Promoting women's public participation in Baalbaq & Hermel

In collaboration with German Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), the Lebanese Organization for Studies and Training (LOST) organized yesterday in Baalbaq an event, entitled, ‘Promoting the Role of Women in Public Affairs in Baalbaq - Achievements and Challenges’, and in order draw attention to their common efforts to raise the levels of public and political participation of women and develop their capacities. LOST founder, Rami Lakkis pointed out during the occasion that the precarious political situation at the national level prevents the young generation and women from participating in political life. “In order to boost women’s engagement on the public scene, efforts should be employed along two axis,” Lakkis said. The first should be based on strengthening women’s self-confidence and esteem, improving their potentials and developing skills that enable them to better communicate and manage themselves and others as well, Lakkis explained. The second axis, should work on reducing social obstacles that impede their participatory action in this regard. For his part, KAS representative, Peter Rimmele gave a summary of the training which was implemented in the context of the collaborative project in Baalbaq and Hermel. “Beneficiaries have partaken in political campaigning, expressed their opinions and communicated with others,” Rimmele said. They also learned about the art of public speaking and the nature of municipal work, he added, disclosing that some even nominated themselves for municipal councils. And in a direct address to the participants, Rimmele said encouragingly, “this is just the beginning, keep it up.” At the end of the conference, the women candidates to Baalbaq municipal council, namely Hadeel Rifai’, Yumna Tofaili and Mirvat Wehbeh, presented their assessment of the training project and the underlying challenges. (Al Mustaqbal, July 1, 2016)