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WOMEN RIGHTS

Lebanon's feminists hope for at least 30 percent government participation

While journalist Najat Charafeddine and diplomat Jeanne Mrad have already joined President Joseph Aoun's team, women’s rights activists are pushing for further progress.

Only one woman in Najib Mikati's government. Photo taken on Sept. 13, 2021 at the presidential palace in Baabda. (Credit: Dalati and Nohra)

Parliamentary consultations to form the government of Nawaf Salam, appointed prime minister on Monday following the election of Joseph Aoun as president on Jan. 9, had barely begun when Lebanon’s feminist activists sprang into action, demanding robust representation for women in the cabinet.

They are calling for a government comprising at least 30 percent women — technocrats equipped with the expertise to push through reforms addressing systemic gender discrimination in Lebanese law. Their demands include instituting quotas for women in upcoming municipal and legislative elections, adopting a civil personal status law, enabling women to pass their nationality to their children and removing barriers to women’s participation in economic life.

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"The new president promised in his inaugural speech that he would put the right person in the right place. Many Lebanese women today have the expertise to manage a ministerial portfolio and carry out the necessary reforms," said Nada Saleh Anid, founder of the gender equality NGO Madanyat. "Now is the time to appoint more women to decision-making positions in government. It would be an opportunity to put Lebanon on the road to gender equality," she added. "Otherwise, it would be a serious signal."

Women's quotas, personal status, transmission of nationality...

Feminist demands in Lebanon have remained consistent for decades, centered on six or seven key priorities. These include securing women’s right to political participation and introducing women quotas in electoral law. "In no country in the world have women been included in political life, unless there is a law imposing positive discrimination," said Myriam Sfeir Murad, director of the Arab Institute for Women (AIW) at the Lebanese American University (LAU).

"Also at the heart of feminist demands is the need to put an end to discriminatory community laws on personal status laws, [address] the transmission of nationality by the Lebanese [women], combat gender-based violence against women [including migrant women] and [improve] work conditions for mothers," added Sfeir.

"Hence, the need to appoint women to government who are determined to tackle these issues." 

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According to Lebanon’s Feminist Platform — established after the Aug. 4 Beirut port explosion under the aegis of U.N. Women and comprising 47 feminist organizations — only 19 women have held ministerial positions out of 1,072 appointments since Lebanon’s independence in 1943. Up until 2024, women have served in only 9 out of 77 governments, with the highest female representation reaching 30 percent in Hassane Diab’s 2020 cabinet. By contrast, Najib Mikati’s government, formed in 2021, included just one woman. Representation fares no better in Parliament, where only 8 out of 128 deputies are women.

The Feminist Platform has also issued a charter addressed to the president, prime minister and members of parliament. The document consolidates feminist demands and emphasizes the importance of including disabled individuals and youth in any policy framework, aimed at advancing women’s rights.

Potential candidates

Optimism is palpable on social media, particularly among women, following the election of Joseph Aoun, commander-in-chief of the army, as president, and the appointment of Nawaf Salam — a jurist, diplomat, academic, and former president of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) — to form the new government. Both figures have struck a chord with feminists, thanks to their stated commitment to advancing women’s rights in their speeches. Salam’s personal life further bolsters his progressive image; the prime minister-designate is known for his forward-thinking views and commitment to secularism. His son Abdallah’s civil marriage in Lebanon, in defiance of community prohibitions and laws, has been widely celebrated as a symbolic gesture.

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Early appointments to President Aoun’s team have already aligned with feminist aspirations. Journalist Najat Charafeddine has been named presidential spokeswoman, and diplomat Jeanne Mrad has taken on the role of adviser for diplomatic affairs in Baabda. Expectations are also high for first lady Neemat Aoun, with many hoping she will play an active role in the National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW).

Echoing this optimism, the association FiftyFiftyLb, which advocates for gender equality, has shared an anthology on its platform highlighting potential government candidates who have excelled in their professional fields. Among those featured are Laury Haytayan, an oil and gas expert at the Institute of Natural Resources Governance; Fadia Kiwan, director of the Arab Women’s Organization; Lamia Moubayed, president and director of the Basil Fuleihan Institute of Finance; and Gael Bou Ghannam, an obstetrician-gynecologist specializing in infertility — just to name a few.

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"We have a little more hope today for the women of Lebanon because both the president and the prime minister are symbols of openness and are keen to see women in government," said Joelle Abou Farhat, founder of the NGO.

Abou Farhat also reveals that she has been contacted by individuals close to the prime minister-designate to help compile a list of potential female ministers. "We provided them with a list of at least thirty women who were experts in their own fields, feminists and politically independent. We're promoting them on social networks," she explained.

While the NGO ideally advocates for "absolute parity, in other words 50 percent women in government," in line with U.N. recommendations, it acknowledges the challenges ahead. "We have set the bar very high. But realistically, anything less than the minimum of 30 percent female [representation] would be unacceptable," she said.

Behind the scenes, there are reports suggesting that Salam has urged each parliamentary bloc to nominate at least one woman to include on its list.

This article was originally published in French in L'Orient Le-Jour. 

Parliamentary consultations to form the government of Nawaf Salam, appointed prime minister on Monday following the election of Joseph Aoun as president on Jan. 9, had barely begun when Lebanon’s feminist activists sprang into action, demanding robust representation for women in the cabinet.They are calling for a government comprising at least 30 percent women — technocrats equipped with the...