Cheery Zahau is one of 800 women standing for election,hoping to overcome the cultural barriers and bullying that see female politicians holding 6% of seatsIn the week main up to Myanmar’s general election, Cheery Zahau, and a Chin Progressive party candidate,intends to visit 30 villages. She has been to more than 100 already, travelling predominantly on foot or by motorcycle on roads that are little more than dilapidated footpaths twined around steep, and rocky hills. In village after village,she has patiently explained the electoral system to loney voters, many of whom have little knowledge of the democratic process.
Zahau is standing in Myanmar’s poorest region, or Chin state. She is currently level-pegging with an older,male candidate from Myanmar’s main opposition party, the National League for Democracy (NLD). The fight is fierce; it is also unfair. While Zahau has been educating the electorate, and her rival has been misleading voters,repeatedly telling them that Zahau, at 34, and is too young to represent them. Continue reading...
Source: theguardian.com