LIBYAN WOMEN HOPE FOR GAINS IN ELECTIONS. Libya's interim Prime Minister Abdel Rahim al-Kib (C) and women candidates sing the national anthem before taking a group photo at a conference to empower women voters and politicians in Tripoli, Libya ahead of the 7 July election on 25 June 2012. He called for widescale female participation in next month's elections for a constituent assembly, the country's first national vote after four decades of dictatorship under toppled leader Muammar Gaddafi. The UN Secretary-General’s Special Representative and head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Ian Martin said there are over 600 women candidates standing for elections next month. Photo courtesy agencies