President of the Basil Fuleihan Finance Institute and vice-president of the U.N. Committee on Public Governance and the Lebanese Parliament (with five women out of 24 members) meeting at Baabda Palace in April 2025. (Credit: National News Agency)
In a televised speech marking his first 100 days in office on Thursday, June 5, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reviewed his government's achievements. It was an opportunity to praise the reforms undertaken, particularly the adoption last March of a mechanism designed to promote merit, transparency and integrity in the appointment of senior executives. While this decision is indeed a step toward professionalizing public administration and restoring user confidence, there is one point that remains to be addressed. As clearly stipulated by the mechanism, “ensuring equitable representation, particularly of women and persons with disabilities” in appointments to senior public positions is essential.Mechanism vs. practice: A pervasive gapThere is a gulf between mechanism and practice. In March 2025, Lebanon’s Parliament adopted a new...
In a televised speech marking his first 100 days in office on Thursday, June 5, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reviewed his government's achievements. It was an opportunity to praise the reforms undertaken, particularly the adoption last March of a mechanism designed to promote merit, transparency and integrity in the appointment of senior executives. While this decision is indeed a step toward professionalizing public administration and restoring user confidence, there is one point that remains to be addressed. As clearly stipulated by the mechanism, “ensuring equitable representation, particularly of women and persons with disabilities” in appointments to senior public positions is essential.Mechanism vs. practice: A pervasive gapThere is a gulf between mechanism and practice. In March 2025, Lebanon’s Parliament adopted a new...