Lebanon

Female politicians still face numerous obstacles despite momentum for change.

On a sunny afternoon near a busy motorway in Beirut, former Lebanese MP Paula Yacoubian sits in the headquarters of her charitable organisation.

The general political context in 2022 is definitely different from that of 2018. But will the new Lebanese Parliament consist of more than six women following the May 15 elections?

While the deadline for the Lebanese interested in applying for candidacy in the 2022 parliamentary elections, which is March 15, 2022, arrives in a few days, only 47 women number among the 419 candidates who have so far officially submitted their applications.

Despite its apparent liberalism, Lebanon scores low in gender equality, especially in politics. According to the Gender Gap index, Lebanon ranks third last in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, with only Syria and Yemen, both plagued by war, scoring lower.

According to Reliefweb, since 2010, Lebanon has witnessed a consistent decline in its relative gender gap score – reaching close to zero in terms of political empowerment.

Beirut, (UN Women, The European Union and The World Bank) - Lebanon is facing a convergence of political, economic and social crises, all exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. These crises are causing extraordinary human suffering across Lebanon and deepening gender inequalities and divides.

With Lebanon’s next parliamentary elections slated for 2022, coalitions should begin pushing to ensure women are equally represented in politics, activists and local advocacy groups said following the release of a U.N. Women report Tuesday entitled "Pursuing equality in rights and representation: women’s experiences running for Parliament in Lebanon’s 2018 elections."

Women were at the forefront of Lebanon’s 2019 ‘October Revolution’. Beyond the iconic images of their participation, it seems that by women linking equity in politics to the broader issues of mismanagement of corruption paid off – although activists say there is a long road ahead.

Amidst all the gloomy news and dispiriting just-ins invading our feeds every day, it's quite nice to come across some uplifting stories, every now and then, that remind us that there are still things, however small, to rejoice over in Lebanon.