Among the popular writers for the paper's opinion columns were poet Qasim Haddad, Munira Fakhro, Abdulhadi Khalaf, and Mohammed Fadhel.
In 2006's election, ex-Harvard academic, Dr Munira Fakhro of Waad lost in controversial circumstances to Sunni Islamist Dr Salah Ali of Al-Menbar Islamic Society.
This was followed by another petition in 1995 signed by 350 women calling for the restoration of democracy and an end to torture.