30/9/2021
Claudine Aoun presented to PM Najib Mikati an amendment to the parliamentary elections law in order to incorporate in it a women’s quota: “We insist on reforming this law in order to activate the role of women in the political life, and we will make sure that the discussion of this amendment won’t be used as a pretext to justify any delay in the elections”.
Mrs. Claudine Aoun, president of the National Commission for the Lebanese Women, NCLW, visited PM Najib Mikati, and stated the following after the meeting: “I had the honor of meeting His Excellency the Prime Minister Najib Mikati. I handed him a draft law to amend the law on ‘Electing the members of the Parliament’, with the intention to adopt the women’s quota in the elections”. Our draft law adds to a set of draft laws on adopting the “women’s quota” in the elections’ law, previously submitted by a number of parliamentary blocs, among which we mention:
– The draft law submitted by MPs Anouar el Khalil, Hani Kobeissi, and Ibrahim Azar
– The draft law submitted by MP Dima Jamali
– The draft law submitted by PM Najib Mikati and MPs Nicolas Nahhas and Ali Ahmad Darwish
– The draft law submitted by MP Bilal Abdallah
– The draft law submitted by MP Inaya Ezzedine.
The multiplicity of parties calling for this amendment is a strong indicator of a real will by most parties to pass this legal reform, which aims at consolidating the role of women in the Lebanese political life. This puts all MPs before their responsibilities to respond to this demand.”
She also mentioned that “The draft law that we presented today to Prime Minister Mikati is limited to amending paragraph “A” of the second article of the Law on ‘Electing the Members of the Parliament’ 44/2017. The draft law was drafted by the Legal Committee of the National Commission for Lebanese Women. We made sure through the amendment that we are proposing today, to secure a minimum quota of 24 parliamentary seats, based on scientific and legal data and studies, and while taking into account the confessional distribution of parliamentary seats.” She added: “The elaboration of this draft law comes in line with the National Action Plan of the Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security, whose implementation is coordinated by the National Commission for Lebanese Women, with the close support of many partners, among whom a special mention to UN Women. We would like to note and stress that we are keen that the discussion of this amendment be not used as an excuse to justify in any way postponing the elections for ‘technical reasons’. On the contrary, we call on and insist that this draft law be discussed, along with all the other draft laws on including the women’s quota in the elections law, and that an urgent and accelerated vote on this amendment be conducted, so that the elections can take place on time. It is for the Lebanese people, through the ballot box, to renew their faith in the democratic and constitutional institutions that are the foundation of Lebanon and at the heart of its political life.” Aoun concluded: “On the other hand, I briefed His Excellency the Prime Minister on the restructuring process of the NCLW administrative bureau, thanks to the much-appreciated support of the GIZ Foundation and the German government; new policies were prepared for financial management, human resources, and procurement, as well as a code of conduct.”