First lady Wafaa Sleiman marked International Women’s Day Friday by calling for greater protection of women from violence and marginalization with the creation of laws that address these issues.
Sleiman made the comments at the launch of the Action Plan of a National Women Strategy in Lebanon at the UNESCO Palace in Beirut. The first lady represented the National Commission for Lebanese Women in her capacity as the organization’s president.
The ceremony was attended by the commission’s vice president, Randa Berri, Education Minister Hasan Diab and EU Ambassador to Lebanon Angelina Eichhorst as well as former ministers, diplomats and activists.
“A lot of achievements have been made during the past few decades in education, culture, health and [women’s] rights. The most important [achievement] is the self-realization on the part of women that they have a role as a partner in development and decision-making,” Sleiman said.
“Arab women have surprised a lot of people during the past two years with their strong and effective involvement in the changes which shook their society. They raised their voices, ascended to the podiums [to give speeches], participated in protests, and in many instances paid with their lives in order to seek a better life,” she added.
Sleiman warned that greater challenges still await women in the region.
“A wide section of women are still facing a painful reality controlled by the inherited authoritarian spirit which makes them a victim. In many cases, [women are exposed to] emotional and physical violence, the sex trade, marginalization, deprivation of rights, an almost complete absence from the public and political life as well as [limited involvement in] decision-making,” Sleiman added.
The first lady stressed the importance of the action plan and the future steps that would need to be taken in order to enhance the lives of women in the country.
“This strategy was developed by the commission in cooperation with civil society organizations. Today we launch its implementation through a program in cooperation with these organizations as well as public sector institutions,” she said.
“The Lebanese woman deserves the best. [She deserves] the chance to participate in decision-making and participate in an electoral law which would secure her quota in Parliament. She also deserves strong support for adopting the amended nationality law which gives the right to pass her nationality to her children in order to make them full citizens [with rights],” the first lady added.
In its latest efforts to achieve a breakthrough on the nationality issue, the commission presented a study to Prime Minister Najib Mikati Wednesday insisting he reconsider making amendments to the current nationality law.
