Women's quota a 'national right': Ogasapian
The Daily Star
04
May
2017
Lebanon's Minister of State for Women's Affairs Jean Ogasapian Thursday said that a women's quota for Parliament is a "national right." Ogasapian made these remarks at a meeting with civil society and women's groups aimed at promoting political participation of Lebanese women. He said that women in Lebanon have "achieved great success in all fields and reached the highest positions [in their careers]." "[I call on] women's associations to do more work and [add] pressure because Lebanese women deserve this legitimate right which they have been demanding for years," the minister added. In March, Ogasapian insisted that a women’s quota in upcoming elections should be set for parliamentary seats rather than candidacies. 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, while Prime Minister Saad Hariri’s 30-member government includes one female minister, the Minister of State for Administrative Development Inaya Ezzeddine.
