Discussion panel on women and citizenship in Tripoli

The Safadi Foundation in cooperation with the North Bar Association conducted a discussion panel entitled ‘Women and Citizenship’ at the Municipality of Mina, Tripoli. The event was organized by the committee for ‘Beit al Muwatin’ (home of citizen) project which is financed by the Norwegian Embassy in Lebanon. In her address to the panel, Minister for the Displaced, Alice Shibtini, underscored the leading role that women can play in citizenship through her work, position, skills, and through active participation in the process of political, economic and social advancement. She described the citizenship project as a space for interaction between members of society and women in particular, praising it role in supporting meaningful local community initiatives and activities. Similarly, former Mina mayor, Mohamad Issa, described women’s presently marginalized situation based on data related to their participation in public affairs. Facts indicate the presence of only one woman in the current Cabinet against 24 male ministers; four women MPs out of a total of 128 members of Parliament. Towards the end of the event, a debate session was held during which participants put forward suggestions calling for relevant ministries to assume their responsibilities, and expressed their support to the right of Lebanese women to pass on their nationality to their children in the framework of a well studied parliamentary proposal. (Al Mustaqbal, 2nd June 2015)