The National Commission for Lebanese Women blasted the new vote law on Wednesday, saying it marginalizes women, and called for equal representation in Parliament.
The commission condemned the new electoral law’s absence of a minimum quota for women in Lebanon’s Parliament, and highlighted a Ministerial statement that called for a female quota in the new vote law, in line with the Constitution and international agreements.
The statement acknowledged Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s commitment for a quota of women on all Future Movement ballots, and called on all political parties to adopt a similar position in order to ensure fair representation.
With women representing more than 50 percent of Lebanese voters, the commission called on Lebanese women to fight marginalization, and invited them to play their role as candidates and legislators.
Women's rights activists have long lobbied for a 30-percent quota for female representation to be included in a new electoral law. Currently, four out of 128 MPs are women. Prime Minister Saad Hariri's 30-member government includes one female minister, the Minister of State for Administrative Development Inaya Ezzeddine.
