Libya's long-awaited presidential election has been billed as a chance to move on from the chaos that has plagued the country since the ouster of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

The run-up has been marked by controversy and uncertainty over whether the vote will actually take place as planned on 24th December 2021.

Among the 98 candidates for the presidency, only two contenders are women: ​​Laila Ben Khalifa, 46, the president and founder of the National Movement party, and Hunayda Al-Mahdi, a researcher in the social sciences.

BBC reports that more women than ever have registered to vote to make their concerns heard in a climate of extreme violence against women and girls.

Their main concern is the lack of safety across the country, saying that they are “continuously worried that a militia is going to come and knock on your door and take you hostage.” 

Another fear is the repetition of the past, namely when the losing parties in the 2014 elections decided to turn to violence instead of accepting democratic decisions. 

“I am afraid that corruption could even reach the elections”, says Libyan blogger Malak Altayeb. 

Libyan women’s main message to politicians is that “when you empower your wife, your daughter or your sister, you’re not only empowering yourself, but your entire country.”