Topic: Encouraging Political Participation by Women
Country: Lebanon
Topic page: background guide and all position papers All Lebanon position papers GLIMUN 2017 committees
In the changing world, should women be encouraged to further peruse and be encouraged to peruse positions of political power? Lebanon sees no need to encourage further political pursuit for women; not because women shouldn’t be a part of politics, but because they are a part of politics and could have been voted into the position that the people of Lebanon want women to be in. If more women were wanted in the parliament, then they would be voted in by the population. The door has been opened for women to have a role in politics, unfortunately it has had limited results. After granting votes for women in 1952, (19 years before women in Switzerland, one of the more progressive countries) there has only been 17 women voted into the parliament. 12 women ran for a position in the Lebanese parliament and 4 women were voted in June of 2009. The population of Lebanon is 954:1000 men to women, but currently the parliament is 124:4 men to women. The mirroring of population in the government has already been accomplished by the Lebanese government. Because Lebanon’s government is religiously based, women can run, but often do not feel obliged to do so. Women of some religions don’t feel as though they need to be in a place of power, especially not in a place of political power. With the changing of ideas on women’s rights, Lebanon sees no further steps needing to take place. If women wished to have a place of power results would be seen. Due to the lack of female representation thus far, there is only so much Lebanon can do. Lebanon is not against women in politics and we strive for modern ideas in our communities, so there is not much else Lebanon feels we must do. Due to the limited representation of women in government because of votes, Lebanon sees no problem needing to be addresses by the UN. This is a matter of sovereignty. Lebanon would agree with others who don’t seek change or influence from the UN. Country’s all have their own form of government, and not all are compatible to change, and none need to be changed. Also, the population doesn’t need to be mirrored in the parliament any more than it already is. If other countries want a minimum number of women in their government, they will set laws, but for the UN to intervene is a violation of sovereignty.
