Opportunity 'has come to our doorstep'

Fujairah/Dubai: Fujairah's sole female candidate says she is optimistic about a female presence in the next Federal National Council (FNC) even if, she says, it comes about through royal appointment and not through the elections.

Moza Khamis Al Khaal, whose was a surprise entry and a new name to many observers, said that she was determined to make the most of this political opportunity.

She said: "This opportunity for us to be part of the FNC has come to our doorstep, and even though the percentage of women nominees is not that high, the Emirati woman has in the past proved that she is as capable as her male counterpart."

Moza says she would not make promises in her manifesto because she can only work within the FNC's limited powers, which she says will need to be expanded to cope with the new political phase.

Maysa Gadeer, a journalist and candidate for the FNC elections said media policies are required to clear ambiguities about the perceptions of freedom of expression in the UAE.

She said new policies were required to clarify the role of the media in the country, which would in turn bring an end to the practice of self-censorship and "confusion" in local media.

According to Maysa, the level of freedom of expression in the media has come a long way in a short time and officials have becoming increasingly cooperative and available to the media. Although she considers this as a move forward, she insists that the media needs specific guidelines of operation "so we can truly utilise the media for its role as tool for development".

"As a journalist, I have seen how issues we bring up in the media lead to policy changes. We move public opinion," she told Gulf News.