Women’s right to participate in developing electoral law, women’s quota

The president of the National Committee for the Follow up of Women’s Issues and member of Women in Parliament Coalition, Dr. Fahmiya Sharafeddeen, demanded the presence of a group of women in the so-called Independent Electoral Commission in order to participate in formulating the new law related to the upcoming elections, stressing the need to ensure a women representation quota by no less than 30%. Sharafeddeen was speaking to An Nahar newspaper on the main contents of the petition of requests expected to be announced by the Coalition in a press conference tomorrow. And while commending the support of Speaker Berri and Prime Minister Hariri, Sharafeddeen criticized their heedlessness in determining the rate of the anticipated quota and the double standard talk that has no practical significance. In this context, Sharafiddine disclosed that the Coalition is still waiting to set an appointment with the Head of the State, Michel Aoun, to raise the matter before him. And while she rejected a proposal submitted to Cabinet by Interior Minister Nuhad Mashnuk during President Michel Sueiman’s term which set the maximum women’s quota at 10%, Sharafeddeen said that the country suffers strong patriarchal hegemony. She pointed in this respect to the case of Lebanese women married to non-Lebanese who are still denied the right of granting nationality to their children. Sharafeddeen also mentioned the flagrant contradiction in the content of the Constitution which while acknowledging that women are fully fledged citizens, the Personal Status Law deals with them as second class citizens. In conclusion, Sharafeddeen, mentioned the newly established women’s affairs ministry, stressing the Coalition’s coordination with the new minister, and demanding building a partnership between his ministry and the Women’s Movement in Lebanon. “We want to be partners in the development of the administrative structure and strategy of the Ministry,” she concluded. (An Nahar, January 9, 2017)