With the closing of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign, the minister of state for women’s affairs, Jean Ogassapian, outlined in a press conference yesterday his ministry’s accomplishments in support of Lebanese women and girls. This, he said, includes the launch of alliances, advocacy campaigns, research, draft laws and awareness raising in schools and universities. Ogassapian stressed that the ministry sought to create a momentum to help keep women and their cause vibrant on the social and political levels to the end of achieving complete gender equality and transforming the prevailing male chauvinist mindset. Debating sensitive issues, like sexual harassment, violence against women, incest and underage marriage is no longer an untouchable taboo and is open to in-depth discussion, Ogasspian stated. After one year in office, the key challenge remains how to secure a larger and unrestrained representation of women in constitutional institutions, namely the Legislature and the Cabinet, the minister added. In conclusion, he emphasized the responsibility of women themselves to effectively respond to the opportunities when they come and demonstrate determination and will to reach decision-making positions, pointing to political parties as an ideal platform to realize this. (For the complete achievements of the ministry in arabic, kindly visit the following link :http://alkalimaonline.com/Newsdet.aspx?id=239909). (An Nahar, Al Diyar, December 12, 2017)