Abu Dhabi: The campaign for UAE's upcoming Federal National Council (FNC) elections has been invigorated by the rise in the number of young voters, who are bringing the campaign into digital age.
As the UAE is taking a giant leap in the electoral process, its citizens, particularly the youth and women, are bracing for a change that they feel would benefit them the most, said Taufeek Raheem, an independent political analyst.
With 35 per cent of the total voters being young and 46 per cent being women, Emiratis feel that the youthful and egalitarian nature of the society would be reflected in the parliament, added Raheem.
Emirati women account for 46 per cent of the total members of the Electoral College (EC) announced by the National Election Committee (NEC) ahead of the UAE's FNC's elections on September 24, he pointed out.
Raheem stressed: "This is the second voting experience for the country and a first for a large number of people. It is extremely important in terms of civil and political engagement and will be a learning process for a lot of voters."
"The most important thing is that young people are aware of the issues of the country and try to find out as much as possible about the candidates so they can make an informed choice. It is a historic moment and everyone is taking the necessary care to ensure it runs smoothly," he said.
For his part, Arif Al Ajeel, Director of RAK Institute for Training and Development, said the new generation of Emirati women is very ambitious and capable. They have a great aptitude of learning new things and charting new territories.
"A lot of women have approached us seeking help in running their campaign and we are working with them to design their programmes to build their images. I think women are going to do even better in this election," said Al Ajeel, who holds a PhD in Public Relations and Mass Communication with 10-year experience in human development.
Though they have been part of the country's political system, with women ministers as well as several female members of the FNC, this year's drastic rise in the number of women in the EC is a surprise for many.
"I am surprised at the increase in the number of women in the EC and the number of women candidates for FNC is a positive sign for me," said Aisha Al Suwaidi, a voter.
Al Suwaidi added that Emirati women are supported by the government, family and the whole community.
