NCLW workshop on electoral laws and women’s participation

The National Commission for Lebanese Women (NCLW) opened yesterday a two-day workshop on electoral laws supportive of women participation in political life in Lebanon, The event which was held in coordination with the United Nations Economic and Social Commission in West Asia (ESCWA), at NCLW training center in Baabda, east of Beirut is part of a campaign by ESCWA to support member countries in adopting gender equality policies and to promote awareness and knowledge among women groups, particularly regarding electoral laws and their various interpretations from a gender equality perspective. Themes tackled during the first day centered on criteria and principles of international conventions, societal norms hindering gender equality and political participation. In this respect, Fadi Karam, NCLA director general, underlined the importance of women participation in all political institutions as the only way to achieve social development. Finally, he stressed the need to make women’s participation in politics one of the pillars of the Lebanese democratic system similarly to the principle of confessional balance in government decision-making.

 

(Source: Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, May 29, 2015)