Structure, vision of ministry for women’s affairs launched

The state minister for women’s affairs, Jean Ogassapian, launched yesterday the structure, vision and electronic portal of his ministry at the Grand Serail in the presence of Prime Minister Saad Hariri. During the launch event which saw the signing of a memorandum of cooperation with UNDP, Ogassapian announced his ministry’s roadmap which observes equal civil, economic, social, cultural and political rights of women on par with men, the enhancement of women’s capacities and integration of women’s rights in the core of the sustainable national development strategy. As for the ministry’s website which still has no clear web address, Ogassapian stressed its fundamental role in presenting the ministry’s strategy and achievements and in facilitating communication between the various public departments and local and international NGOs involved with women. For his part, Hariri reiterated his full backing to women’s representation quota as a precondition for the upcoming electoral law, pledging to implement the directive issued during his 2010 term in government to promote women’s access to senior posts in the State after being suspended for 7 years as a result of impeding social and cultural traditions, according to Hariri. (Al Hayat, Al Diyar, Al Mustaqbal, March 1, 2017)