶǀŽůǀĞĚ ĂŶĚ ũŽŝŶ ƚŚĞ ůŽĐĂů ďƌĂŶĐŚ ŽĨ ŽƵƌ CŽŶƐĞƌǀĂƟǀĞ AƐƐŽĐŝĂƟŽŶ͘͟ TŚŝƐ ǁĂƐ ĐůŽƐĞůLJ ĨŽůůŽǁĞĚ ďLJ CŽƵůĚ ǁĞ ŚŽůĚ ĂŶ ĞǀĞŶƚ Ăƚ LJŽƵƌ ŚŽŵĞ͍͟ ĂŶĚ tŽƵůĚ LJŽƵ ũŽŝŶ ƚŚĞ ĐŽŵŵŝƩĞĞ͍͘͟ ĞŝŶŐ ƐŽĐŝĂďůĞ͕ I ĂŐƌĞĞĚ to all and… well, the rest is history and that was ŽǀĞƌ ƚŚŝƌƚLJ ǀŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌŝŶŐ LJĞĂƌƐ ĂŐŽ͘ I ŚĂǀĞ ƐŝŶĐĞ ƚŚĞŶ ǀŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌĞĚ ŵLJ ǁĂLJ ĨƌŽŵ ƚŚĞ grass routes through countless local and General EůĞĐƟŽŶƐ ŚŽůĚŝŶŐ ŶƵŵĞƌŽƵƐ ƉŽƐŝƟŽŶƐ ŽŶ ƌĂŶĐŚ͕ tŽŵĞŶ͛Ɛ ŐƌŽƵƉ͕ AƐƐŽĐŝĂƟŽŶ ĐŽŵŵŝƩĞĞƐ ĂŶĚ ĂƐ CŽŶƐƟƚƵĞŶĐLJ CŚĂŝƌŵĂŶ ŽĨ ĞĂĐŽŶƐĮĞůĚ͘ TŽĚĂLJ͕ I Ăŵ CŚĂŝƌŵĂŶ ŽĨ CŽŶƐĞƌǀĂƟǀĞƐ AďƌŽĂĚ͕ Ă ŶĞƚǁŽƌŬ ŽĨ ǀŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƚ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚŽƵƚ ƚŚĞ ǁŽƌůĚ ǁŚĞƌĞ ĐĂŵƉĂŝŐŶŝŶŐ ŝƐ ŽďǀŝŽƵƐůLJ ĚŝīĞƌĞŶƚ ƚŽ ƚŚĞ h< ĂƐ ĚĞůŝǀĞƌĞĚ ůĂƌŐĞůLJ ƚŚƌŽƵŐŚ ƐŽĐŝĂů ŵĞĚŝĂ͘ TŚĞ CŽŶƐĞƌǀĂƟǀĞ WĂƌƚLJ ŚĂĚ ůŽŶŐ ďĞĞŶ ƐƵƉƉŽƌƟǀĞ ŽĨ ŝƚƐ ŽǀĞƌƐĞĂƐ ĐŝƟnjĞŶƐ ĂŶĚ ŝŶƐƉŝƌĞĚ ŵĞ ƚŽ get the bit between my teeth and lobby the ƉŽůŝƟĐŝĂŶƐ ŚĂƌĚ ƚŽ ƐĐƌĂƉ ƚŚĞ ϭϱͲLJĞĂƌ ƌƵůĞ of disenfranchisement. ‘Votes for Life’ was ĚĞůŝǀĞƌĞĚ ŝŶ :ĂŶƵĂƌLJ ƚŚŝƐ LJĞĂƌ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ EůĞĐƟŽŶƐ ŝůů ϮϬϮϮ ŐŝǀŝŶŐ Ăůů ƌŝƟƐŚ ĐŝƟnjĞŶƐ ůŝǀŝŶŐ ŽǀĞƌƐĞĂƐ ƚŚĞŝƌ ƌŝŐŚƚ ƚŽ ǀŽƚĞ ŝŶ h< ĞůĞĐƟŽŶƐ͘ CŽŶƐĞƌǀĂƟǀĞƐ AďƌŽĂĚ ǀŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌƐ ĂůƐŽ successfully campaigned to appoint a dedicated DŝŶŝƐƚĞƌ ƚŽ ĐŚĂŵƉŝŽŶ ƚŚĞ ƐƉĞĐŝĮĐ ŝƐƐƵĞƐ ŽĨ ƌŝƚŽŶƐ ůŝǀŝŶŐ ŽǀĞƌƐĞĂƐ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŝƐ ŝŶ ƚŚĞ CŽŶƐĞƌǀĂƟǀĞ WĂƌƚLJ ŵĂŶŝĨĞƐƚŽ͘ sŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌŝŶŐ ĨŽƌ ŵĞ ŚĂƐ ĐŽǀĞƌĞĚ Ă ǁŝĚĞ spectrum of interests including the Richings WůĂLJĞƌƐ͕ TŚĂŵĞƐ sĂůůĞLJ WŽůŝĐĞ͕ CƌŝŵĞƐƚŽƉƉĞƌƐ͕ ƚŚĞ RĞƐŝĚĞŶƚƐ AƐƐŽĐŝĂƟŽŶƐ͕ ƌƵŐ&Ăŵ͕ ^ƚ͘ WĞƚĞƌƐ ĂŶĚ ^ƚ LĞŽŶĂƌĚƐ ĐŚƵƌĐŚ ǁŚŝĐŚ ŚĂǀĞ ďƌŽƵŐŚƚ ŵĞ ŝŶƚŽ ĐŽŶƚĂĐƚ ǁŝƚŚ ƐŽ ŵĂŶLJ ǀŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌƐ ƚŚĂƚ ŚĂǀĞ ƚƌƵůLJ enriched life in our community. DĂŶLJ ĂƐŬ͗ tŚLJ ĚŽ LJŽƵ ĚŽ ƚŚŝƐ ǀŽůƵŶƚĞĞƌŝŶŐ͍͘͟ It’s the belief in helping make the community ďĞƩĞƌ ĨŽƌ Ăůů͘ FROM BAHRAIN TO BALLOTS
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