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Women’s Quota Law Blocked in Parliament, Until “Further Deliberation”
While our parliament takes months on end to pass laws that serve their needs and desires, they can decide on something as big as the women’s quota law within a matter of minutes.
Today, the Lebanese parliament dismissed the women’s quota law once again, blocking women’s advancement in Lebanese politics and passing the piece of legislation on to a (probably useless) committee for “further deliberation”. With only one woman in Najib Mikati’s 24-person cabinet, the bill called to reserve 26 out of 128 seats in parliament for women.
Submitted by MP Inaya Ezzedine, the proposed law does not begin to touch upon equality between the genders in representation.
Despite the fact that they are imperfect and largely ‘forced,’ quotas are of the fastest and most effective ways to ensure more equal numbers of men and women in government. It is after exposure that we can begin to alter public perceptions, by leading by example. Moreover, quotas work to correct existing discriminations and are not inherently discriminatory as they break up elite circles that are otherwise unchallenged.
Today, the Lebanese parliament dismissed the women’s quota law once again, blocking women’s advancement in Lebanese politics and passing the piece of legislation on to a (probably useless) committee for “further deliberation”. With only one woman in Najib Mikati’s 24-person cabinet, the bill called to reserve 26 out of 128 seats in parliament for women.
Women’s quota for #Lebanon‘s upcoming parliamentary elections, as expected, did not go through.
— Kareem Chehayeb | (@chehayebk) October 19, 2021
PM Mikati reportedly suggested a women’s quota in the candidates lists.
Submitted by MP Inaya Ezzedine, the proposed law does not begin to touch upon equality between the genders in representation.
Despite the fact that they are imperfect and largely ‘forced,’ quotas are of the fastest and most effective ways to ensure more equal numbers of men and women in government. It is after exposure that we can begin to alter public perceptions, by leading by example. Moreover, quotas work to correct existing discriminations and are not inherently discriminatory as they break up elite circles that are otherwise unchallenged.