The Women in Parliament 2013 coalition files 50 women candidates

The Women in Parliament 2013 Coalition which groups 150 women organisations, called for an urgent press conference in Beirut Central District which was timed two days before the upcoming Parliamentary session. During the press event the Coalition expressed its rejection of the continued exclusion of women from political life.  The Coalition indicated that women will no longer accept an electoral law that is not fair to them.  The press conference was attended by Mrs. Mona Ofeich, Mrs Hayat Areslan,  in addition to representatives of women and civil society organisations which support women’s rights and electoral reforms as well as some of the women candidate for the next elections.
The president of the Lebanese Women Council, Jamal Ghibril, gave a key note address during the conference sharing with the audience that the Coalition visited the three presidents as well as representatives of the key political parties and politicians who in general expressed their support for the adoption of a women quota in case a new electoral law is endorsed.  Most of those visited also confirmed their support for the appointment of women in the new cabinet.  Finally, Ghibril announced that more then 50 women from the Coalition are intending to run for the next parliamentary elections.
Ghibril reiterated once more the demands of the Coalition namely the inclusion of competent women amongst the electoral lists of the political parties as well as endorsing a quota within the political parties per se and so as to strengthen women’s leadership roles.  She also called on MPs to approve a temporary women quota of at least 30% in the new electoral law and also asked PM Salam to ensure that the new cabinet will include 30% women at the very least.

Source: Al-Mustaqbal, Al-Nahar 14 May 2013