SÛZAN EBÛ SAÎD

Beirut- Lebanon is one of the countries, where women’s participation in politics and decision-making positions has been discussed. Although Lebanese women won the right to vote and stand for election in 1952, the rate of women participating in decision-making positions is very low. In our article series consisting of two articles, we focus on Lebanese women’s participation in politics, decision-making positions, and women candidates for the upcoming Lebanese parliamentary election, scheduled for May 15, 2022.

Activists, human rights defenders, and feminists demanding gender equality have been facing obstacles from the government since the middle of the last century. Despite all obstacles, women have struggled and gained many achievements. The strengthening of women’s struggle and movements keep demanding gender equality in all spheres of life and in elections. The number of women standing for elections increases all around the world although the patriarchal mentality tries to eliminate women’s participation in politics.

Women are ready

The rate of women’s participation in the last elections in Lebanon, particularly in the parliamentary election, shows how the feminist movement is active in the country. The number of registered lists for the 2022 elections is 103, which exceeded the number recorded in the 2018 elections with 77 lists. There was initially a total of 1,043 registered candidates, however, 42 of them later withdrew their candidacy. 157 women had signed up to run making up some 15 percent of 1,043 total candidates compared to 11 percent (111 women) in the 2018 polls, however, two of them later withdrew their candidacy.

The percentage of women entering the parliament in 2018 didn’t exceed 5%, a globally very low percentage. The lack of a women’s quota for elections causes women to face obstacles to entering the parliament. Many of the candidates on electoral lists are men and the patriarchal mentality still controls the elections. Despite everything, the number of female candidates for the upcoming election shows that Lebanese women are ready to enter the political arena.

Empowering women

Social and political activist Paola Rebeiz, candidate for the 2022 parliamentary elections in Beirut from the list of the Beirut Madinati (Beirut is My City), the only list in Lebanon that includes the majority of women (5 women and one man), said, “I decided to run for the election after a street struggle with a group (Beirut is My City) since 2016. My aim is to achieve social sustainability after entering the parliament. All issues in the country concern me, particularly women’s issues. I aim to empower women in the economy, and society by enacting, amending, and passing laws about women.” Pointing out that women’s participation in decision-making positions is very important, Paola Rebeiz said, “Because women choose the right thing for themselves. One of our duties to do after entering the parliament is to empower women. Women make up half of our society and we, as women, must stand by each other.”

Eliminate gender discrimination

Habouba Aoun, one of the three Maronite candidates for three seats in Chouf from the list of the Progressive Socialist Party-Lebanese Forces-National Liberal Party, said, “I am an academic at the University of Balamand. I am currently the director of the Co-Academic Program at the Faculty of Health Sciences. We are responsible for providing health services to different communities across the country. Women play an important role in the development of societies, for this reason, the needs of women must be taken into account, as women are the core of their family as mothers, daughters, and sisters, and they are unpaid workers at home. We should eliminate gender discrimination in order to empower women in all spheres of life.”

Najat Aoun Saliba, a professor of Analytical Chemistry and an atmospheric chemist at the American University of Beirut (AUB), is a candidate for the upcoming parliamentary election in the Chouf district. Stating that she made recommendations to politicians after her 100 scientific publications on pollution in Lebanon, she said that her recommendations were ignored.

Emphasizing the importance of activities to protect the environment, she said, “I became a candidate because I want to save people, improve the quality of life and raise awareness about the environment in Lebanon.”

She will work for women

Talking about her plans after entering the parliament, Najat Aoun Saliba said, “As a woman in the parliament, I will work to enact a civil code that protects women’s rights and ensures gender equality and to ensure 50% women’s participation in decision-making positions. The patriarchal mentality shouldn’t determine the fate of societies. Women are talented and effective if they have opportunities.”