The minister of state for women’s affairs in the caretaker government, Jean Ogassapian, disclosed on Friday that his ministry has submitted an amendment to the municipality law requiring the adoption of a women’s representation quota in municipal councils. The ratification of said draft, Ogassapian said, could be achieved with less effort compared to the parliamentary elections law. The minister was speaking during a round table discussion organized by UNESCO and the Hariri Foundation, in collaboration with the Lebanese University, under the title, ‘Gender equality: Cultural and societal drawbacks’. Ogassapian explained that the law is one of seven draft bills and several recommendations referred by his ministry to the end of promoting the status of the Lebanese woman. It is not only about the law, he said. The law alone is not enough, and neither is changing the outdated mindsets. The cultural and legal sides should combine to realize the desired change, Ogassapian maintained. Justice and equality must be streamlined in all Lebanon to emphasize the pivotal role of woman in bringing up a family away from extremism, illiteracy, terrorism, idleness and joblessness, as well as, working to build healthy societies up to contributing to the making of political and strategic decision at the level of the nation. (Al Mustaqbal, October 31, 2018)